September 17 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

1 John 2:15-29:

¹⁵Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
¹⁶For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
¹⁷And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
¹⁸Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
¹⁹They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
²⁰But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
²¹I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
²²Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
²³Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
²⁴Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
²⁵And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
²⁶These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
²⁷But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
²⁸And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
²⁹If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

Devotional

There is something touching in the fact that John the aged apostle, addresses his readers as little children. This expresses affection and concern. He had written, "Little children, it is the last time." He had told them that antichrist should come, and that there were already many antichrists. But he also writes, "Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things, " that is, they had the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit was their teacher. Had not Christ said, "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth." And farther, "the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach all things, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you." "He will guide you into all truth." Now they had no need that any man should teach them. All they had to do was to abide in the truth the Holy Spirit had taught them. And by abiding in the truth, they would abide in Christ. And being found in him, they could be of good confidence at his coming. They would have nothing to fear. They would not have to be ashamed before him. John tells them, "We know when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."

Prayer

Our Father, help us to realize that by nature we are blind. We do not know the truth. Our eyes must be enlightened. We thank Thee that Jesus Christ has sent us that other Com­forter, even the Spirit of truth, and that He guides us into all truth, and that we have the promise, that He shall abide with us for ever. O God may we never resist or grieve the Holy Spirit. May we willingly submit to his guidance, so that, when Christ shall come, we may not be ashamed before him, but have con­fidence, knowing; we are reconciled unto Thee. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: 1 John 2:18, 20; John 14:16, 17, 26; 16:12; 1 John 2:27; 3:2.

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