Slices
Prepare
Take a moment to ask God to come and be with you. Be still in his presence.
Bible passage
On not loving the world
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives for ever.
Warnings against denying the Son
18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist – denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us – eternal life.
26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 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.
Explore
Many times in my life I have asked someone to stay where they are. Sometimes because of some danger, to get a surprise for them or to tidy the kitchen before they come in! But I know that if I’m told to stay there’s a temptation to sneak a look or convince myself that a few steps won’t hurt. Surprisingly, staying still, or remaining where you are, takes more effort than you’d think.
In today’s verses, some form of the word ‘remain’ is used five times (vs 19,24,27). It appears that some others have not ‘remained’ within the church and so the reminder to ‘remain’ is repeated several times. Staying close to God requires time and effort. Remaining in God includes remembering what we heard from the beginning (v 24). What are the early truths about God that you still treasure? Remaining also involves us receiving teaching from the anointing we have (v 27), some would say the Holy Spirit. What are you learning now? Remaining in God requires effort, but the reward is that, in return, he will remain in you. One day we will be with him for eternity, but we can know his presence today if we choose to remain in him.
Respond
Consider what you are doing to remain close to God. What are the things that are trying to lead you astray that you need to avoid?
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Isaiah 65,66; John 1
Pray for Scripture Union
Thank God for all the events, missions and holidays this summer, and for the volunteers who served so faithfully. Pray for a fruitful response from the thousands of children and young people who have heard the gospel and seen it in the lives of leaders.
