How does denying the Son affect one's spiritual life according to 1 John 2:23? Setting the Verse in Context John is writing to believers threatened by false teachers who downplay or deny Jesus’ deity. He draws a clear line: your response to the Son determines everything about your relationship with the Father. The Key Statement: 1 John 2:23 “Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.” What Denying the Son Does • Cuts off fellowship with God: to “not have” the Father means no saving relationship, no access, no covenant standing. • Places a person among the “antichrists” (v. 18): active opposition to Christ, not mere neutrality. • Leaves the heart in darkness (1 John 2:11) and under wrath (John 3:36). • Forfeits eternal life, because “He who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12). • Breaks the most basic command of heaven: “That all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father” (John 5:23). What Confessing the Son Gives • Full access to the Father now and forever (Ephesians 2:18). • Assurance of abiding in truth (1 John 2:24). • The indwelling Spirit, who testifies to Christ (1 John 4:13–15). • Eternal life promised by the Father (1 John 2:25). • Unshakable hope and boldness at Christ’s return (1 John 2:28). Supporting Passages • John 14:6 — “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” • 2 John 1:9 — “Anyone who runs ahead without remaining in the teaching of Christ does not have God.” • Luke 10:16 — “Whoever rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.” • Hebrews 1:3 — The Son is “the exact representation” of God’s nature; to deny Him is to reject God’s fullest self-revelation. Living It Out • Guard your confession: keep the gospel central, unmixed with ideas that diminish Jesus’ deity or atoning work. • Stay anchored in Scripture so counterfeit teaching is quickly exposed. • Worship and honor the Son continually; this nurtures vibrant fellowship with the Father. • Encourage one another to hold fast, knowing that confessing the Son now leads to eternal joy in His presence. |
    |