9 "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. 10 And then many will fall away, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and will lead many astray.
Christians are hated because of Jesus' name, which makes any such ones antichrists, "against" Christ. Some of these false prophets were actually former Christians. However, these Christians John says, "went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us." –1 John 2:18, 19.
As we have seen from the beginning of this publication, there is no one antichrist, but many individuals from the time of Jesus first coming in the first century, up unto his return in the future. Being that some of these antichrists are also false prophets, they are in the business of deceiving true Christians. How do they go about this business of deceiving?
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 16 But avoid empty speeches that violate what is holy, for they will lead to more and more ungodliness, 17 and their word will spread like gangrene; Hymenaeus and Philetus are among them. 18 men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some.
2:15. Timothy, by contrast, must do his best to present [himself] to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed. Timothy, and all who follow Christ, are to consecrate themselves to God, working diligently for his approval. The teacher whom God approves has no need of shame in his presence.
God bestows his approval on the one who exhibits truth, love, and godliness in daily living, and who correctly handles the word of truth. The false teachers were mishandling God's words, using them for their own benefit. Timothy was commissioned to handle the words of God correctly. All preaching should present the truth clearly, cutting through erroneous ideas or inaccurate opinions.
The pastor or teacher must acquaint himself thoroughly with Scripture. He should familiarize himself with historical information and the context of the passage, especially when trying to reach back through the centuries to gain an accurate understanding of God's revelation.
2:16. Paul again issued a warning: Avoid godless chatter. Paul was not referring to backyard chats or little conversation groups that met over tea. The phrase "godless chatter" describes the empty babbling of false teachers. Their doctrines may have been quite organized and intricate, but Paul labeled them "chatter" because they were without substance.
In addition, their teachings did not promote the life and practices which God approves. Paul declared that those who indulged in such chatter would become more and more ungodly. In vivid contrast to God's truth, which results in godliness, the false teachings degenerate into greater ungodliness.
2:17–18. But these false teachers and their philosophies were not pitiful little people to be ignored. They were causing great harm to those whom they influenced: Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Just as the teaching they followed was rotten, so its foul and corrupt nature infected more aid more people. In contrast, truth is always life producing, creating wholeness and health. Paul gave two examples of leaders who abandoned the faith and whose spurious teachings brought destructive results: Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth.
Other than this mention by Paul, these two men pass unknown in history. But because their names were known to Timothy, they were probably leaders within the Ephesian church. Yet, they wandered away. This describes a slow drifting from the truth. These men did not make a dramatic break from the Christian faith and run after strange philosophies. They slowly shifted their thinking, toyed with new ideas, held to what they liked and discarded what was unappealing. After a time, they had denied the faith.
Deceptively, Hymenaeus and Philetus taught that the resurrection had already come, and it was merely a symbolic one, meaning that Christians had only been resurrected in a spiritual sense. This is somewhat true on two fronts: (1) When one becomes a Christian; he moves over from death to life (John 5:24; 1 John 3:14), and (2) it is the Christian God made alive even though he was dead in trespasses and sins. (1 Pet 4:3-6; Eph. 2:1-5, See ASV) In these verses what is meant? Christians were one dead spiritually, but after accepting Christ, and having forsaken the practice of sin; they have passed over from death to life in that the condemnation to death that all humans face is lifted, and they have the hope of eternal life. Nevertheless, what Hymenaeus and Philetus taught went beyond this truth, into their denying Jesus promise of a literal resurrection of the dead under the kingdom of God. – John 5:28-29.
Less than one hundred years after Hymenaeus and Philetus, we have a group called the Gnostics, who developed the idea of a purely symbolic resurrection. They believed that one could acquire knowledge Greek, gnosis) in a mystical way. Gnostics fused biblical truths with Greek philosophy and Oriental mysticism. For example, they taught that all physical matter was evil, which, would mean that Jesus did not come in the flesh; otherwise, he would have been evil. Thus, they claimed that it only appeared as though Jesus came in the flesh. In other words, it only seemed as though he had a human body, which is known as Docetism, an early heresy that claimed that Jesus Christ was not a real person. As we have repeatedly shown, in the above, this is one of the most direct signs that the apostle John warned against, which made one who professed such an antichrist. – 1 John 4:2-3; 2 John 7.
The 'kingdom' means not so much a goal to be attained or a place . . . it is rather a tone of mind (Luke, xviii,20-21), it stands for an influence which must permeate men's minds if they would be one with Him and attain to His ideals.
The Kingdom of God is the reign of God in the heart and life of the individual in every human relationship, and in every form and institution of organized human society. The chief means for promoting the Kingdom of God on earth are preaching the gospel of Christ, and teaching the principles of righteousness contained therein. The Kingdom of God will be complete when every thought and will of man shall be brought into captivity to the will of Christ. And it is the duty of all Christ's people to pray and labor continually that his Kingdom may come and his will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.
