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b'READ: 1 JOHN 2:1-29\\n\\n\\n\\nRecently, I was buying some pizzas, and when I handed the cashier my money she did something that made me freeze: she held up the dollar bills to the light, examining them closely. She was trying to see if they were authentic. At that moment, I thought to myself, Oh great. Did I get stuck with a counterfeit bill? Fortunately they were not counterfeits, and I got my pizza and went on my way. But counterfeit money is a real problem for businesses, and so cashiers are often trained to recognize fake money.\\n\\n\\n\\nDo you know how they do it? They don\\u2019t study fake money. Instead, they learn all about real money. When the Federal Reserve prints dollar bills, they add all kinds of markings that authenticate the true value. That way, no matter how a counterfeit bill is made, a cashier can tell what\\u2019s real and what\\u2019s not. When you know what to look for, you can spot a fake a mile away.\\n\\n\\n\\nIn 1 John 2:18-25, John is warning us about spiritual scammers who pass on counterfeit gospel messages. They use spiritual language and sound very religious, but if you listen closely, what they\\u2019re preaching is a false gospel\\u2014such as a gospel of getting lots of money, or treating our neighbors in a fearful and hate-filled way, or trying to follow God\\u2019s commands legalistically rather than relying on grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). But the real gospel, which John often calls \\u201cthe truth,\\u201d is purely the good news of who Jesus is and what He has done for us.\\n\\n\\n\\nSo how do we avoid getting tricked by counterfeit gospels and falling for their lies? John says the best defense is to \\u201cremain in fellowship with Christ\\u201d (1 John 2:27). We could never study every single lie\\u2014there are too many of them! Instead, Jesus calls us to abide in Him (John 15:1-17). By faith, we can rest in the good news of Jesus\\u2019s death and resurrection, even as we seek to understand the truth of God\\u2019s Word. Throughout our lives, He will guide us through His Spirit, His Word, and His people, helping us discern what is true and what is false. When we understand the true gospel, we can better defend ourselves against false gospels. As we abide in Jesus, we will be prepared to face whatever messages are thrown at us. \\u2022 Jacob Bier\\n\\n\\n\\n\\u2022 How can looking at the true gospel help us recognize fakes? (More on the gospel on our "Know Jesus" page.)\\n\\n\\n\\nBut you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don\\u2019t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true\\u2014it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. 1 John 2:27 (NLT)'