What Does It Mean to Deny Christ?

[Singalphile]

I've always thought that I would not hold it against someone if he or she said words against Christ purely as a way to avoid or stop a horrible thing from happening or continuing. A person doesn't become a Christian by reciting some words without meaning them. Likewise, a person doesn't renounce his faith by simply saying some blasphemous words without meaning them, no?

Certainly if a close relative or friend was being urged to either curse me or suffer terribly, I would urge my friend/relative to curse me. On the other hand, I would hate to say words against God or Jesus myself, and I wouldn't want to urge anyone else to do it (just the opposite, I think!).

What do you think? Would saying blasphemous words ever be justified? Does it depend on the circumstances? What does it mean to deny Christ as in 1 Tim 2:10-13, Matthew 10:32-33, Titus 1:6?

If you'd rather not address the scenario above (unpleasant as it is), how about just the question of what denying Christ means? I think I heard Hank Hanegraaff say that denying Christ means denying the deity of Christ. Any thoughts on that?

Thank you.

[robbyyoung]

If you'd rather not address the scenario above (unpleasant as it is), how about just the question of what denying Christ means?

Hello Singalphile,

Excellent question, here's my input:

Let's see how the Father answers this question when dealing with Peter.

"Luke 22:31-34 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren; ...And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me."

Without any misrepresentations, whether it be motivated by fear, self preservation, etc., Peter was 100% GUILTY of the charge "Denying Christ".

Now let's take a look at Peter's inspired words to his audience:

"2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction."

What's of extreme importance to note is that in Luke, Jesus prays to the father that Peter's faith prevails. This is the ONLY factor that saves Peter from destruction. Without Jesus' intervention Peter would not or could not be converted. Did Jesus pray for us? Have we ever needed to return to Christ never to look back again? The answer is unequivocally YES. And when Jesus prays, you better believe the Father's will, will be done!

"John 17:20-21 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."

That's us, PRAISE GOD FOR OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!

[Tres]

"Counted worthy to suffer shame for His name" There is rank or levels of attainment it would seem for those who are martyred and etc., likewise it is logical that a slipping or a lowering of one's reward is also in store for those who misstep in this way. Looking at a couple scenarios recently has made me ponder this very question, so I offer this for what it's worth.

[robbyyoung]

Looking at a couple scenarios recently has made me ponder this very question, so I offer this for what it's worth.

Hi Tres,

If you don't mind, can you share these experiences?

God Bless!

[Singalphile]

Thank you for the responses. robbyyoung, you mentioned 2 Peter 2:1 - "... even denying the Master that bought them ...." The question is, in what way were they "denying the Master"?

1. Peter pretended not to know who Jesus was and pretended that he wasn't a follower of Jesus. So he literally denied that he knew who Jesus was. A modern scenario might be that a job interviewer makes a crack about Jesus or Christians and you chuckle along and pretend to agree because you really want the job. Such a moment of selfish weakness would be sinful, I'm sure. A Christian would no doubt feel remorseful and would repent and be forgiven (yes, with Christ interceding).

2. The more extreme version of #1 would be to deny being a Christian or deny that Jesus is Lord in order to end some horrible thing (torture, murder of children, etc.). It seems that a person might say such things for selfless reasons. I, frankly, could not judge someone very harshly for this, and yet I would never want to do it and wouldn't want to encourage anyone to do it. This may be what #4 is about. Tres may be right about this.

3. Titus 1:16 says that, "They profess to know God, by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed." So a person can deny Christ by disobedience and wickedness. This is more seriousness, surely. Such a person is probably not a disciple of Christ at all. Christ will deny that person before the Father. (This is how the 2 Peter 2:1 false teachers were denying the Lord, I think.)

4. Which leads to Matthew 10:32-33 and 2 Timothy 2:10-13, in which Jesus says that, "everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven," and Paul says, "... if we deny Him, He also will deny us ...." Do those mean any of #1-3 above, or is there something else? I mentioned that a popular radio teacher says that to disagree about the divinity of Christ is to "deny Christ". I'm not sure about that. I think this might go back to #2.

A caller or two happened to ask questions along these lines on the hour-long Oct 4 TNP.

[robbyyoung]

Thank you for the responses. robbyyoung, you mentioned 2 Peter 2:1 - "... even denying the Master that bought them ...." The question is, in what way were they "denying the Master"?

(Bold and Underline emphasis is mine)

Singalphile,

God bless and thanks for the discussion. Here's the possible definitions for the greek word "denying" used in 2Peter:

"arneomai"
1. to deny
2. to deny someone
3. to deny, abnegate, abjure
4. not to accept, to reject, to refuse something offered

As you can see, either one is sufficient to make the case, but take a look at the text again:
"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction."
Wait a minute, they denied Jesus after he bought them?
1Cor 6:20
1Cor 7:23

Let's look at the greek word for destruction "apōleia"
1. destroying, utter destruction
a. of vessels
2. a perishing, ruin, destruction
a. of money
b. the destruction which consists of eternal misery in hell

This reminds me of God's sovereignty: Romans 9:20-23 "Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,"

Wow! Peter was a vessel of mercy and others were vessels of wrath; both bought and owned by God, fashioned for different purposes, absolutely incredible!

I'll stop here. God Bless!