“Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?” – 1 John 2:22 

Scripture reading: 1 John 2:18-23; John 18:28-38

There are many claims to ultimate truth in the world today.  Even those who deny that there is an absolute truth can tell you absolutely that this is true!  John is warning us here of all who would come and stand against that which is true.  Indeed, he is clear that all who deny that Jesus is the Christ, are liars.  Jesus Christ, Himself is truth and all that comes from Him is true.  John is clear that there is no possibility of knowing God the Father while at the same time denying that Jesus is the Christ.  If we are to know anything of fellowship with the God of truth, it must come through the truth that is Jesus Christ.

It sometimes can get overwhelming trying to decipher all the different claims to truth.  The tendency in the modern world is to just lump all truth claims together and celebrate them equally.  Thankfully, John gives us an extremely simple, yet profound, test of ultimate truth:  If it denies Jesus is the Christ, then it is a lie!  In John’s Gospel, Jesus tells us, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6).  The Church has a unique and glorious message to proclaim; namely, Jesus as the anointed of God, sent to redeem sinners.  With all the noise of competing truth claims, let us remain focused on the only one that is not a lie – Jesus, truth incarnat

Suggestions for prayer

Pray for our nation where truth is being terribly blurred.  Pray that the Gospel of Jesus Christ would take root once again and that the lies of the evil one would be silenced.

Rev. Brian Murray is the associate pastor at Grace ARP Church and the Director of Gillespie Academy in Woodstock, Ontario. He has been ordained in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church since 2003 and he and his wife Melissa have four children. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.