What does Jesus and the Bible say about the kingdom of God? Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world." (John 18:36) Jesus also said, "The ruler of this world [Satan] is coming. He has no claim on me" (John 14:30) Indeed, Paul tells us, at present, "The god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers." (2 Cor. 4:4) Now, we can appreciate why Jesus will be removing all present day governments, becoming the sole ruler over the earth. (Ps. 2:2, 6-9; Rev. 19:11-21) When Christians recite the Lord's Prayer, this is what they are actually praying for, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth." – Matthew 6:10, KJV.
Should the kingdom of God be viewed as a real government? Isaiah 9:6-7 says, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end …" (ASV, RSV, ESV, NASB, and HCSB) It does have a king, Jesus Christ. (Dan 7:13-14; Mark 14:61-62) Jesus will have co-rulers under him, and they will rule over the earth. (Rev 5:9-10; 20:4; 22:5; Matt 19:28) The word "government" means "a group of people who have the power to make and enforce laws for a country or area." Well, will not Jesus and his co-rulers have power and authority (Matt 28:18), to enforce the will and purposes of the Father over the earth? Whether one sees it as a government or a kingdom, these are synonymous as to its purpose.
22 You shall not lie with a male as you lie down with a woman; it is an abomination.
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men of passive homosexual acts, nor men of active homosexual acts, 10 nor thieves, nor greedy persons, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
4 Let marriage be honorable among all, and let the marriage bed be without defilement, for God will judge sexually immoral people and adulterers.
7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross sexual immorality and having gone after other flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.
10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue.11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
18 Little children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; whereby we know that it is the last hour.
22 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, even the one who denies the Father and the Son.
3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is in the world already.
7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, even those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
Lastly, simply know that the antichrist is anyone, group or organization that denies the Father and the Son, Jesus came in the flesh, who oppose Jesus or his kingdom, and his disciples. Also, it is any that deny God's Word as being inspired and fully inerrant, waters down biblical truths, to appease man. It is any that claim they alone speak for Christ, are his representation here on earth, or that they are Christ.
 Gnosticism was an early Christian religious movement teaching that salvation comes by learning esoteric spiritual truths that free humanity from the material world, believed in this movement to be evil.
 A poor rendering, "the kingdom of God is within you," should rather be rendered, "the kingdom of God is in your midst." See NASB, ESV, RSV, HCSB, and LEB The context is Jesus speaking to the unrighteous Pharisees (vs 20), so he would not be saying the Kingdom was in them, but rather that because the king himself was talking to them, it was in their midst.
 18:36 My kingdom is not of this world. By this phrase, Jesus meant that His kingdom is not connected to earthly political and national entities, nor does it have its origin in the evil world system that is in rebellion against God. If His kingdom was of this world, He would have fought. The kingships of this world preserve themselves by fighting with force. Messiah's kingdom does not originate in the efforts of man but with the Son of Man forcefully and decisively conquering sin in the lives of His people and, some day, conquering the evil world system at His Second Coming when He establishes the earthly form of His kingdom. His kingdom was no threat to the national identity of Israel or the political and military identity of Rome. It exists in the spiritual dimension until the end of the age (Rev. 11:15). MacArthur, John (2005-05-09). The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Kindle Locations 48413-48415). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
 Professing Christians and nominal believers in the church follow their own desires and flock to preachers who offer them God's blessings apart from His forgiveness, and His salvation apart from their repentance. They have an itch to be entertained by teachings that will produce pleasant sensations and leave them with good feelings about themselves. Their goal is that men preach "according to their own desires." Under those conditions, people will dictate what men preach, rather than God dictating it by His Word. MacArthur, John (2005-05-09). The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Kindle Locations 60857-60860). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
 Antichrist: (Gr. antichristos) The term "Antichrist," occurs in the NT five times. From those five times, we gather this entity is "against" (i.e. denies Christ) or "instead of" (i.e., false Christs) Jesus Christ. There are many antichrists that began back in the apostle John's day and will continue up unto Jesus' second coming. (1 John 2:18) The antichrist is referred to as a number of individuals taken together, i.e., collectively. (2 John 1;7) Persons who deny Jesus Christ are the antichrist. (1 John 2:22) All who deny the divinity of Jesus Christ as the One and Only Son of God is the antichrist. (1 John 2:22; John 10:36; Lu 9:35) Some antichrists are apostates, one who left the faith and are now in opposition to the truth. (1 John 2:18-19) Those who oppose the true followers of Jesus are the antichrist. (John 15:20-21) Individuals or nations that oppose Jesus or try to supplant his kingly authority are antichrists.–Ps. 2:2; Matt. 24:24; Rev. 17:3, 12-14; 19:11-21.