DECEPTION COMES IN MANY FORMS. Sometimes our eyes are deceived by a sleight-of-hand trick. Hocus-pocus, now you see it, now you don’t. Wow, where did that ace of spades come from? Wow, where did that ace of spades go? Sometimes people deceive us with lies. A salesperson promises that your furniture will be delivered in four weeks from the factory. Three months later, when the furniture still has not been delivered, you realize you were deceived, perhaps along with the salesperson! On occasion deception can occur unintentionally, but most deception is intentional. The absolute worst kind of deception is spiritual deception, since eternal souls hang in the balance.
Christ’s Anointing Guards You Against Spiritual Deception (v. 26)
John has already written about false teachers and their characteristics. Because of this, it is difficult to discern whether verse 26 concludes the previous section or introduces a new section. Perhaps John intended both. Here he discusses another characteristic of false teachers: they seek to “deceive” the faithful (v. 26). Satan is a counterfeiter. He is a deceiver. Jesus said concerning Satan that he was a liar from the beginning: “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). Notice here that Jesus says there is “no truth” in Satan! Satan lies because “he is a liar,” and he is the source of lies. Historically Satan’s first lie was to Eve in the Garden of Eden when he questioned what God had said. From then until now Satan is ultimately behind all false teaching and spiritual deception. In Matthew 24:24 Jesus said, “For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:13 that “evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” In Revelation 2:20 John wrote about “that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.” Here the word “misleading” is the same word in Greek (planaō) that John uses in verse 26 translated “deceive.” This word in Greek means “wandering.” We get our English word planet from this word. False prophets and false teachings are deceptive since they “wander” from the truth of God and his Word and cause others to wander as well.
The world today is filled with false doctrine. The personal nature of God is denied in many false religions. Even within Evangelicalism some question God’s omniscience concerning all future events in what is known as the “openness of God” movement.1
Today it is common for so-called Christian theologians to question or outright deny the inerrancy of Scripture, again sometimes even in the evangelical camp. Many deny Adam was a special creation of God and affirm either evolution or theistic evolution. When it comes to the person and work of Christ, false doctrine abounds. His full deity is denied by some, while others deny his full humanity. His eternal nature is denied by some. His substitutionary atonement on the cross is denied by others. Some have overtly stated that to believe in the penal substitutionary atonement of Jesus is tantamount to divine child abuse!2 The exclusivity of Christ as the only way of salvation is routinely questioned and outrightly denied. For some, while Jesus may be the only way of salvation for us, he may not be the only way for all people.3 Some deny the necessity of the church in God’s program today. Many cults have the word “church” attached to their name, though in their doctrine they deny basic doctrines of the Christian faith. Errors concerning the person and work of the Holy Spirit abound. The doctrine of the personal return of Christ to the earth is also denied by many. Many other examples of false doctrine today could be listed.
How is it that John can say his readers are not already deceived? Because “the anointing . . . abides in you” (v. 27). What does that mean? Notice that John says “you received” (past tense) this anointing. As a result, this anointing currently “abides in you.” This is a reference to the Holy Spirit who abides in (indwells) believers. At the moment of conversion the Holy Spirit comes to live in every believer. The indwelling Holy Spirit is a vital part of the Christian life. The coming of the Holy Spirit to indwell believers was foretold by Jesus, narrated by Luke in Acts, and theologically explained by Paul in his letters. But John likely means more than just a reference to the indwelling Holy Spirit in our lives. The Holy Spirit not only indwells all Christians, he is also among all believers, as evidenced when Christians gather together for worship and other corporate occasions.4 It is likely that John views this anointing as the divine act that heightens horizontal ties among fellow believers no less than vertical relationships with God. The anointing and its effects abide among them, with them, in their midst corporately, and not merely in them as individuals.
Note that the word “anointing” occurs twice in these verses. This word was used back in verse 20 when John said, “but you have been anointed by the Holy One.” Clearly John is referring to the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. Even though the actual words “Holy Spirit” do not occur, “anointing” is the action of the Holy Spirit and is symbolic of the Holy Spirit.5 In Old Testament times, prophets, priests, and kings were anointed with oil to symbolize their chosen status by God himself and to set them apart for the service to which God had called them. In the New Testament we read about Jesus being “anointed” with the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38). In the final hours before the crucifixion, Jesus spoke to his disciples about the anointing of the Holy Spirit. John’s point is that every Christian has this anointing from the Holy Spirit, not just a chosen few.6
Because of the presence and continual abiding of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer, John says, “You have no need that anyone should teach you.” That does not mean there is no need for teachers in the church. Other verses say that one of the groups of leaders given to the church is shepherd/teacher (Ephesians 4:11, 12). Nor does it mean you will suddenly make all A’s in math or understand physics better. The difference is in the direction of your life and the quality of your living.7 The fruit of the Spirit will be produced in you. You will still be you, but a better you! What John means is that Christians who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit do not need to have someone teach them the basic truths of Christianity because the Holy Spirit helps them to recognize basic spiritual truth.
