1 John 2:20-21

In contrast to the heterodox secessionists (1 John 2:19), the faithful believers within the community were "keeping the faith." The "anointing" referred to is evidently the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus gives to each believer at conversion (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13; cf. Luke 4:18; John 6:69; John 14:17; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:13; Acts 4:27; Acts 10:38; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22). John said it abode in his readers to teach them and that it was truthful (1 John 2:27).

"Anointing designates something for sacred use." [Note: Ryrie, "The First . . .," p. 1470.]

John referred to the Holy Spirit as the anointing, ascribing a teaching role, which is a personal function, to Him. This seems preferable to the idea that the Word of God is the anointing. [Note: This is a view proposed by Dodd, p. 63, but refuted by Hodges, "1 John," p. 892, and Simon Kistemaker, Exposition of the Epistle of James and the Epistles of John, p. 279, footnote 55. Marshall, p. 155, proposed a similar view, namely, that the Word applied by the Spirit constitutes the anointing, which Smalley, pp. 106-7, followed. Yarbrough, p. 149, viewed the anointing as the effect of the apostolic message the readers had received (i.e., the truth).] John previously spoke of Jesus Christ as the life (1 John 1:2). The presence of the Holy Spirit in every believer enables him or her to perceive the truth of the gospel and to distinguish it from error (John 14:26; John 16:13). Of course, some Christians have more perception than others due to God-given ability, Satanic blindness, the influence of human teachers, sin in the life, etc.