Jesus and God are one
December 5, 2020
Commentary
False teachers in John’s day claimed to have a special anointing from God which gave them special knowledge that others did not have. But John points out that all true Christians know God and have received the Spirit of God (v. 23). Apparently these false teachers in John’s day were claiming faith in God while denying and opposing Christ. To do so John firmly states, is impossible. Because Jesus is God’s son, to deny Him is to reject God’s way of revealing Himself to the whole world. A person who accepts Christ as God’s Son, however accepts God the Father at the same time (vv. 24-25). The two are one and cannot be separated is the teaching in God’s Word known as diety.
It has been said concerning the doctrines of Christianity, “If it is true it is not new; and if it is new it is not true.” The idea is that all of God’s revelation to man is found in His Word. You can usually determine if a teaching is true or false by questioning this person about the doctrine of Christ. Such questions as, Do you believe that Jesus Christ is God in the sense that the Father is God? Or is Jesus Christ’s death on the cross sufficient for the forgiveness of my sins? If a no answer is given it is strong evidence that the teaching is anti-Christian. The conclusion that John reached was that any individual who denies Jesus Christ’s deity is not a Christian.
Many Churches and liberal theologians of our day deny the diety of Jesus Christ and therefore God’s blessing cannot rest upon them. We need to expose these teachings, and oppose their heresy with the Word of God so that the weak believers among us do not fall into the trap of their error.
Application
When Jehovah Witnesses who deny the deity of Jesus Christ knock on my door I need to oppose their heresy with the Word of God and warn others of the false doctrine they are peddling .
1 John 2:23– 27 (NET)
23 Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either. The person who confesses the Son has the Father also.
24 As for you, what you have heard from the beginning must remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 Now this is the promise that he himself made to us: eternal life. 26 These things I have written to you about those who are trying to deceive you.
27 Now as for you, the anointing that you received from him resides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, it is true and is not a lie. Just as it has taught you, you reside in him.