1 John 2:23
Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
1 John 2:23 (KJV)
Context
The First Epistle of John emphasizes love, obedience, and the assurance of salvation. In this verse, John addresses the importance of acknowledging Jesus as the Son of God and its implications for having a relationship with the Father. The immediate context, 1 John 2:22-23, contrasts the confession of Jesus as the Christ with the denial that marks the antichrist.
Meaning
John begins by stating that anyone who denies or rejects the Son does not have the Father. Denying the Son refers to refusing to accept Jesus as the divine Son of God and rejecting His role in salvation. This denial can manifest in different forms, such as denying Jesus’ deity, His sacrificial death on the cross, or His resurrection. The denial in view is not a mere intellectual disagreement but a refusal to accept Jesus as the true, proper, natural, essential, and eternal Son of God.
John’s statement suggests that a denial of the Son leads to a lack of a true relationship with God the Father. The Father and the Son are inseparable, and acknowledging one necessitates acknowledging the other. Rejecting the Son essentially means rejecting the Father, as the Father’s plan for salvation is fulfilled through the Son. As one ancient commentary observes, there cannot be a father without a son, and dishonor shown to the Son is dishonor shown to the Father.
On the other hand, John asserts that those who acknowledge the Son also have the Father. Acknowledging the Son means recognizing and affirming Jesus as the Son of God, the Savior, and the Messiah. It involves accepting His divinity, His redemptive work, and His lordship in one’s life. The Syriac version renders “hath not the Father” as “believe the Father,” underscoring that true faith in the Father is inseparable from faith in the Son.
Biblical connections
By acknowledging the Son, believers enter into a profound relationship with God the Father. Through faith in Jesus Christ, they receive the forgiveness of sins and are adopted into God’s family as His children (John 1:12). This relationship is characterized by intimacy, love, and fellowship with the Father. Jesus Himself declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6, KJV). Acknowledging Jesus as the Son of God and embracing Him as Lord and Savior is foundational to the Christian faith.
Application
1 John 2:23 encourages believers to examine their own confession of faith. It challenges us to ensure that we wholeheartedly acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God and live in accordance with His teachings. It reminds us of the significance of our relationship with God and the necessity of a genuine, personal faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. This verse grounds Christian assurance in a correct confession of Christ: those who confess the Son can be assured that they have the Father.
Reflection
The verse’s logic is foundational for Christian assurance. Genuine relationship with the Father is inseparable from a right confession of the Son. As believers, we are called to hold fast to the confession of Jesus as the Christ, knowing that in Him we have the Father also.
