The way of the antichrist is only a sale away

Who is the liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ?
This is the antichrist,
even he that denieth the Father and the Son.
Whosoever denieth the Son,
the same hath not the Father:
he that confesseth the Son hath the Father also.
As for you,
let that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning.
If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you,
ye also shall abide in the Son,
and in the Father.
And this is the promise which he promised us,
even the life eternal.
These things have I written unto you concerning them that would lead you astray.
And as for you,
the anointing which ye received of him abideth in you,
and ye need not that any one teach you;
but as his anointing teacheth you concerning all things,
and is true,
and is no lie,
and even as it taught you,
ye abide in him.
And now,
my little children,
abide in him;
that,
if he shall be manifested,
we may have boldness,
and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
1 John 2:22-28 RV

For today's reflection, I have chosen the epistle, which comes from the masterful 1 John.

I wrote often and regularly on 1 John last year (see subject list), however, this particular passage managed to escape my literary bumbling.

Who, or what is the Antichrist? In our world, we have images for this like the one above. The antichrist is Satan, or the devil. Marilyn Manson has set himself up such a being. Many would regard Hitler as the antichrist.

According to 1 John, it is far broader, far less obvious. In fact, very prevalent.

Who is the liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ?
This is the antichrist,
even he that denieth the Father and the Son.
Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father:
he that confesseth the Son hath the Father also.
1 John 2:22-23 RV

He that denies that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah is the antichrist. Does this mean that anyone who doesn't believe in Christ is the antichrist? Is the antichrist not a person, but a "popular movement"? In some ways this makes sense. I personally believe many aspects of our society anti-Christian. I also believe that anti-Christian behaviour is so prevalent and insidious, that this is more dangerous than we think.

Example: I find the way Christmas is about Santa, presents, food, essentially western capitalism; and not about the births of Christ very antichristian. It is one of the worst things and adult can do is (apparently) tell a child that Santa does not exist. Yet our society very rarely, if at all states that Jesus exists, let alone that he is the Christ. Is that a sign of the antichrist?

So in my opinion, thew secular idea of the antichrist is far more radical and fantasy like than what the antichrist really is. It is not a matter of "going to the dark side" more a matter of what John says earlier:

And this is the message which we have heard from him,
and announce unto you,
that God is light,
and in him is no darkness at all.
If we say that we have fellowship with him,
and walk in the darkness,
we lie,
and do not the truth:
but if we walk in the light,
as he is in the light,
we have fellowship one with another,
and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1 John 1:5-7 RV

Because, as John goes on to state in todays reading:

Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father:
he that confesseth the Son hath the Father also.
1 John 2:23 RV