August 21, 2024
If you are a true follower of Christ, you have much that others do not have. The beloved Apostle, John, speaks of some of these riches in 1 John 2. And one of those is what John describes is an “anointing” from Christ.
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. (1 Jn 2:20)
As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. (1 Jn 2:27)
What does John mean by this, and why is it important?
In the Old Testament, anointing someone, often with oil placed on their heads, was used to set people apart. Most famously, we remember the prophet Samuel coming to anoint a young shepherd boy, David, to become king over Israel. It was a divine appointment that brought divine responsibilities and grace.
Regarding the anointing that John speaks of, given to all true Christians, he mentions several things.
IT IS GIVEN BY CHRIST
The anointing which you received from Him (vs. 27)
IT IS PERMANENT
The anointing … abides (remains) in you (vs. 27)
IT GIVES EVERY BELIEVER SUPERNATURAL ABILITY TO KNOW THE TRUTH
You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. (Vs. 20)
His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie (Vs. 27)
Most would believe that John is referring to the whole work of Christ in our salvation, but more specifically, Christ giving us His Holy Spirit to live in us and indwell us, which He promised to do. Part of the Spirit’s job in us is to “guide (us) into all the truth” and take Christ’s words and “disclose them to us” (John 16:13-14).
Here is the reality, both from the Scripture and in our experience. We have no capacity to understand spiritual truth apart from God. Paul said, “The natural (non-Christian) man does not understand the things of God … because they are spiritually appraised” (1 Corinthians 2:14). But now we have, from Christ, this anointing, the Spirit living in us, and we can understand all things.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God (1 Co 2:12)
What a blessed gift! What a privilege and what a responsibility! We can know things that are otherwise unknown because we have the mind of Christ, His Spirit dwelling in us!
Of course, the Christian can rely on his own understanding and be just as foolish as any man. But he has an anointing from God, and this gift has a purpose. He is to read the Word of God, relying on the Holy Spirit to teach him all truth, and then walk in it and help others walk in it by the power of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of this understanding is not merely to be more intellectual but to be more godly and more effective in accomplishing the work of Christ in this world.
This is a part of the “good works prepared before the foundation of the world” that we are to walk in as we are more and more restored to His likeness and purpose.
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