How does 1 John 2:21 challenge the concept of absolute truth in modern society? Immediate Context John is warning believers about antichrists who deny Christ (2:18–23). He differentiates genuine believers, “anointed by the Holy One” (v. 20), from deceivers. Verse 21 anchors the discussion by affirming that his readers already possess the truth and that truth is intrinsically exclusive: it cannot be mingled with falsehood. Biblical Theology Of Truth Scripture consistently presents truth as: 1. Personal—embodied in Jesus (John 14:6; 1 John 5:20). 2. Propositional—communicated in words (John 17:17; Psalm 119:160). 3. Moral—requiring alignment of life and conduct (Ephesians 4:25). 4. Exclusive—mutually incompatible with error (Isaiah 45:19; 1 Timothy 6:20). 1 John 2:21 encapsulates all four: believers know (cognitive), have relationship with Christ (personal), are to live accordingly (moral), and must reject falsehood (exclusive). Historical Witness Irenaeus (Against Heresies 3.16.5) cites 1 John against Gnostic relativism: “No lie belongs to the truth.” The verse served the early church as a bulwark against doctrinal pluralism, the same error recycled in postmodern culture. Philosophical Challenge To Modern Relativism 1. Relativism asserts: “Truth is culturally constructed.” 1 John 2:21 asserts an objective, culture-transcending truth already known by believers. 2. Relativism tolerates contradiction. John proclaims logical antithesis: “no lie comes from the truth.” Binary categories reflect the law of non-contradiction grounded in God’s nature (Titus 1:2). 3. Relativism locates authority in the self. John locates authority in divine revelation mediated by apostolic writing (2:20–21, 27). 4. Relativism makes morality situational. Biblical truth bears ethical imperatives; deception is inherently wrong (Revelation 22:15). Cross-References On Absolute Truth • John 8:32—truth liberates. • John 18:37—Jesus’ mission: “to testify to the truth.” • 2 Corinthians 13:8—“we cannot do anything against the truth.” • 1 John 1:6—claims must align with conduct “in the light.” Together they establish a biblical epistemology antithetical to postmodern skepticism. Practical Application For Modern Readers • Discernment: test spirits and ideologies (1 John 4:1). • Confidence: truth is knowable; believers are not adrift in uncertainty. • Integrity: refusal to propagate or tolerate falsehood in media, academia, or personal life. • Gospel witness: proclaim the resurrection as historical fact, anchoring moral and existential claims. Evangelistic Appeal Because “no lie comes from the truth,” Jesus’ resurrection must be embraced or rejected, not re-imagined. The empty tomb, multiple eyewitnesses, and transformed skeptics (e.g., Paul and James) verify the claim. Relativism cannot erase the stone-rolled-away evidence of history. Conclusion 1 John 2:21 refutes the fluid, self-defined “truths” of modern society by affirming that real, objective truth exists, is knowable, and is incompatible with falsehood. This truth centers on Jesus Christ, validated historically, textually, and experientially, calling every person to abandon relativism and bow to the Risen Lord. |
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