In our prior page focusing on the identifying marks of the antichrist, we saw that the great strategy used by this soul destroying enemy is to insinuate itself ” into the place” of the true Christ , the Creator of the heavens and the earth and our atoning sacrifice for sin (see Colossians 1 : 16 ; 1st John 2 : 2 ). After a careful reading of the texts in John’s letters anyone may see that the word antichrist does not refer to only one individual at the end of time , but rather to an antichristian tendency that has existed even from the days of John (see 1st John 2:18 ,22 ; 1st John 4:3 ; 2nd John 7 ). Although the word antichrist is not in other Bible books, when scripture is compared with scripture it is clear that we have been given many identifying marks about the antichrist, but referred to by other symbols. Scripture reveals that the spirit of antichrist would continue all the way down to the end . It also shows that it would originate from within the Christian church. In 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 we find Paul informing us that there was to be a falling away which would occur before the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. In verses 8 and 9 , there is one referred to as “lawless” and in verse 7 there is revealed “the mystery of lawlessness” that had already began to work during Paul’s day. Whatever you do , don’t miss verse 10 where it speaks of those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. If you seem to be lacking in love for the truth, it would be well to ask our Heavenly Father for a renewed heart that would come to love all truth.We see here in chapter 2 that there is identified one who is described as lawless. If we can determine the character of the one that’s said to be lawless , then we may begin see what is being revealed. In 1st John 3: 4 , it shows us that sin is lawlessness. We find in the King James version of the scriptures that sin is defined as the transgression of the law. If there is any question about which law is under consideration we can see that the apostle Paul said that he would not have known what sin is except through the law that says , “You shall not covet ” (see Romans 7 : 7 ). With that , it’s now easy to see that the characteristic shown by the lawless one is a disregard for the law of God . Anyone who has studied their Bible knows that the 10 commandments were written in stone by the finger of God and they stand alone for we notice in Deuteronomy 5 : 22 that God ” added no more” (see Exodus 31 : 18 ).