In our final Bible study on 1 John 17-29, we looked at two key factors for the confidence John expresses for his ‘dear children.’ Despite false teachers arising from within the church and the solemn warnings about the final hour and antichrists already being present in the world, he does not write with any sense of despair or fear because he knows ‘you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.’ (1 John 2:20) This anointing from the Holy Spirit – reminiscent of the priestly anointing by oil described in Leviticus 21 – was on Jesus (see Luke 4:18) and is also the Christian’s legacy, for ‘it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.’ (2 Cor 1:21-22)
Because of this, we have God within us to teach and guide us (see Ps 119:99, Jer 31:33-34), though we have to balance 1 John 2:27 with other Scriptures which remind us that God gives human teachers (see Ezra 7:6, Eph 4:11-12, 2 Tim 1:11) as well as being our personal teacher! (Job 36:22, John 3:2)
The key for our ongoing spiritual health is to abide (or remain or continue. all translations of the Greek meno) in Christ. (see John 15:4-10) This word is used 121 times in the New Testament and 24 times in John’s epistles alone! What we have heard from the beginning must remain in us (1 John 2:24) and if we continue in God, then we will be confident and unashamed at Christ’s coming. (1 John 2:28) Abiding in Christ implies an intimate relationship, a personal relationship which is far more than outward obedience or rule-keeping. If we remain in Christ, all His righteousness and right standing with the Father become ours, therefore we have nothing to fear and can approach Him freely, without fear or shame. The devil has no further claim on us, for we have died to sin and are alive in Christ! (Rom 6:1-14) No wonder John is confident that his readers will remain in Christ under the anointing which is real, not counterfeit (unlike the antichrists!)