For Christ or Against Christ—Part 3

1 John 2:18-27

Unredeemed humanity has always contemplated that question Pilate asked Jesus "What is truth?" (Jn 18:38). Pilate was a skeptic as are those who are against Christ. There is a skepticism that we face as a church over the issue of truth. It should be obvious that the world has very little appetite for truth.

Post-modern society says "you can believe whatever you want, I'll believe whatever I want-and we're both right." There is a fundamental error in that reasoning-truth and falsehood are incompatible. 1 Jn 2:21

Something cannot be both true and false at the same time. Whatever contradicts truth is by definition falsehood-a lie. So when the world departs from the only source of truth Scripture, the cause of truth is threatened.

That is precisely what the world has done-following after the prince of this world-Satan. There is opposition to truth and we find immediate incompatibility between the things of the world and the things ofGod- 1 Jn 2:15-17;

2 Cor 6:14-16

2 wks studying the description of those who are against Christ-antichrists. John says they depart from the fellowship, they deny the truth about LJC-thus have no relationship with Father, they try to deceive the faithful to the point of abandoning their faith and belief about their Savior. True Xns will not abandon the faith (several reasons)

Today-finish our study on vv 18-27 by examining John’ s description of those for Christ.

Description of Those For Christ

A. Xians have an anointing (vs 20,27)

What the "anointing" is

Gk term chrisma generally means oil, ointment. Anointing was the purposeful application of oil to an object. It was a common practice in the OT:

• Priests-grain offering offered up by anointed priest

(Lev 6:22); Num 35:25-city of refuge-manslayer lived until the death of high priest who was anointed with holy oil.

• Kings- I Sam 9:16; 15:1

• Prophets-Elijah anointed Elisha as prophet in his place

1 Kg 19:16

The purpose of the anointing was to consecrate/set apart individuals for service and they were also endued with the HS and divine gifts to complete their service.

Anointing also demonstrated hospitality, joy and strength

Psalm 23:5 NASB95

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.

Proverbs 27:9 NASB95

9 Oil and perfume make the heart glad, So a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend.

Isaiah 61:1 NASB95

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners;

--LJC Lk 4:18

What the anointing means

John has described the antichrists-antichristoi and turns now to believers. "anointing" is derived from the same Gk word that "Christ" is. Lord Jesus is "The Anointed One" and in a sense all believers are christoi "christs" little "c" because we have an anointing. This is not a heretical teaching and doesn't take away from the nature of our Lord. Even the term “Christian"--christ-one "anointed ones" signifies the reality that we are anointed by God/ Derive life from God

It is clear that John means the anointing is itself the HS. HS came upon Jesus at His baptism, then He goes into the temple to apply Is 61 : 1 to Himself b/ c he received the anointing of the HS. Every believer receives the anointing of the HS at the time of conversion.

2 Cor 1:21-22

Paul is describing Xians who are anointed ( consecrated in union with LJC) and the seal of the HS is the divine guarantee of that reality.

The anointing of the HS enables believers to resist false teaching by imparting clarity of faith and judgment.

Where the anointing comes from

"from the Holy One" either refers to God the Father or Jesus. In OT God is referred to as "God the Holy One," "the Holy One of Israel". The NT God calls Himself "holy."

The NT also calls Jesus "The Holy One of God" in MK 1 :24; Lk4:34.

Both Father and Son are referred to as givers of the HS .. Father sends and the Son sends. It is difficult to be dogmatic about this.

2 others places John refers to Jesus as the Holy One (Jn 6:69; Rev 3 :7)-It would seem likely that he would be consistent in applying this term to Jesus here also. Weighs in favor of Jesus being the source of the anointing.

Act 2:33-Jesus pours out the HS upon the church.

Notice the result of the anointing:

1) You all know-there are some mss that say "you know all things" (KN, NKJ). Xians don't have full knowledge. Some people think they do or they have opinion about everything but the fact is we don't know everything.

Knowledge itself is related to the HS. 1 Cor 2 tells us the unbeliever cannot understand the things of God but every believer has access to the truth and has a true knowledge. The false teachers in John's day were claiming that knowledge was reserved only for the elite. Every believe has source of truth within.

RCC adopted that error when they said only the priest could rightly interpret God's Word and the laity had no ability to do so.

