”For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (KJV Matthew 24:5, KJV Mark 13:6, see also KJV Luke 21:8)
“For in those days there shall also arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (JST Matthew 24:22)
Jesus foretells of a time when many will say “I am Christ”. He warns of his name being used by many false Christs, as well as false prophets. What is a false Christ? Is a false Christ the same thing as a false Messiah or Savior? Are many deceived by many who make such a claim? Does a person have to proclaim himself to be a Savior to be a false Christ? Are there other possible meanings to the term “false Christ”?
First of all, what does the term “Christ” even mean? One meaning is said to originate from a Greek term which means “anointed one”. Jesus is certainly known by this term because, as it is said, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power” (KJV Acts 10:38). But is Jesus the only one to be anointed with the Holy Ghost? Is he the only “anointed one”? If a person claims to be anointed with the Holy Ghost, is this the same as claiming to be a “Christ”? If a person claims to receive the Holy Ghost but has not, does such a claim qualify a person for being a “false Christ”?
Are there many who come in his name, saying “I am Christ”? Could this be as common as saying “I am Christian”? If I claim to be a Christian, am I essentially claiming to be anointed with the Holy Ghost or in other words, a Christ? If such an anointing has not actually happened, does that claim qualify one for being a “false Christ”?
In another age of the world it is said that, “Satan came among them, saying: I am also a son of God; and he commanded them, saying: Believe it not; and they believed it not, and they loved Satan more than God” (LDS Moses 5:13). Is Satan anointed with the Holy Ghost? Is Satan “born of God”? If satan goes around claiming that he is, could he convince others that they are also born of God, or have been anointed with the Holy Ghost when in reality they are following him?
Noah preached among those who would be consumed by the flood and “Noah called upon the children of men that they should repent; but they hearkened not unto his words; And also, after that they had heard him, they came up before him, saying: Behold, we are the sons of God; have we not taken unto ourselves the daughters of men? And are we not eating and drinking, and marrying and giving in marriage? And our wives bear unto us children, and the same are mighty men, which are like unto men of old, men of great renown. And they hearkened not unto the words of Noah.” (LDS Moses 8:20-21, emphasis added).
People in Noah’s day saw no need to give heed to his message to repent and be born of God because they felt they all ready had been born of God and were living proof of God doing his work in their lives. They saw the abundance of blessings they had as evidence of God’s favor and approval of them as being genuine “sons of God”. Yet they were not, and they were destroyed by the flood.
Jesus warns that the last days will mirror the days of Noah (see KJV Luke 17:26). The days of Noah had men proclaiming themselves to have been anointed with the Holy Ghost, making them sons of God. Yet they would not hearken to the word of God preached by Noah. Were these deceived souls, “false Christs” in the days of Noah? Are there similar “false Christs” today?