The Most Important Thing
22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 1 John 2:22-23
What is the most important thing to put our faith in as Christians? The answer is a lot simpler than people often realize. The answer is one man: Jesus Christ. He is the key, the anchor, the most important piece of the Christian faith. Our entire belief system hinges on faith in Jesus and our salvation through His death and resurrection. Even if Christians disagree about many other things, faith in Jesus is non-negotiable. Because, as John explains in verse 23, the only way we can know God is through confessing the Son. Without Him, the Christian faith wouldn’t make any sense, it wouldn’t exist.
So in vs. 23, what does it mean to confess Jesus Christ? In these verses, confession was the exact opposite of what the antichrists did. The antichrists denied Jesus, and therefore they did not truly know God. But the opposite of denying Jesus is confessing Him as your lord and savior.
John again uses opposites to teach us about the nature of salvation. In this case, our opposites are denial and confession. One can either take the path of denying Jesus or confessing Him. There is no third option. Fortunately, this is why John is warning us about the antichrists and their denial of Jesus, so that we may remember that Christians have instead chosen the path of confessing Jesus as the only way to a relationship with God the Father.
Questions for reflection and discussion
1. What are some specific ways people deny Jesus Christ?
2. What are some specific ways you can confess Jesus?
Dear God, we are so blessed that You have provided a way of salvation for us. Give us the faith to confess You and Your Son at every opportunity. Amen.
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