Welcome to the Hope Bible School verse-by-verse Bible study of 1 John. This is Jeff M Newman. Get a new lesson every other week on Mondays at 12:00 PM Pacific.
In Lesson 58 we are going to study the last part of 1 John 2:22.
Let’s read this part of the verse.
1 John 2:22 …this is the antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son.
Now, let’s go over the definition of the words.
This is the antichrist (3778. houtos, hauté, touto) (500. antichristos) — means the one who opposes Christ, seeks to take His place, or stands as His enemy.
The one who denies (3588. ho, hé, to) (720. arneomai) — means the one who disowns, rejects, or refuses to acknowledge.
The Father (3588. ho, hé, to) (3962. patér) — means our heavenly Father.
And the Son (2532. kai) (3588. ho, hé, to) (5207. huios) — means and Jesus, the Son of God.
In other words, an antichrist — one who opposes Christ, seeks to take His place, or stands as His enemy — denies, rejects, or refuses to acknowledge the Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus, thereby denying their divine relationship.
True Christian faith cannot separate the Father from the Son.
If someone rejects the Son, they are rejecting the Father. This is because Jesus, the Son, and God the Father are inseparable.
There are groups or belief systems that do not accept Jesus as the Messiah or the Son of God, that deny His divinity and sonship, view Jesus as a created being, and reject His full deity.
Some see Jesus and the Father as separate gods, while others view Jesus merely as a human who demonstrated divine principles.
Some deny the existence of God altogether, elevate human reason above divine revelation, reject Jesus' dual nature as fully human and fully divine, or deny the doctrine of the Trinity and Jesus' divinity.
Anyone who is involved in one of these groups and holds these beliefs is considered an antichrist because they deny the Father and the Son.
In Matthew 11:27, we read about the intimate relationship between Jesus and the Father. This verse also teaches that true knowledge of the Father is only possible through the Son, who perfectly reveals Him. Jesus makes the Father known, and without acknowledging Jesus, one cannot truly know or understand the Father.
Matthew 11:27 All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.
In John 5:23, we read that to dishonor or reject Jesus is to dishonor and reject the Father who sent Him. True worship and reverence toward God are incomplete without acknowledging and honoring Jesus. Embracing Jesus as the Son of God and the Christ is not merely optional for those seeking a relationship with the Father; it is an essential truth of the Christian faith.
John 5:23 so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
In John 5:37, we read that the Father has testified about Jesus, affirming His identity and mission. This testimony makes it clear that Jesus is not acting on His own but has been sent and validated by the Father. Through His words, works, and the Father's witness, Jesus' divine authority is unmistakably revealed.
John 5:37 And the Father who sent Me has Himself testified about Me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form, 38 nor does His word abide in you, because you do not believe the One He sent.
In John 10:27-30, we read that Jesus' authority to give eternal life and protect His followers is directly connected to the Father's power. This oneness reflects their divine relationship, affirming Jesus' identity as the Son of God. Since Jesus and the Father are one, rejecting Jesus is rejecting God Himself. Their unity means that to reject the Son is to reject the very source of eternal life and salvation.
John 10:27-30 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
In John 14:6-7, we read that Jesus is the exclusive way to the Father. He is not merely a guide or teacher; He is the only path to salvation and a relationship with God. By knowing and accepting Jesus, people come to know the Father, as Jesus perfectly reveals Him. His life, teachings, and actions are a direct reflection of the Father's nature and will.
John 14:6-7 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7 If you had known Me, you would know My Father as well. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.”
In John 14:8-11, we read that to see Jesus is to see the Father, as Jesus is the perfect representation of God. His words and works are not His own; they come directly from the Father. This reveals that Jesus is not acting independently but in complete harmony with the Father, who works through Him.
John 14:8-11 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you, I do not speak on My own. Instead, it is the Father dwelling in Me, performing His works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me—or at least believe on account of the works themselves.
In conclusion, an antichrist is someone who denies, rejects, or refuses to acknowledge the Father and the Son.
Here are some of the key takeaways from this lesson:
If someone does not acknowledge Jesus, they cannot know the Father.
If someone does not honor the Son, they do not honor the Father.
The Father has testified about Jesus, affirming His identity and mission.
Jesus' authority to give eternal life and protect His followers is directly connected to the Father's power.
Jesus is the exclusive way to the Father.
To see Jesus is to see the Father, as Jesus is the perfect representation of God.
Be encouraged knowing that through Jesus, you have direct access to the Father. To know and honor the Son is to know and honor the Father. Trust in His authority and rest in His care, knowing He gives eternal life and secures His followers.
If you have not yet embraced Jesus, now is the time. He is the only way to the Father, offering forgiveness, peace, and eternal life. Seek Him and experience the joy of knowing God. True knowledge of the Father is only possible through the Son, who perfectly reveals Him.
Let’s read the last part of 1 John 2:22 one more time.
1 John 2:22 …this is the antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son.
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Thank you and God bless you.
Jeff M Newman
(Photo by Kent Tupas on Unsplash. Desert - Dubai - United Arab Emirates. Berean Standard Bible.)
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