Lord’s Day, Vol. 8 No. 42

Not Ashamed

 1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

The church is exhorted to abide in Christ as they await His return to receive the church to glory. In Him alone is the hope of His people, not in the world.

1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that arein the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that isin the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

How can the church abide in Christ? It is in affirming that Jesus is the Christ, that He is  exalted and worshipped – 1 John 2:22-23 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [but]he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

What is the hope of God’s people but the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ, the beloved Son sent by the Father in heaven to redeem us! – 1 John 2:24-25 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, eveneternal life.

(1) Steadfastly Abiding (v28a)

And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence …

While the lure is to deny Jesus Christ, the faithful church is exhorted to abide in Jesus the Christ – 1 John 2:18-19 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

The John Sung chorus “Only Jesus, Always Jesus” is a good reminder.

Only Jesus, Always Jesus

My heart will praise, My song I’ll raise

Saved and healed me, Sanctified me, 

Glorious Lord, Soon Coming King.

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Indeed, the Puritan John Owen said well concerning the confidence of the believer steadfastly abiding in Christ amidst a troubled world , “the minds of men are apt by their troubles to be cast in disorder, to be tossed up and down, and disquieted with various affections and passions. … It is apt to loose its passions of fear and sorrow, which act themselves in innumerable perplexing thoughts, until it is carried utterly out of its own power. But in this state a due contemplation of the glory of Christ will restore and compose the mind, bring it into sedate, quiet frame, in which faith will be able to say to the winds and waves of distempered passions, “Peace, be still!” and they shall obey it.” [The Glory of Christ – His Office and Grace]

Wherewithal comes the peace? When the believer dwells in the Word of God through prayer, the glory of Christ is manifested through the Holy Spirit’s guidance – 1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

And the believer steadfastly abiding in Christ through the constant meditation of Scriptures shall be prepared even for the end of life of Christ’s coming tarries, “There is none of all the things insist upon – neither the resignation of a departing soul into the hand of God, nor a willingness to lay down the flash in the dust, nor a readiness to comply to the will of God, as to the times and seasons, or the way and manner of the approach of death – that can be attained, without a prospect of that glory that shall give us a new state far more excellent than what we here leave or depart from. This we cannot have, wherever we pretend, unless we have some present view of the glory of Christ. An apprehension of the future manifestation of it in heaven will not relieve us, if here we know not what it is, and of what it consists, if we not some previous discovery of it in this life. This is that which makes all things easy and pleasant to us, even death itself, as it is a means to bring us to its full enjoyment.”

(2) Our Blessed Hope (v28b)

… we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

As we abide in Him through the meditation and study of Scriptures and prayer, may our heart burn within us to joy at His presence every passing hour. May the blessed hope of Christ’s return energise us to declare and glorify Him, through worship and holy living, to every good work as we are sent forth as Christ’s ambassadors, waiting our mansion and reward! Amen.

Yours lovingly,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee