None of us knows everything.  In fact, we all know only a tiny fragment of all that could be known.  So, we must rely on others to inform us.  But who do you believe?  Usually, we believe the word of somebody we know and trust (parent, sibling, or friend); otherwise we will believe the person who has the highest authority over us.  Trust in people we know is governed by our experience of a loving relationship; trust in an authority is often controlled by fear.  But because of our ignorance, we get used to believing what people say.  However, with misinformation able to circulate quickly on social media, many people are now sceptical about what they hear.

It was the same problem the Pharisees had with Jesus, ‘By what authority are you doing miracles and teaching?’ they asked (Matthew 21:23-27).  They demanded the testimony of two witnesses.  Jesus said that His Word alone was a sufficiently valid testimony; but the Father and His Word are the second witness which agreed completely with what Jesus said (John 8:12-19).  When it comes to information about the identity of Jesus, who is in the best position to tell us the truth – somebody who does not know Him, or the person who knows Him best?  Father God is the person who knows Him best; therefore He must be the best authority ... and that testimony is the Scriptures.  That was the problem for the false teachers; they did not know God and therefore wrongly denied His testimony, and that of Jesus (Matthew 22:29).

To deny the deity of Christ is to call God a liar, because He said that Jesus was His beloved Son (Matthew 3:17; Matthew 17:5).  But all those who believe in Jesus already know the truth, because they have received eternal life and God’s Spirit (1 John 2:20-23).  They know because they believe what God has said from His position of authority; and they know because of the closeness of their relationship with Him.  And that knowledge is affirmed by the Spirit - the third witness to the truth – (John 16:13; Romans 8:15-16).

John, a close friend of Jesus, affirmed all that to be true.  A common characteristic about false teachers is that they all deny Jesus the place of being the unique life-giver.  They are a part of Satan's deception-network; they do not want anybody to be saved and have new life in Jesus for ever.  That is why we who have that life must share the truth about the identity of Jesus with friends and colleagues … otherwise they will be unable to see who Jesus is, because of the smoke screen of lies from people whose only interest is to stop them seeking the Saviour.