First John: 1 John 2:27d-Living in Fellowship with the Spirit By Obeying His Teaching Lesson # 90

1 John 2:27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. (ESV)

“Just as it has taught you, abide in him” is composed of the following: (1) conjunction kai (καί), which is not translated (2) adverb kathōs (καθώς), “just as” (3) third person singular aorist active indicative form of the verb didaskō (διδάσκω), “it has taught” (4) accusative second person plural form of the personal pronoun su (σύ), “you” (5) second person plural present active imperative form of the verb menō (μένω), “abide” (6) preposition en (ἐν), “in” (7) dative third person masculine singular form of the intensive personal pronoun autos (αὐτός), “him.”

This time the conjunction kai is adjunctive meaning it is introducing an additional reason as to why the recipients of this epistle must continue to obey the command to live in fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

The adverb kathōs is employed in a comparative sense indicating that John is “comparing” the recipients of this epistle being taught the truth in the past by the Holy Spirit and the “manner” in which they were to obey the command to continue to make it their habit of living in fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

Once again, we have the verb didaskō which means “to teach, instruct” in a formal or informal setting and speaks of the Holy Spirit teaching the recipients of this epistle in the past.

We also have again the second personal plural form of the personal pronoun su, which means “each of you” since the word refers to the recipients of this epistle as a corporate unit and it is used in a distributive sense emphasizing no exceptions.

The aorist tense of this verb didaskō is a constative aorist which describes in summary fashion the recipients of this epistle being taught by the Holy Spirit.

The verb menō means “to live” since the word in this command pertains to experiencing fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

The second person plural form of this verb means “each of you” since the word refers to the recipients of this epistle as a corporate unit and is used in a distributive sense emphasizing no exceptions in that each person is required to obey this command without exception.

The dative third person masculine singular form of the intensive personal pronoun autos means “Him” referring to the Holy Spirit.

It is the object of the preposition en, which means “in fellowship with” since the word is functioning as a marker of association expressing the idea of living in association with or in fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

The present imperative form of the verb menō is a customary present imperative, which is a command for action to be continued, action that may or may not have already been going on and is often a character building command to the effect of “make this your habit.”

It is expressing the idea that recipients of this epistle must continue making it their habit of living in fellowship with the Holy Spirit in the same way He taught them in the past.

1 John 2:27 However, this anointing which each of you received from Him lives within each of you. Consequently, each of you have absolutely no need that anyone teach you. Quite to the contrary, because His anointing teaches each one of you about everything, namely what is true so that it is never a lie likewise in the same way, it has taught each of you, continue to make it your habit of living in fellowship with Him. (My translation)

The apostle John presents an assertion which is in addition to this adversative clause which taught that this anointing teaches the recipients of this epistle about that which is true and never does it teach a lie.

The first reason stated that they must obey this command because the Holy Spirit’s anointing teaches them about everything, namely about that which is true so that it never teaches a lie.

Now, the second reason is implied and asserts that the Holy Spirit’s anointing has taught them in the past which is the basis for obeying the command to continue to make it their habit of living in fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

This addition is in the form of a comparative clause which is also telling the reader how they were to obey the command to continue to make it their habit of living in fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

It is comparing the recipients of this epistle being taught the truth in the past by the Holy Spirit and the manner in which they were to obey the command to continue to make it their habit of living in fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, John is saying here that the recipients of this epistle were to continue making it their habit of obeying this command “in the same manner” or “just as” the Spirit had taught them in the past.

In other words, they were to obey this command by obeying the Spirit’s teaching.

They were to continue to live in fellowship with the Spirit by obeying His teaching and specifically Spirit inspired apostolic teaching.

This will protect them from the false doctrine they were being exposed to at the time of writing.

The recipients of this epistle were already obeying this command in 1 John 2:27 since the apostle John affirms in 1 John 2:12-14 that the recipients of this epistle were remaining faithful to his apostolic teaching and thus were already obeying this command which he more than likely had taught them many times in the past.

If the recipients of this epistle continued to make it their habit of obeying this command in 1 John 2:27 to live in fellowship with the Spirit by continuing to obey His teaching, which is communicated through the apostles of Jesus, they would be filled with the Spirit which is a command issued by Paul in Ephesians 5:18.

They would also be obeying the command to let the Word of Christ richly dwell in them.

If one compares the command in Colossians 3:16 and its results with the command in Ephesians 5:18 to be filled with the Spirit or more actually influenced by means of the Spirit’s power and its results, one can see that both commands bear the same results.

Ephesians 5:18 And do not permit yourselves to get into the habit of being drunk with wine because that is non-sensical behavior, but rather permit yourselves on a habitual basis to be influenced by means of the Spirit. (My translation)

The command in Ephesians 5:18 to “be influenced by means of the Spirit” and one in Colossians 3:16 requiring that “the teaching of the one and only Christ must continue to exist in a state of dwelling abundantly among each and every one of” the Colossians are synonymous.

The reason for this, is that the Holy Spirit speaks to the believer through the communication of the Word of God regarding the Father’s character and nature, will, provision for doing His will, and consequences for not doing His will (Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 29).

The Holy Spirit inspired the Scriptures, (2 Ti 3:16) makes them understandable to the believer, (John 16:13-16) guides the believer in the correct application of the Word of God, and reproduces the character of Christ in the believer who obeys the Word of God (Gal 5:22-23).

Therefore, by obeying the Word of God, you are obeying the voice of the Spirit.

Colossians 3:16 The teaching originating from and about the one and only Christ must continue to exist in a state of dwelling abundantly among each and every one of you. Each of you must execute this command by continuing to make it your habit of providing instruction, specifically by providing instruction for one another with regards to proper conduct. Each of you must provide this instruction by means of a wisdom which is absolute, by means of psalms, hymns, spiritual songs. Each of you must execute the command by continuing to make it your habit of singing with gratitude with your entire being for the benefit of God the Father. (My translation)