Antichrist and Human Depravity in Reformed Premillennialism
The relationship between the Antichrist and human depravity, particularly within the framework of Reformed premillennialism, is a complex and contested area of Christian theology. While Reformed theology generally affirms human depravity, the concept of premillennialism itself is not universally accepted within Reformed traditions, leading to diverse interpretations of eschatological figures like the Antichrist.
One significant position, historically prominent in Reformed thought, rejects premillennialism as a "fiction" or "puerile" notion. John Calvin, for instance, dismissed the idea of an earthly millennium as "too puerile to need or to deserve refutation," asserting that it receives no support from the book of Revelation [2]. This amillennial or postmillennial perspective, common among many Reformers, often interprets the Antichrist as a recurring spirit of opposition to Christ throughout history, or as a final, singular figure whose appearance precedes Christ's return and the general resurrection. From this viewpoint, human depravity is understood as the pervasive condition that makes such opposition possible, manifesting in various forms of rebellion against God, including the worship of idols and demons [5]. The Augsburg Confession, a foundational Lutheran text, condemns those who deny original depravity as sin, emphasizing that humanity cannot be justified by its own strength [6]. Similarly, the Anglican Thirty-Nine Articles state that original sin is the "fault and corruption of the Nature of every man," inclining humanity to evil and deserving of God's wrath [8]. This inherent inclination to evil is seen as the fertile ground for antichristian movements and figures throughout history.
Conversely, some traditions, particularly within certain streams of Baptist and Reformed thought, have historically identified the Antichrist with specific historical institutions, most notably the Papacy. Charles Hodge, a prominent Old Princeton theologian, notes that the Reformers "with one voice pronounced" the Papacy as the antichristian power predicted by Daniel, Paul, and John, making little distinction between Babylon and Antichrist [10]. This view often aligns with a historical-futurist interpretation of prophecy, where the Antichrist is a real, identifiable entity or system that has manifested over time and will culminate in a final figure. In this perspective, human depravity is understood as the underlying cause that allows such a corrupt system to arise and persist, leading people to follow false teachers who are "of the world" and under the "dominion of sin" [4]. Matthew Henry, a Nonconformist commentator, describes the degeneracy of the old world as an "apostasy from God and rebellion against him," highlighting how the increase of mankind led to widespread wickedness [7]. Adam Clarke, a Methodist commentator, similarly notes that the antediluvian world was "wholly sensual," with desires of the mind "overwhelmed and lost in the desires of the flesh" [9]. This deep-seated human inclination towards sin is what enables the Antichrist's deception and power.
While specific interpretations of the Antichrist and the timing of the millennium diverge, all these positions share a fundamental agreement on the doctrine of human depravity. Reformed theology, in particular, emphasizes that original sin is not merely an imitation of Adam's transgression but a "corruption of nature" inherited by all humanity, resulting in a loss of original righteousness and an inclination toward evil [8, 1]. This inherent corruption means that even when faced with divine judgment, repentance is not automatic, and people tend to persist in their evil deeds [5]. The renewal of humanity into "righteousness and true holiness" is understood as a work of God's grace through Christ, not a natural human capacity [11]. The early church father Irenaeus also spoke of the "deceits, wickedness, and apostate power of Antichrist," noting that all things were created for the benefit of human nature, which possesses its own free will [3].
The divergence in understanding the Antichrist and premillennialism often stems from differing hermeneutical approaches to prophetic texts, particularly the book of Revelation. While some traditions interpret these texts literally and chronologically, others view them as symbolic representations of spiritual realities or historical patterns. However, the foundational doctrine of human depravity—the idea that humanity is inherently sinful and incapable of saving itself—remains a shared theological premise across these varied eschatological views, providing the context for understanding the Antichrist as a manifestation of humanity's rebellion against God.