JN Reiterates that truth in vs 21. Believers know the truth-we understand it, we grasp the meaning. This is what protects us against the false teachers who are trying to deceive us and cause us to abandon the faith.

They are unsuccessful b/c all Xians know the truth and can recognize falsehood-particularly in regard to the nature of LJC.

Vs 27 Anointing abides in you (further evidence Jn means the HS). The believer upon his conversion is permanently indwelt by the HS of God. He abides in us-we are never commanded to seek the abiding of the HS. It is automatic. There are people are wrongly teach that you received the HS sometime after you are saved. Bible nowhere teaches that.

1 Cor 6:19-20

2) Anointing Teaches believers

Vs 27 "you have no need ... "

John is not making an absolute statement saying there is never a need to receive instruction as believers. The fact that he is writing this letter proves that instruction is necessary.

Eph 4:12 pastor-teachers are gifts given to the church for edification. The gift of teaching was affirmed in Rom 12:7.

John is not saying that human teachers are of no value but that the HS has provided believers with a certain criterion of truth.

The active role of the HS is to teach the truth. When Jesus was with His disciples He told them that He was going to depart (Jn 14). The Lord told them it was to their advantage that He go so the Helper could come and when He comes (HS) He would teach them all things and bring to their remembrance all that He said (Jn 14:26).

This was vital to those disciples. They didn't have the NT Scriptures recorded yet. In fact it would nearly 20 years before Matthew would pen the 1st gospel followed by Mk & Lk. It was the special teaching and remembering ministry of the HS that enabled the apostles to remember and understand the ministry and work of Christ and to be able to record that message in inerrant Scripture. What was available to the apostles is a hallmark ministry of the Spirit-that is to teach God's people His truth.

Jn says "you know the truth" (2:21) b/c the HS taught you and what He teaches is not a lie (vs 27). Xians cannot rely on the wisdom or philosophy of man. It is the Word of God that does not change and HS ministers within us to teach us truth enabling us to resist error.

Macarthur "The apostle wrote as he did because his readers already knew the gospel and its attendant truths and would understand his appeal to the exclusivity of biblical truth."

There is only one truth and true believers possess it within them. Leads to a 2nd description:

B. Xians have the truth

Vs 24--"let that abide" speaking of truth-Jn's way of saying keep on believing.

Heb 2:1; 3 Jo 3; Rev 3:3

We are admonished to walk in the truth and to let it abide/remain in us thru perseverance. John's assurance is that if the truth abides in us, we also abide in the Father.

The presence of indwelling truth in the believer results in a continuing vital intimacy with Father.

Xians have the truth-resident within them. The world makes the claim that we are intolerant to other walks of life. But the truth itself is intolerant to all forms of falsehood. This goes back to what John is saying in vs 21 "because no lie is of the truth."

There is only 1 truth (Jn 14:6). The message of the Scriptures is exclusive. Xians are the only ones with the rightful claim to be possessors of truth-for it is within us b/c the HS is indwelling us.

C. Xians have promise of Eternal Life

Vs 25-"promise" is a thrilling concept in Scripture. God makes a declaration and because of God's nature and the certainty of what He speaks, it comes to fulfillment.

Salvation by Christ was called "the promise"

Acts 7:17 NASB95

17 “But as the time of the promise was approaching which God had assured to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

Romans 4:14–16 NASB95

14 For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified; 15 for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation. 16 For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,

2 Peter 3:9 NASB95

9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

Eternal life is the promised reward that the faithful receive.

John 6:53-58

Spiritual union with Christ secures eternal life: 2 aspects:

Chronologically-it is never ending-continuing throughout eternity.

Qualitative-speaks of a quality of life that is experienced now and in the future. The life we have received from Christ is abundant life which is evidenced even now.

There is a remarkable contrast between the antichristoi and the chrisma-the anointed. Antis depart from the fellowship, the deny the faith, try to deceive the faithful but true Xians remain in the fellowship, cannot be deceived, confess Jesus is the Christ and are thus assured of their fellowship with the Father and the Son. The difference is the HS who lives in us, teaching us to abide in Christ by following His commandments.

Do you see yourself for Christ or against Christ. Have you received God's anointing b/c you recognized your sinful condition and in repentance turned to LJC by faith? If so, He has given you the promise of eternal life.