By Vincent Rhodes
When something is mentioned once, we might ignore it. Twice? Maybe a coincidence. But when a theme starts to appear again and again, it may be time to stop, look, and pray.
In recent weeks, I’ve noticed a growing number of voices across the media and faith community suggesting that former President Donald Trump could be the Antichrist—or at the very least, a forerunner. This isn’t some fringe theory being whispered in obscure corners of the internet. These are respected journalists, pastors, and writers bringing this idea forward. For those of us raised in evangelical homes, these warnings sound eerily familiar.
I remember being a child, sitting in the basement of my church, watching A Thief in the Night—a 1972 Christian film that dramatized the Rapture and the rise of the Antichrist. That movie seared itself into my imagination. At just nine years old, the thought of being “left behind” was terrifying. And now, nearly 50 years later, we’re revisiting that same fear—except now it’s not fiction. It’s not a dramatization. It’s happening in real time.
The Red Tie and the Hollow Gospel
In a provocative piece titled The Antichrist Wears a Red Tie, Jeff Giesea writes about Trump not through a purely biblical lens, but a cultural and moral one. He accuses Trump of mimicking the image of a savior while dismantling the very values he claims to protect—justice, order, truth. He says Trump “wraps himself in the language of strength and tradition” but leaves “chaos and cynicism” behind. Giesea sees in Trump a counterfeit leader: a deceiver cloaked in virtue, wielding charm and charisma but devoid of a moral compass.
His words are striking: “He presents himself as a bulwark against Western decay…yet has a pattern of appeasing Putin and other autocratic flatterers.” Trump becomes, in Giesea’s eyes, not a restorer of America but a “serpent dressed in robes of virtue,” infecting the nation with what he calls a “MAGA mind virus.”
The Man of Lawlessness in Real Time
Pastor and theologian Richard Beck points to the “Man of Lawlessness” mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:
“Let no one deceive you in any way, for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed…He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god…so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.” (2 Thess. 2:3–4)
Beck notes how Trump’s disregard for law, especially during the January 6th Capitol riot, fits this description. His refusal to concede the election, his demands that Pence overturn the results, and his willingness to publicly flirt with the idea of a third term all raise alarms. Beck confesses that when Trump started speculating about “methods” to remain in power beyond his term, the image of the lawless one lit up in his mind.
A Test for the Church?
Perhaps the most convicting insight comes from Susan Bagwell, who doesn’t name Trump directly, but mourns the Church’s complicity. She speaks of an apostasy, a falling away, where Christians abandon Christlike values in exchange for political power. She describes a growing segment of the Church that excuses cruelty, celebrates arrogance, and worships a man as if he were divine.
“There is no proof of wrongdoing you can lay out that they will not excuse, ignore, or deny…Loyalty to him, above kin and country, has become their whole identity.”
That’s a sobering thought. It should cause every believer to search their own heart.
Discernment, Not Denial
Let me be clear: I’m not here to proclaim that Donald Trump is the Antichrist. I don’t pretend to know the secret counsels of God. But I do believe we are called to test the spirits (1 John 4:1) and to discern the signs of the times.
We’ve seen these patterns before—people rising up to claim moral superiority while trampling on the Word of God. We’ve seen political figures throughout history try to enthrone themselves in the hearts of the people, demanding loyalty that should belong only to Christ. From Hitler to Stalin, to Roman emperors of the ancient world, there have always been men who fit the pattern of the Antichrist, even if they were not the final one prophesied.
That’s why I say this: Trump may not be the Antichrist, but he certainly exhibits the traits of an Antichrist. And that’s just as dangerous.
A Cult of Personality
There’s an old song by the band Living Colour titled Cult of Personality. The lyrics still ring true:
“I exploit you, still you love me. I tell you one and one makes three.”
This is the deception we are witnessing—a man who defies logic, law, and righteousness yet garners unwavering adoration. That’s not leadership. That’s idolatry. That’s dangerous.
And for Christians, that’s a test.
A Call to Courage and Clarity
These are troubling times. But the Bible tells us again and again: Do not fear. That doesn’t mean we won’t feel fear, but it means we must not be ruled by fear.
Karl Barth, a theologian who stood against the rise of Nazism, once trained pastors to preach prophetically in the face of a growing threat. He knew that the Church must not remain silent when tyranny knocks on the door. We are called to be light in the darkness, not co-conspirators in moral decline.
This is not about political sides. This is about spiritual discernment. It’s about knowing when the values of the Gospel are being compromised for the sake of national pride or personal gain.
The Final Word
We do not worship a man in a red tie. We do not bow to Caesar. We serve a risen King who told us plainly: My kingdom is not of this world.
So let us be wise. Let us be watchful. And above all, let us be faithful to the One who alone is worthy of our trust.
Jesus is Lord. Not Trump. Not Biden. Not any man.
And that means no matter what chaos may come—we have hope.
Written by Vincent Rhodes, host of Vincent Rhodes Live. Subscribe for biblical insights, cultural commentary, and watchman warnings for the discerning believer.
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