Set Apart

20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 1 John 2:20-21

Do you have a special spot for your favorite things? Maybe you put them on a shelf in your room or a secret box under your bed. Maybe you take them out to look at occasionally or like to show them to your friends. God used to do something similar with the objects and people He set aside to accomplish His special tasks. In the days of Moses in the Old Testament, He would have the priests or sacred objects anointed with precious olive oil.
Although this is not how God separates His special objects and people today, John explains that ALL Christians are anointed in a similar sense. Instead of being rubbed with oil, Jesus Christ was anointed with God’s Holy Spirit in the New Testament, and He now anoints us with that same spirit.
One of the results of our anointing as Christians is that we have received knowledge. Although we didn’t literally receive all knowledge—only God has that kind of knowledge—we did receive the knowledge necessary to understand truth. We have received a type of knowledge that helps us to discern God’s truth from the deceit and lies of the enemy. So although the Secessionists or antichrists that we talked about yesterday tried to claim that they were Christians and that they had some secret knowledge that nobody else had, John explains that his readers were right not to believe this deception and they were right to trust their discernment of truth given to them by the Holy Spirit. This discernment and knowledge sets us as believers apart; we are now God’s special people, used for His special purposes.

Questions for reflection and discussion
1. Are you confident that you can tell the truth about God from lies?
2. If not, how can you gain confidence?

Dear God, thank You for setting us aside as Your holy people and for giving us the Holy Spirit. Help us listen to the Holy Spirit’s guidance so that we can discern truth from lies. Amen.