According to John, an antichrist is anyone “who [does] not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh” (2 John 7 ESV). In this strict sense, an antichrist is anyone who teaches falsely about the identity of Jesus Christ—who is God manifest in the flesh (cf. John 1:1–17). Elsewhere, John said, “Every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist” (1 John 4:3 ESV).
