Guarding the Truth
Guarding the Truth by Warnings Against False Teachings that Deny the Divinity of Christ
The New Testament is filled with teachings and exhortations to preserve the core truths of the Christian faith, particularly the divinity of Jesus Christ. From the earliest days of the Church, false teachings and heresies have threatened to distort this foundational belief. The apostles and early Christian leaders, recognizing the dangers posed by these teachings, repeatedly warned believers to remain vigilant against any doctrine that denied the true nature of Christ. This article explores the New Testament passages that caution against such false teachings and highlights their continued relevance for Christians today.
1. The Reality of False Teachings
An Ever-Present Danger
From the beginning, the New Testament writers were aware of the threat posed by false teachings. Jesus Himself predicted that many deceivers would come, leading people astray (Matthew 24:4-5). The Apostle John, writing in his epistles, directly confronts these errors, emphasizing the need to test every spirit to discern whether it is from God:
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this, you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.” (1 John 4:1-3)
John’s strong language reflects the gravity of the situation. He identifies the denial of Jesus Christ’s incarnation — His coming “in the flesh” — as a marker of the “spirit of the antichrist.” For John, denying Jesus’ humanity and divinity is not just a theological error but a direct opposition to the truth of God’s revelation in Christ. This warning is particularly relevant in combating early Gnostic beliefs that denied the true humanity of Jesus while affirming His divinity, or alternatively, denied His divinity altogether.
2. Deception in the Church
Denying the Fullness of Christ
The Apostle Paul also provides crucial warnings against false teachings in several of his letters. In Colossians 2:8-9, he writes:
“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.“
Paul addresses a form of false teaching that sought to diminish or deny the divine nature of Christ by relying on human philosophy or spiritual speculation. He counters this by affirming that “in [Christ] the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,” emphasizing that Jesus is fully God and fully man. Any teaching that contradicts this truth is seen as deceitful and a departure from the true Gospel.
Paul’s message is clear: the divinity of Christ is not a negotiable doctrine. It is the foundation upon which the Christian faith is built. If Jesus is not fully God, His sacrifice would not be sufficient to atone for the sins of humanity. Thus, Paul warns against being “taken captive” by false doctrines that diminish Christ’s divine status.
3. Recognizing and Resisting Deceivers
The New Testament writers frequently caution against specific individuals who propagate these false teachings. The Apostle John, in his second epistle, makes this warning even more explicit:
“For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.” (2 John 1:7)
John identifies these false teachers as “deceivers” and “antichrists,” harsh terms that underscore the severity of the error. For John, denying that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is tantamount to denying Christ altogether. This teaching directly challenges the early heretical movements, such as Docetism, which claimed that Jesus only seemed to have a physical body and was not truly incarnate.
Similarly, Jude speaks of those who have “crept in unnoticed” within the Church, describing them as ungodly people who “deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:4). Peter also warns against “false teachers” who “secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them” (2 Peter 2:1). These passages highlight the insidious nature of such teachings — they often emerge from within the Christian community, cloaked in deceptive language, subtly undermining the truth of the Gospel.
4. The Importance of Confessing Jesus as Lord
The acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as fully divine is not just a theological statement; it is an essential confession of faith. Paul underscores this in his letter to the Romans:
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.“(Romans 10:9)
To confess that Jesus is “Lord” is to affirm His divine status. In the cultural context of the Roman Empire, where Caesar was often declared “lord,” confessing Jesus as Lord was a radical and dangerous declaration. It signified that believers recognized Jesus, not any earthly ruler, as the supreme authority and divine Son of God.
Jesus Himself emphasizes the importance of this belief in His conversation with the Pharisees in the Gospel of John:
“I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24)
The phrase “I am he” echoes the divine name revealed to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus 3:14), identifying Jesus with Yahweh, the God of Israel. Denying this truth, according to Jesus, results in spiritual death.
5. Maintaining Vigilance in Faith and Doctrine
The New Testament writers urge believers to remain vigilant in guarding the truth of the Gospel against any form of distortion. This vigilance involves several practical steps:
- Testing the Spirits: As John urges, believers are called to “test the spirits” to discern whether teachings align with the truth of Christ (1 John 4:1-3). This requires a deep knowledge of Scripture and the teachings of the apostles.
- Holding Fast to Sound Doctrine: Paul consistently exhorts Timothy and Titus to hold fast to sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it (2 Timothy 4:2-5; Titus 1:9). The emphasis on “sound doctrine” indicates the need for a solid, biblical foundation to counter false teachings.
- Confession of Faith: Repeatedly, the New Testament stresses the importance of openly confessing the divinity of Christ (Romans 10:9; 1 John 4:15). Such confession is not only a declaration of faith but also a defense against teachings that deny the truth about Jesus.
- Rejecting Deceit and Embracing Truth: Believers are warned not to be “taken captive” by deceptive philosophies or empty traditions that deny Christ’s nature (Colossians 2:8). Instead, they are called to focus on the fullness of God revealed in Jesus.
6. The Relevance of These Warnings Today
While these passages were written in the context of the early Church, their relevance endures. Even today, there are teachings and philosophies that question or deny the divinity of Christ. Some modern ideologies, cults, and religious movements reinterpret or diminish Christ’s divine nature to suit their purposes. For this reason, the warnings of the New Testament remain critically important.
Christians today must remain vigilant against any teaching that undermines the essential truths of the faith. Recognizing the divinity of Christ is fundamental not only to Christian theology but also to Christian living. The divinity of Christ assures believers of His authority, His ability to atone for sin, and His power to grant eternal life.
Uphold the Truth in Love
The New Testament’s warnings against false teachings denying the divinity of Christ are both urgent and pastoral. They reflect the early Church’s commitment to protecting the core tenets of Christian belief while also ensuring that the faith community remains rooted in the truth of Jesus Christ. As believers today, it is essential to heed these warnings, maintain sound doctrine, and lovingly guard the truth of the Gospel against all forms of distortion. By doing so, we remain faithful to the teachings of the apostles and honor the One who is truly “our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:4).