He goes on to say that this anointing is “true.” The mark of a false teacher is that he seeks to deceive the faithful with doctrine that is false. Again John’s words cut across the grain of today’s distorted view of truth. Many believe there is no such thing as absolute truth, and thus there can be no “false” doctrine. All viewpoints are equally true as far as many are concerned today. Sadly, statistics show that even among Christians a high percentage of people do not believe in absolute truth. According to the Barna Research Group, statistics (as of 2008) on the question of absolute truth are alarming, even shocking. From a random poll of just over 1,000 adults in the United States, only one-third of all adults (34 percent) believe that moral truth is absolute and unaffected by the circumstances. Slightly less than half of the born-again adults (46 percent) believe in absolute moral truth.8
The visible church always will have within it some who are not genuine Christians. Jesus confirmed this in his agricultural Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. Wheat and tares look so much alike that it is difficult to distinguish them. Jesus said the true sower sows the wheat. Satan comes in and sows the tares among the wheat, and they grow together. Some would say the tares need to be weeded out. Jesus said we should not do that. The wheat and tares look so much alike that if we were to go in and uproot all the tares, we might accidently weed out someone who is wheat! God will weed out the tares from the wheat at the end of time, at the last judgment. Therefore, there will always be people who are not true Christians in the local church. Some people depend on their baptism to make them a Christian. Some depend on their outward church membership. Others depend on their works. None of this will get you into Heaven. You can be a member of a church your entire life, die, and end up in Hell. What makes a person a Christian has nothing to do with his baptism, the church he attends, the denomination he belongs to, or the money he gives. What makes someone a Christian is the fact that he or she has repented of sin and put his or her faith in Jesus Christ.
These verses remind us that there is a difference between deception and ignorance. Some people are spiritually ignorant and just don’t know any better. I suspect some false teachers do not have an evil agenda to deceive others; they are just being used by the devil. For whatever reason, they don’t know the Scriptures. That’s a case of spiritual ignorance. There is a difference between deliberate deception and spiritual ignorance, but both are bad. You don’t want to be spiritually ignorant. You also don’t want to be deceived spiritually. Paul warns that in the last times “evil people and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived (2 Timothy 3:13). Notice that Paul calls these people “evil” and “imposters.” He says they will go from “bad to worse” in their activities. Their character determines their activity: “deceiving and being deceived.” This last phrase is particularly interesting. These deceivers are themselves deceived! Satan has deceived them and then uses them to deceive others.
Abide in Christ to Tap into His Truth (v. 27)
How can we keep from being deceived by the deceivers? We must immerse ourselves in the Scriptures. Notice that John says in verse 27 this anointing “teaches you about everything.” How does the Holy Spirit do this? Through the Scriptures. Remember what Paul said about young Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:15: “. . . from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” In 2 Timothy 3:16 Paul affirms, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” Notice that it is because the Bible is divinely inspired that it is valuable for teaching doctrine. In fact, the Bible is the only true source of sound doctrine. All teaching should be measured by whether it comports with Scripture or not. Furthermore, the Bible is profitable for “reproof,” “correction,” and “training in righteousness.” We measure all teaching about spiritual things by the yardstick of the Bible. The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to teach truth and refute error. This is what John is talking about when he says the Holy Spirit “teaches” us about everything of a spiritual nature. The presence of the Holy Spirit in our life coupled with knowledge of the Word of God is sufficient to guide us into truth so we will not be deceived by false teachers.
John says in verse 27 that this anointing, that is, the Holy Spirit, “is true, and is no lie.” In John 14:17 and 16:13 Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of truth.” “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come” (John 16:13). “. . . even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:17). Notice in John 16:13 that Jesus says the Holy Spirit will guide the disciples into “all the truth.” In John 14:17 Jesus says that the Spirit of Truth “dwells with you and will be in you.” This indwelling was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost according to Acts 2. Elements of both of these verses from the Gospel of John now reappear in 1 John 2:26, 27.
