Recently, I was captivated by the Spirit-inspired line in which John, the Apostle of love, makes this bold declaration:

“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.” -1 John 2:27 (ESV)

This verse connects two key themes conveyed in the words anointing and abiding, and reveals two crucial truths that make the abundant life possible for the Christian. Abiding in the anointed one changes everything.

We Have Been Anointed

The biblical theme of anointing is rich in meaning, and John’s mentioning of it here provides a hyperlink to a myriad of other Scriptures. The definition of anointing is to literally smear something or someone with oil. On the surface, this sounds like a bizarre act; however, beneath the surface the Bible reveals that this ancient ritual was a way of marking a portal between heaven and earth.

The first occurrence of anointing was when Jacob poured oil over the stone upon which he slept and had a dream of heaven’s gate being opened. And in his dream, there were steps connecting the place where he lay with the LORD of heaven and earth (Genesis 28:10-17).

Holy anointing oil was applied to the objects of the Tabernacle to dedicate them unto the presence of God. Priests, kings, and prophets under the old covenant were anointed to mark their special to role to be portals of God’s mediation, rule, and word on earth. Even the recipe for the anointing oil prescribed by the Lord (Exodus 30:22-25) hearkens back to Garden of Eden imagery, which is the seedbed for the whole storyline of Scripture.^[1]

Yet the trajectory of the anointing theme of the Bible culminates in the One who would come and fulfill in Himself the purpose of anointing. Jesus, the Christ, or the Anointed One, was sent from heaven to ransom God’s image bearers, redeem rebellious hearts, and restore all of creation. Jesus was anointed as our High Priest, being our one and only perfect mediator to the Father. Jesus was anointed as King of Kings, having all power and authority to execute the will of the Father. And Jesus was anointed as the Prophet who is the word become flesh, radiating the glory of the Father and being the exact imprint of His nature (John 1:14; Hebrews 1:2-3).

The trajectory of the anointing theme of the Bible culminates in the One who would come and fulfill in Himself the purpose of anointing. Jesus, the Christ, or the Anointed One, was sent from heaven to ransom God’s image bearers, redeem rebellious hearts, and restore all of creation.

The anointing of Jesus that made the fulfillment of all He said and did possible was the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38). The remarkable yet often forgotten truth is that we as Christians share in this anointing because we have been given the promise of the Father, the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Under the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit anoints God’s people as members of His Holy household of faith. As Christians, we are anointed ones who follow the Anointed One. Because we have been anointed (1 John 2:20), we may participate in Christ’s ultimate work of uniting all things in Himself, bringing heaven and earth together as one (Ephesians 1:10).

As Christians, we are anointed ones who follow the Anointed One.

Abiding in the Anointed One

Returning to John’s riveting line about the Holy One’s anointing remaining or abiding in us, we can see it has vital implications. As previously stated, the same Holy Spirit who anointed Jesus to commence the Father’s Kingdom work has also anointed us to continue it towards completion. With the anointing of God’s indwelling Spirit, as ones who live with God, our very lives also become portals that bring heaven and earth together. This is why disciples of Jesus in the early Church were given the name “Christians” (Acts 11:26), or “little anointed ones.” For they embodied in their everyday life and community the glorious reality of the gospel redeeming all things. The same can be and is true today—being anointed by God is not for the spiritually elite, but for the everyday Christian. The anointing of the Holy Spirit empowers common people to have an uncommon, Christ-like character and enables ordinary people to do extraordinary works in Jesus’ name.

The same Holy Spirit who anointed Jesus to commence the Father’s Kingdom work has also anointed us to continue it towards completion.

A necessary final word of warning is to be heeded. The specific issue that John addresses to Christ’s little anointed ones in this letter is false teachers, or those he called anti-christs (1 John 2:18), who were dispersing lies and seeking to lead others astray. It is wise to be aware that those in whom Christ’s anointing abides will encounter and battle those who are against, or anti-anointing. This battle, while spiritual in nature, is waged every day. John goes on to say, “…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.” This is not saying that Christians have no need for human teachers—in a letter where John is, in fact, teaching—but that we must root all truth claims in the objective apostolic teaching that was “heard from the beginning” (1 John 2:24). The key command here is that we are to “abide in him” (repeated in 2:28). This means that we must remain in both the Word and Spirit to continue in the faith and partner with Jesus in His work. Bible commentator John Stott summarizes it this way:

“The only safeguard against lies is to have remaining within us both the Word that we heard from the beginning and the anointing that we received from him. It is by these old possessions, not by new teachings or teachers, that we shall remain in the truth.”^[2]

Being anointed by God is not for the spiritually elite, but for the everyday Christian.

So, as we move forward in this day and age, may we remember these old possessions that will bring fresh daily renewal, guard us against falsehood, and empower us to embody together the very One who has anointed us. To borrow and adapt a common exhortation from Pastor Troy Keaton, “Be encouraged; we are Christians, or little anointed ones!”

Copyright © 2024 Justin Jeppesen. All rights reserved.

^[1] To explore further, see: https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/anointing/

^[2] John R. W. Stott, The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 19, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 118.