What is the spirit of the antichrist that is in the world?

How can the Anti-Christ be present both when the scripture was written and in the present? The scripture sounds like it's saying that the spirit of the anti Christ is 'in the world today', as in when the new testament scriptures were written. I'm having trouble comprehending that the Anti-Christ was in the world during scripture times, and yet we are still waiting for the Antichrist in our time. How can this be?

1 John 4:1 - 6

ESV - ¹ Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. ² By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.

Clarify • Share • Report • Asked September 09 2015 • Ellen Buchen