1 John 2:20,21 - You have been anointed

2:20

The gnostic type teachings talked about special knowledge and would seek to make their prey feel inadequate, and to be offering them something special. John is countering that here. We have been anointed by the Holy One, we have received the Holy Spirit. He has come into our lives and is working to direct us evermore towards Christ, and changing us to be become evermore like Christ. We have the knowledge that we really need, no hidden knowledge is needed. We know that Christ is Lord, we know He died and rose again for our sins, we know that we have been adopted as children of God.

2:21

John again emphasises that he is writing to encourage them. He is not writing to them because they lack something, but to assure them, or to remind them, that they already have the truth. This does not mean that they have nothing more to learn, or that they do not need to mature and grow, but all our growing and learning is built upon the one foundation of Christ. We already have all we need in Christ, it is a matter of appreciating the full extent of the truth of that. Earlier he has shown up the failings of the gnostics, and how their approach and teaching is a lie, in particular in relation to sin. Any teaching that belittles sin, or even promotes sin, is a lie and has nothing to do with the truth.