Scripture: John exhorts believers to stick to (“abide in”) what they had heard from the beginning. This refers to the teaching of the apostles (Acts 2:42), “the foundation” of the church (Eph. 2:20), “the faith once for all handed down to the saints” (Jude 3). What this means for us today is the Bible, that which God has providentially handed down to us from the apostles. We are to remain in the truth of Scripture and never abandon this firm and unchanging bedrock of our faith.[1] As John further explains, we possess true fellowship with God (2:24) and certainty of eternal life (2:25) as we have the word of God abiding in us. The duty of the church in every generation is to faithfully uphold Scripture. May our feet be firmly planted on the terra firma of God’s word and may it keep us from every deception (2:26).

Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit who abides in us is the Spirit of truth (John 14:17). He never directs us contrary to the truth of Scripture. Moreover, the Spirit always guides us through Scripture to the true Christ, for He testifies of Him.[2] We abide in Christ (2:27) as we heed the Spirit’s testimony about Him in the Bible. For this reason, to drift away from Scripture is ultimately to drift away from Christ. Even as it was in John’s day, many today prefer a Jesus other than the One revealed in Scripture. May we flee all such idols (5:20-21). There is neither Savior nor God there. May we instead run to Scripture and know it deeply, for there the Spirit reveals to us the true Savior and Lord.

[1] Cf. Psalm 119:89; Num. 23:19; Mal. 3:6; Luke 21:33; Heb. 13:8; Rev. 22:18-19.

[2] The Spirit testifies of Christ (5:6; John 15:26; 1 Cor. 12:3). All who faithfully uphold Scripture abide in Christ, for the Spirit through His word points us to Christ. So closely connected is the Spirit to Christ, Jesus speaks of Him as His very own presence with us (John 14:16-18) and the revealer of His truth (John 16:14). To have the Holy Spirit is to have the Spirit of Christ and even for Christ Himself to be in us (cf. Rom. 8:9-10).