Why is it important to avoid "shrink back in shame" at His return? Abiding Now, Confidence Later • 1 John 2:28: “And now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears, we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.” • “Remain” (abide) is a present-tense command. A living, ongoing connection to Christ sets the tone for how we will meet Him. • Confidence at His appearing is not arrogance; it is the settled assurance that springs from a life anchored in obedience, love, and truth. What “Shrinking Back in Shame” Looks Like • Conscious guilt over ignored commands (Luke 6:46). • Hidden, unconfessed sin suddenly exposed (1 Corinthians 4:5). • Works done for self, burned up as wood, hay, straw (1 Corinthians 3:12-15). • Regret over wasted opportunities, talents buried in the ground (Matthew 25:24-30). • Realizing too late that friendship with the world made us spiritual adulterers (James 4:4). Why Avoiding Shame Matters 1. The Judgment Seat Is Certain – 2 Corinthians 5:10: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” – This judgment is for believers’ works, affecting reward, not eternal destiny. 2. Rewards Can Be Lost – 2 John 1:8: “Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be fully rewarded.” 3. Purity Flows From Hope – 1 John 3:2-3: the hope of seeing Him “purifies” us now. 4. Our Lives Preach the Gospel – Philippians 2:15-16: believers “shine as lights” while “holding fast the word of life,” so that Paul—and we—“may boast in the day of Christ.” 5. Love Desires His Smile – 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20: people we influence become “our crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at His coming.” Cultivating Confidence Today • Keep short accounts—regular confession (1 John 1:9). • Feed on His word; let it abide in you (John 15:7). • Walk in the Spirit; refuse fleshly impulses (Galatians 5:16). • Serve faithfully with whatever gift you have received (1 Peter 4:10-11). • Live each day as though the trumpet could sound before nightfall (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Gospel Assurance, Not Presumption • Salvation is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). • Works neither earn nor keep salvation, yet they prove genuine faith (James 2:17). • Confidence is rooted in Christ’s finished work, expressed in our obedient walk (Hebrews 10:19-22, 35-36). A Thread of Connected Passages • 2 Peter 3:11-14 – live holy and godly lives, “make every effort to be found at peace, spotless and blameless in His sight.” • Romans 14:10-12 – “each of us will give an account of himself to God.” • Revelation 22:12 – “Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me.” • Hebrews 10:37-39 – “we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” Living in the Light of His Appearing • Let the certainty of Christ’s return sanctify daily choices. • Value eternal reward over temporary applause. • Encourage fellow believers to persevere; our shared joy will be multiplied at His coming (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20). • Finish the race with eyes fixed on Jesus, so when He steps onto earth’s stage again, we stand before Him—not cowering—but beaming with unshakeable, blood-bought confidence. |
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