"And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet." (Luke 24:38-40)
"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." (1 John 4:1-3)
"Docetism, (from Greek dokein, “to seem”), Christian heresy and one of the earliest Christian sectarian doctrines, affirming that Christ did not have a real or natural body during his life on earth but only an apparent or phantom one." (www.Brittanica.com)
One of the earliest and most dangerous heresies to confront the Church was Gnosticism, a belief system that denied the full humanity of Jesus Christ. At the heart of this error is a doctrine known as Docetism, from the Greek word dokein, meaning “to seem.” Docetists claimed that Christ only appeared to have a human body—that He was a spirit being with no true flesh and blood. But such teachings are not only heretical—they are antichrist, according to the Word of God.
Christ Himself Refuted Docetism
The risen Lord Jesus left no room for such deception. After His resurrection, when His disciples were troubled and doubting, He gave them a clear, physical, and undeniable demonstration of His bodily resurrection:
“And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.”
(Luke 24:38–40, KJV)
Jesus did not rise as a phantom or spirit. He rose in a literal, glorified body—still bearing the wounds of crucifixion. His invitation to “handle me, and see” was a direct refutation of the Gnostic lie that the divine Christ could not take on human flesh.
The Apostle John Exposes the Spirit of Antichrist
As Gnostic teachings spread through the early Church, the Apostle John, under divine inspiration, wrote to expose and condemn them. In his first epistle, he draws a bold line between truth and heresy:
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist...”
(1 John 4:1–3, KJV)
To deny that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not a small doctrinal error—it is the very spirit of antichrist. John's warning rings as true today as it did in the first century. Any teaching that undermines the incarnation of Christ is not of God.
Why It Matters
The full humanity of Jesus is not a theological footnote—it is essential to the gospel. If Christ did not come in the flesh, He could not bear our sins on the cross. If He did not physically rise, we have no hope of resurrection ourselves. As Scripture affirms:
“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
(Hebrews 4:15, KJV)
Only a real man could suffer, die, and rise again to redeem mankind. And only a real Savior can offer hope—not just in this world, but in the world to come.
Conclusion
Docetism and Gnosticism are not just ancient errors—they are present in modern disguises. Whether through mystical spirituality, philosophical elitism, or progressive theology that denies the authority of Scripture, the same spirit of antichrist is still at work.
But as believers, we stand on the unshakable truth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, that He died, that He rose again bodily, and that He is coming again—not in secret, but in glory.
Let every spirit be tried. Let every doctrine be weighed. And let the Word of God be our final authority.
Will You Receive Christ Today?
If you’ve never accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, the invitation is open:
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)
Right now, wherever you are, you can pray in your heart:
“Lord Jesus, I know I’m a sinner. I believe You died for my sins and rose again. I ask You to forgive me, come into my heart, and be my Savior. I trust You alone for my salvation. Amen.”