I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.
1 John 2:26
John isn’t writing to scare the church — he’s writing to steady it.
He says, “I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray.” But notice what he doesn’t say next.
He doesn’t say, “Be afraid.”
He doesn’t say, “Try harder.”
He doesn’t say, “Go figure this out on your own.”
And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him remains 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 remain in Him.
1 John 2:27 NASB2020
Instead, he gently pulls us back to something beautifully simple:
Remain in Him.
Not strive.
Not strive harder.
Not become spiritual detectives with corkboards and red string.
Just… remain.
That’s not passive. That’s deeply relational. That’s trust.
The Anointing That Teaches You
John reminds us that “the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you don’t need anyone to teach you.”
Now let’s clear the fog — this doesn’t cancel teachers, pastors, or apostles (thank God, because some of us talk for a living). What it does mean is this:
You already have access.
The Holy Spirit isn’t outsourced.
He’s not on backorder.
He doesn’t need a mediator with a microphone.
The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. The anointing teaches from within, not from without.
Trust Is the Doorway
Remaining starts with trust.
Not trust in your ability to interpret Scripture perfectly.
Not trust in your emotional stability (thankfully).
But trust in His faithfulness to finish what He started.
Trust says, “God, I don’t fully understand this moment, but I know You’re not confused.”
Trust says, “I don’t have clarity yet, but I have connection — and that’s enough for today.”
Trust says, “I’m staying right here with You.”
This is where spiritual maturity shows up — not in having all the answers, but in refusing to disconnect when questions come knocking.
Now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not draw back from Him in shame at His coming.
1 John 2:28 NASB2020
Abiding Produces Boldness
John goes on to say that if we remain in Him, we can be confident and unashamed when He appears.
That’s wild.
Not fearful.
Not scrambling.
Not hiding behind spiritual performance.
Confident.
Abiding doesn’t make you passive — it makes you secure. And secure people live boldly.
When you know who you belong to, you stop auditioning for approval. When you know whose you are, you stop striving to prove who you are.
That’s sonship.
That’s daughterhood.
That’s being known.
If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness also has been born of Him.
1 John 2:29 NASB2020
Righteousness Grows From Relationship
John closes by reminding us that those who practice righteousness are born of Him.
Notice the order: not do better so you can belong, but belonging produces fruit.
Righteousness isn’t behavior modification — it’s life flowing from connection to Christ.
You don’t grit your teeth to grow fruit. You stay connected to the vine and let life do what life does.
Remaining always leads to becoming.
An Invitation, Not an Instruction Manual
So today, the Spirit isn’t handing you a checklist.
He’s extending an invitation:
“Come closer.”
“Stay with Me.”
“Let Me teach you from the inside out.”
You don’t have to run ahead.
You don’t have to clean yourself up.
You don’t have to figure it all out.
Just remain.
Because those who remain…
begin to look like Him.
walk like Him.
love like Him.
And the world starts to recognize the family resemblance.
Prayer
Father, teach us how to remain — not by striving, but by trusting. Quiet the noise. Anchor our hearts. Let Your Spirit lead us into truth that transforms us from the inside out. We choose to stay. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
They are reborn — not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
John 1:12-13 NLT
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