The challenge is:

“Hindi ba anti-Christ ka kapag hindi mo kinikilalang Diyos si Cristo?”

Let's not answer this through insults or labels.

Let's simply read what 1 John 2:22 actually says.

“Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.”
— 1 John 2:22, KJV

Notice carefully what John actually wrote.

He did not say:

“He is antichrist who denies that Jesus is God.”

What did he say?

“…he that denieth that Jesus is the CHRIST…”

And:

“…that denieth the FATHER and the SON.”

Those are John's actual words.

🔎 INC DOES NOT DENY THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST

This is where the accusation immediately encounters a problem.

The Iglesia Ni Cristo believes that Jesus is:

The Christ.
The Son of God.
The Lord.
The Savior.
The Mediator.
The Head of the Church.

So how can 1 John 2:22 be quoted as though it says:

“Anyone who doesn't believe Jesus is God is antichrist”

when those aren't the words of the verse?

🔎 JOHN HIMSELF DISTINGUISHES THE FATHER FROM THE SON

Look again:

“…that denieth the Father and the Son.”

Why does John identify the Father and the Son?

The same distinction appears throughout the New Testament.

Jesus Himself prayed:

“Father… And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
— John 17:1, 3

Look carefully at Christ's own statement:

“thee the only true God” — the Father.

Then:

“and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

There is the One who sent—and the One who was sent.

🔎 WHAT DID JESUS CALL HIMSELF?

Jesus said:

“…ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God…”
— John 8:40

Notice the distinction again:

“a man”

who heard the truth

“of God.”

This is one reason the Iglesia Ni Cristo teaches that Jesus Christ is a man, while fully recognizing Him as the Christ and Son of God.

🔎 LOOK AT WHAT PETER CONFESSED ABOUT JESUS

Jesus asked His disciples:

“But whom say ye that I am?”
— Matthew 16:15

Peter answered:

“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
— Matthew 16:16

Notice Peter's confession.

He didn't say:

“You are the living God.”

He said:

“THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.”

And Jesus approved Peter's answer:

“Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona…”
— Matthew 16:17

This is remarkably relevant to 1 John 2:22 because John says the antichrist denies that Jesus is the Christ.

What does INC confess?

Jesus IS the Christ.

Exactly what Peter confessed.

🔎 WHAT DID THE APOSTLES PREACH AFTER CHRIST'S ASCENSION?

Peter preached:

“Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him…”
— Acts 2:22

Again:

Jesus — “a man approved of God.”

And:

God performed works through Him.

Then Acts 2:36 says:

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus… both Lord and Christ.”

Again we see:

God

and

Jesus whom God made Lord and Christ.

Calling Jesus Lord and Christ does not require changing the Father into the Son or the Son into the Father.

🔎 EVEN APOSTLE PAUL MAKES THE DISTINCTION

Paul wrote:

“But to us there is but one God, the Father… and one Lord Jesus Christ…”
— 1 Corinthians 8:6

Read that carefully.

ONE GOD — THE FATHER

and

ONE LORD — JESUS CHRIST

So believing that the Father is the one true God while recognizing Jesus as Lord, Christ, Savior, and Son of God is not the same thing as denying Christ.

🔎 THEN WHO IS JOHN TALKING ABOUT?

The immediate context helps.

1 John 2:22 identifies the denial as:

“…denieth that Jesus is the Christ…”

And 1 John 4:2 says:

“Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.”

John was deeply concerned with teachings that denied the true identity and coming of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, before using the word “antichrist,” we should allow John himself to define what he means rather than inserting a different sentence into his verse.

🔎 SO ASK THE QUESTION AGAIN

Does INC deny Jesus Christ?

No.

Does INC deny that Jesus is the Christ?

No.

Does INC deny that Jesus is the Son of God?

No.

Does INC reject Jesus as Lord and Savior?

No.

INC teaches that Jesus Christ is the Son of the one true God, precisely the distinction Christ Himself makes when He addresses His Father as:

“…the only true God…”
— John 17:3

So if someone wants to use 1 John 2:22 against the INC, start by reading what the verse actually says.

It does not say:

❌ “Whoever doesn't believe Jesus is God is antichrist.”

It says:

✅ “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ?”

That's a significant difference.

Don't add words to John's statement and then accuse somebody based on the words that were added.

READ THE VERSE. READ THE CONTEXT. LET THE BIBLE DEFINE ITS OWN TERMS.

“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
— Matthew 16:16

That is Peter's confession.

And that is not a denial of Christ.

It is a confession of who Christ is.

🔎 Examine the claim. Read the context. Follow the truth.