28 And now little children, abide in him that when he is manifested, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you also know that everyone practicing righteousness has been born of him. 1 John 2:28-29 (translated from the NA28 Greek text)
How is that people who profess faith as Christians and supposedly placed their faith in the Incarnate Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, actually display a moralistic, therapeutic, deistic religiosity that is centered in their own moral uprightness? We find this in Church leaders such as pastors and especially scholars at the seminary and denominational level, but, sadly, because of the former, highly prevalent in the pews….
In 1 John 2:28-3:10, the Apostle John gives us “evidence” that is most definitely not “politically correct” that will enable us to determine those who really are the genuine children of God and those who aren’t. Of course, we should take a close examination of ourselves as we go through this passage.
Start by reading 1 John 2:28-29, which I placed at the top of this post. Abiding is vital for believers. What is that? It is a continual, robust, maintaining of one’s personal relationship with Christ. That means prayer and living in His Word. It is through this that we are transformed through the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). In this, we will be kept from straying into doctrine or conduct of which we will be ashamed at his coming. Think of what it will be like at his coming. What if it was today or tomorrow? Would you have the confidence in how you are abiding in him to not be ashamed at his coming? Wouldn’t it be far better to abide in him as a way of life and, therefore, have confidence because of a clear conscience?