Guard your heart
What you have heard from the beginning is to remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he himself made to us: eternal life. 1 John 2:24-25 CSB
As a reminder of the state of the readers that John is addressing, false teachers have entered the church and have spread false doctrine concerning salvation. The Gnostics, for example, were sharing the belief that knowledge of the Father can only be obtained through mystical revelations. Some of the believers began to doubt their salvation. John has been reassuring the readers, “what you have heard from the beginning is to remain in you.” John wants the believers to hold onto the truth, the Word, within them. “If what you have heard from the beginning (the Word) remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father.” John is saying that as long as they walk according to the Word of God, trusting in what they have heard and read, they will be confident in their salvation. The word of God should guard the heart. “…pay attention to my words; listen closely to my sayings… Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life” (Proverbs 4:20, 23). John’s exhortation to the readers of his epistle is to treasure the biblical message they have heard all along. As Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the Word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Through the Word of God, we are able to determine what is right and wrong, truth and false. In a time when the world deems “truth” as relative, Jesus says in John 14:6, “I am the truth,” setting a clear definitive line in the sand. Therefore, if we continue to walk according to His Word, if you are a believer, there is nothing to doubt in terms of your salvation. If Jesus has promised eternal life, there is a 100% guarantee for salvation. The Word of the Lord must reside in our souls so that in every decision that we make, we are guided by the Word. The Lord Jesus Christ told the believers in the church in Philadelphia, “Hold on to what you have” (Revelation 3:11).
Blessings,
Isaac De Guzman
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