25 This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life. 26 These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. (1 John 2:25–26)
If someone credible makes you a promise, you tend to believe him or her, but it’s not “in stone” until the promise is fulfilled. Jesus Christ did everything he could to build credibility with us. He suffered, died, was buried, rose from the dead, and lives today, as he has for all eternity. He promised to give us eternal life if we believe all this, and the down payment is his Spirit, who teaches us that all his promises are true, as he guides us into all truth.
The sum of Your word is truth, and uevery one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting. (Psalm 119:160)
In fact, if you canvas the Bible, you’ll learn that God’s word is unfailing, upright, sure, settled, tested, eternal, assured, and always effective. Therefore, we possess a quiet confidence that the safety net is there if we fall, or if it seems we’ve have lost our way, or even if we are threatened to the point of death.
The antichrists amongst us try to lead us astray from this truth through lies and deceit. Show me someone assured in their faith and I’ll show you someone banking on all the promises laid out in God’s word. As my favorite professor used to say, “it’s just that simple.”
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 John 2:27)
John refers to the Spirit as the “the anointing.” He’s not only teaching us practically how to abide in Him in real time, but that He abides in us and we in Him by default by virtue of our faith. These facts are “true and not a lie.” We do not not face life on a “wing and a prayer.” Our foundation is rock solid.
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 Corinthians 2:12)
We might miss another point in this passage about the comprehensiveness of the Spirit’s instruction. He teaches us “about all things.” When we pray, we should plead for knowledge and understanding in all aspects of life, and such understanding will be granted in God’s timing. He will not “ghost” us in street terminology. At the very least we will be granted the grace, patience, and peace to watch, wait, and see.
But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord;
I will wait for the God of my salvation.
My God will hear me. (Micah 7:7)
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