The Holy Spirit up to this point in the lives of John’s readers has been their teacher. Just as he has protected them from error in the past, so he will do in the present and into the future. As a result of the Holy Spirit of truth who teaches us and who indwells us, John exhorts his readers and us to “abide in him.” What does this mean, and how can we go about accomplishing it? To “abide” in the Holy Spirit means to obey the Spirit’s Word, the Scriptures. To obey is to abide. To know the truth and rest in the truth is to abide. In verse 27a the Holy Spirit abides in us. In verse 27b we are to abide in the Holy Spirit by obeying the Word of God.
Certain Christians today talk a great deal about being “Spirit-anointed.” Many in the charismatic branch of Christianity believe the Holy Spirit is giving new revelation today that is on par with the Scriptures themselves.9 Notice that John does not say the Holy Spirit is teaching new truth today. The Holy Spirit is not revealing new truth but is rather teaching old truth. The old truth is the truth of the Scriptures. We should always distinguish the doctrine of revelation from the doctrine of illumination. Revelation is completed in Scripture and in the person of Jesus Christ. Illumination is an ongoing process whereby the Holy Spirit illumines this revealed truth to help us apprehend and comprehend it.10 One of the most important roles the Holy Spirit plays in our lives is that of illumination, helping us to understand the Scripture and discern the will of God. In context John is probably combating the false teachers who were attempting to bring so-called “new knowledge” into the church. The old maxim “if it is new it isn’t true” actually works pretty well when it comes to orthodox doctrine. We should always be wary of all who come in the name of Christ attempting to teach some new doctrine that they or their group have found in the Bible that everyone else has somehow missed over the past 2,000 years.
The point of these two verses is simple and clear. False teachers are counteracted by the true teacher, the Holy Spirit. In order to avoid being deceived, we must persevere in our relationship with Christ through the Holy Spirit. The ground for our abiding in the Holy Spirit is found in the fact that since the Holy Spirit’s character is “true” and is “no lie,” therefore his teaching is truth. Veteran pastor and preacher Jerry Vines is exactly right: “Unfortunately, some people who claim to be led by the Holy Spirit do things contrary to the example of Jesus. Jesus is the truth (John 14:6). The word of God is the truth (John 17:17). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth (John 16:13). Where the Holy Spirit is at work, there will be truth. The Holy Spirit will never lead anyone to do anything contrary to the Word of God or inconsistent with the Son of God.”11
All teaching and religious experience that claims to be from God can be subjected to five tests that will help every Christian discern its true source. The first test is the Bible test. Since the Bible is the Word of God, inerrant and infallible, it is the benchmark for all religious truth. All religious teaching and experience must be measured by the yardstick of Scripture. If such teaching or experience does not measure up, it should be rejected. The second test is the Jesus test. Does this teaching or religious experience magnify Christ or in any way denigrate him? Remember, the Holy Spirit will testify about Jesus and point people to him. Bob Hunter made a study of three months of sermons at Toronto’s Airport Vineyard Church several years ago. Using a computer database of the nightly sermons preached, he found 372 references to prophecy, 383 to the Holy Spirit, but only 143 to Jesus. He remarked, “This is no picky point about word games. It is about lost opportunity in the preaching to give clear focus on the Son of God.”12 The third test is the character test. Does this teaching or religious experience promote godly living? Are those who do the teaching living holy lives? The fourth test is the decency and order test. This test is set forth by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12–14 when he addressed the subject of tongues in the church. All things must be done “decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40). The fifth test is the evangelism test. Does this teaching or experience promote winning people to Jesus? Does this doctrine or experience help or hinder people from coming to Christ?13
First John 2:26, 27 should be read in conjunction with John 15:1–10. Jesus taught us there that he is the vine and we are the branches. If we abide in him, we will bring forth fruit. Stay connected to Jesus. That’s what John is saying to us. To “abide in him” means to stay connected to Jesus through the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Jesus is our source. We must love him supremely and stay connected to him relationally. We must stay grounded in Christ, in the Holy Spirit, and in Scripture. Since each of these is the truth, each is the standard for measuring whatever claims to be true. For John, anointing is intertwined with instruction.14 We are to adhere to sound doctrine, but that is not the end. We are to live out that doctrine ethically. This can only be done as we “abide in him.”