How does 1 John 2:22 define the term "antichrist"? Key Passage 1 John 2:22: “Who is the liar, if not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son.” What “Antichrist” Means in 1 John 2:22 • The term points to a very specific posture: active denial that “Jesus is the Christ.” • It is not merely ignorance; it is willful rejection of Jesus’ identity and mission. • By denying the Son, the person simultaneously “denies the Father,” because Father and Son are inseparably linked. • John labels such a person “the liar,” placing them in direct opposition to God, who is Truth (John 14:6). A Broader Biblical Portrait 1. Additional Johannine verses • 1 John 2:18 — “Children, it is the last hour… now many antichrists have appeared.” – The term can refer to both a future figure and multiple present deceivers. • 1 John 4:2-3 — “Every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist.” • 2 John 7 — “Many deceivers… refusing to confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh… this is the deceiver and the antichrist.” 2. Jesus’ own warning • Matthew 24:24 — “False christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs… to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” • These impostors share the same DNA: denial of the true Christ. 3. Apostolic confirmation • 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 describes “the man of lawlessness” who “sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” • Paul’s description parallels John’s: an ultimate enemy who opposes and replaces the true Christ. Why Denying Christ Is So Serious • Salvation hinges on confessing Jesus as the Christ (John 20:31; Romans 10:9). • Rejecting the Son removes the only mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5). • To deny Christ is to align with the devil, “the father of lies” (John 8:44). • Such denial undermines the very foundation of the gospel: the incarnation, atonement, and resurrection. Guarding Against the Spirit of Antichrist • Test every teaching (1 John 4:1). • Hold fast to apostolic doctrine (Acts 2:42). • Abide in the Son and the Father through the Word (1 John 2:24). • Walk in truth and love, which expose deception (Ephesians 4:15). Takeaway Truths • An antichrist is any person or teaching that denies Jesus is the promised Messiah and Son of God. • Denial of the Son inevitably severs fellowship with the Father. • The presence of many antichrists marks “the last hour,” urging vigilance. • Confessing and clinging to the true Christ is the believer’s sure safeguard against deception. |
    |