“SECURE OR SHAKY?”

“And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.”

1 John 2:28

As a preacher, I have noticed one interesting thing: talking about the Lord’s return has a refining effect on people. It almost feels like if I need to help steer someone in Christ’s direction, I’d discuss the Rapture or the Second Coming.

Today’s verse is a transitional portion in John’s first epistle. He moves from the subject of fellowship to sonship. Previously in verse 12, John addressed the younger believers by using “little children,” but in verse 28, he uses the same term to refer to all believers and brings up the subject of Christ’s return.

Once again, we encounter the word “abide” (Greek “meno”). John’s idea is for his readers to persevere in the Christian faith, which guarantees their hope. It’s important to know that the abiding part is only our response to God’s promise, we do not abide to obtain it. A believer abides by believing the truth, obeying the truth, and loving the brethren (Wiersbe).

Why does John mention the words “confidence” and “shame”? Because at the Lord’s return, believers will have to face Him, not on the basis of salvation, but eternal rewards (2 Corinthians 5:10). Those who served faithfully will be secure and face God with confidence while those who didn’t will be shaky and see their rewards nullified (1 Corinthians 3:15).

To sum up, John teaches us to serve God faithfully and endure to the end. We can do this through the Holy Spirit, not because of our strength or might. The Lord’s return should be a source of motivation for us to keep serving God wholeheartedly.

I’d like to ask you to assess yourself. If you were standing before God’s throne today, how confident would you be: secure or shaky?

Pursue the Savior today!