As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit — just as it has taught you, remain in him. —1 John 2:27
When we became Christians, we were not only cleansed by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:9-11), but the Holy Spirit filled and indwelled us (Acts 2:38-39; Romans 8:9). John speaks of receiving and having the Holy Spirit as “his anointing” — Jesus poured the Holy Spirit out on and into us, when we came to Christ (Titus 3:3-7). The Spirit helps us hear the truth about Jesus (1 John 2:20-21). Our anointing keeps us from surrendering that truth to false teaching that would diminish either side of Jesus’ identity — Jesus as God with us and God like us (1 John 2:23). We remain in Jesus when we hold on to both of these incredible truths. As we remain in Jesus, the Spirit — “his anointing” — we have all that we need to know about Jesus as our Savior, Lord, and Messiah (1 John 2:24, 27).