Sources
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 47: one denied, and devote their attention principally to the points which were then in controversy. Rivet, however, clearly shows that although not rendered prominent, the immediate imputation of Adam’s sin as universally assumed. This is plain from the fact that all the evil consequences of Adam’s apostasy, mortality, the loss of original righteousness, corruption of nature or spiritual death, etc., etc., were of the nature of punishment. What the Reformers were anxious to maintain was, that original hereditary depravity (concupiscence, in ”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 80: Martyr, and Tertullian (all from the second century). But by the time of Luther and Calvin, the leading theologians (both Roman Catholic and Protestant) had rejected the doctrine of an earthly millennium. Calvin calls it a “fiction,” and says that it is “too puerile to need or to deserve refutation.” arose, who limited the reign of Christ to a thousand years. This fiction is too puerile to need or to deserve refutation. Nor do they receive any countenance from the Apocalypse, from which it is known that they extracted a gloss for t”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 1: Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius, Barnabas, Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus — CHAP.XXIX.--ALL THINGS HAVE BEEN CREATED FOR THE SERVICE OF MAN. THE DECEITS, WICKEDNESS, AND APOSTATE POWER OF ANTICHRIST. THIS WAS PREFIGURED AT THE DELUGE, AS AFTERWARDS BY THE PERSECUTION OF SHADR (part 1): 1. In the previous books I have set forth the causes for which God permitted these things to be made, and have pointed out that all such have been created for the benefit of that human nature which is saved, ripening for immortality that which is [possessed] of its own free will and its own power, and pr”
- 1 John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 John 4:5: They are of the world,.... That is, the false prophets and teachers that were gone into the world, and had the spirit of antichrist in them; these were as they were when they came into the world, under the pollution, guilt, and dominion of sin, in a state of unregeneracy, carnality, and darkness; they properly belonged unto it, and walked after the course of it, and were under the influence of the god of it, who led them into error; and were sensual, and indulged themselves in worldly lusts, and were seeking after worldly things; supposed that gain was godliness, and h”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 9:20: 9:20-21 Even when humans are faced with plagues and death, repentance is not automatic. People tend to continue in their evil deeds and to worship demons and idols—things that belong to the created order—rather than worshiping the Creator (see 13:4; 14:9-10; Rom 1:25; 1 Cor 8:4; 10:19-22). • murders . . . witchcraft . . . immorality . . . thefts: What people worship parallels the ways in which they live (see Rev 21:8; 22:15; Rom 1:23, 29-32). • Revelation portrays the extent to which depravity controls unbelievers. It is not logical for people to worship power”
- Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), 3 They condemn the Pelagians and others who deny that original: 3 They condemn the Pelagians and others who deny that original depravity is sin, and who, to obscure the glory of Christ’s merit and benefits, argue that man can be justified before God by his own strength and reason.”
- Genesis (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Genesis 6:1: For the glory of God's justice, and for warning to a wicked world, before the history of the ruin of the old world, we have a full account of its degeneracy, its apostasy from God and rebellion against him. The destroying of it was an act, not of an absolute sovereignty, but of necessary justice, for the maintaining of the honour of God's government. Now here we have an account of two things which occasioned the wickedness of the old world: - 1. The increase of mankind: Men began to multiply upon the face of the earth. This was the effect of the blessing (Gen 1:28”
- Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), Section 225: Original Sin standeth not in the following of Adam, (as the Pelagians do vainly talk;) but it is the fault and corruption of the Nature of every man, that naturally is ingendered of the offspring of Adam; whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit; and therefore in every person born into this world, it deserveth God's wrath and damnation. And this infection of nature doth remain, yea in them that are regenerated; where”
- Genesis (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Genesis 6:5: The wickedness of man was great - What an awful character does God give of the inhabitants of the antediluvian world! 1. They were flesh, (Gen 6:3), wholly sensual, the desires of the mind overwhelmed and lost in the desires of the flesh, their souls no longer discerning their high destiny, but ever minding earthly things, so that they were sensualized, brutalized, and become flesh; incarnated so as not to retain God in their knowledge, and they lived, seeking their portion in this life. 2. They were in a state of wickedness. All was corrupt within, and all unrighte”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 89: denounced the corruptions of the Church of Rome, but down to the time of the Reformation that Church was held up by a succession of theologians or ecclesiastics, as the Babylon of the Apocalypse which was to be overthrown and rendered desolate. When the Reformers with one voice pronounced the same judgment, and, making little distinction between Babylon and Antichrist, held up the Papacy as the antichristian power predicted by Daniel, by St. Paul, and by St. John, the Romanists laid out their strength in defending their Church from this d”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 58: the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Again, “Be renewed in the spirit of your minds” and “put ye on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Again, “Put ye on 516 the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” 310 310 2 Cor. 3:18 ; Eph. 4:23, 24 ; Col. 3:10 ; 2 Cor. 4:16 . Accordingly through the blessing of Christ we are renewed by that regeneration into the righteousness of God from which we had falle”