"There Shall Arise False Christs"

So the Lord predicted in Mat. 24:24! "There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect". History records the claims of many false Christs and prophets, and Bible prophecy confirms that the deepest deception still lies in the future, when the Antichrist and the false prophet will dazzle the world with spectacular signs and wonders (2 Thess. 2:9).

But the apostle John wrote: "Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now nave there arisen man~ antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour" (1 John 2:18). Five years ago we drew attention to the full-page advertisements which appeared in major newspapers in many countries of the world (April 25, 1982) announcing, "The Christ is now here". A new phase of this movement was initiated on Jan.12, 1987 by a similar bold advertisement in the United States press:

Drugs - A.I.D.s - Poverty - Rampant Crime - Mass Starvation - Nuclear Threat - Terrorism.

Is there a solution?

In answer to our urgent need...

THE CHRIST IS IN THE WORLD

A great World Teacher for people of all religions and no religion.

A practical man with solutions to our problems.

He loves ALL humanity.

The advertisement proceeded to give assurance that all those problems were soluble through Sharing and Justice, and it invited people to allow the Teacher to show them the way forward! It is My intention to reveal Myself

at the earliest possible ...... to come before the world as your Friend and Teacher. Christ is here, my Friends. Your brother walks among you.

In the 1982 advertisement this "World Teacher" was identified as "Lord Maitreya", a Buddhist name that refers to "the fifth Buddha" the expected one. He is said to be the one expected by all the major religions - the "Imam Mahdi" of the Moslems; the "Hare Krishna" of the Hindus; "the Messiah" of the Jews"; "the Christ" of the Christians. Since 1977 he is said to have been awaiting the right moment for his public manifestation. The 1982 announcement was a preliminary signal. The 1987 declaration has a more imminent tone, and is doubtless designed to stir the expectation of millions who are credulous enough to respond to such propaganda. The concept of a "Master of Wisdom" who claims to have the solution to society's grievous ills has its own inherent power of appeal.

Examination of the movement behind the announcement that "the Christ is in the world" leaves no doubt as to its spiritual character. It is thoroughly anti-Christian and of the evil one, having its roots in the ancient occult philosophies and practices of Buddhism and Hinduism. It rejects outright Bible truth about the Christ of God, as shown by the following quote from "The Reappearance of Maitreya the Christ and the Masters of Wisdom" (Benjamin Creme): "The Churches have presented a picture of the Christ impossible for the majority of thinking people today to accept - as the one and only Son of God, sacrificed by His loving Father to save Humanity from the results of its sins; as a Blood Sacrifice straight out of the old and outworn Jewish Dispensation..." So the Christ said now to be in the world appeals to the "superior intelligence" of our modern age which can no longer accept that "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life"!

Not only is the Christ of the Bible rejected, but God's statement that human self-effort is unavailing for salvation is summarily dismissed. The supposed Christ, "this great One, Maitreya, the Christ, the Lord of Love Himself ... will show humanity the steps which it should take to regenerate itself, and to create a civilization based on sharing, cooperation and good will, leading to world brotherhood... He is Divine, having perfected Himself, and manifested the Divinity potential in each of us".

The indwelling Holy Spirit causes the believer instinctively to turn away from such "philosophy and vain deceit after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ: for in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. and in Him ye are made full, who is the head of all principality and power".

unknown | Oct 1987
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