Introduction John s epistle makes it clear that there is more to being a Christian than mere profession. There is the moral test of obedience or righteousness (2:28). There is the social test of love (3:11) and the doctrinal test of truth (2:21). Here for the first time in the epistle the believer is described as a person who practices righteous is born of Him (v.29). These two verses serve as a bridge between two key concepts in John s epistle; fellowship and sonship (those born of God). Three important words appear in verse 28; 1. Abide 2. Appear 3. Ashamed We are exhorted to remain in fellowship with God once we are born into the family of God and become citizens of the kingdom of God. We have fellowship with the Father, by the Son, through the Holy Spirit. In the chapter ahead (chapter 3) John will make the argument that the true child of God proves their spiritual birth by obedience to God s Word. He will provide several motives for that obedience; some of which are introduced here; God wonderful love (chapter 3:1); Christ s promised return (3:2-3); Christ s death on the Cross (3:4-8); our new nature within (3:9-18) and the witness of the Holy Spirit (3:19-24). We are in for some exciting Bible study adventures in the new year! Abiding In Christ (v.28a) 1 John 2:28 29 (NKJV) 28 And now, little children, abide in Him, All Christians must recognize the importance of abiding in Christ. New Christians are often confused when we use these strange terms. Abide means simply to remain or dwell or live in Christ. In the first two chapters the dominant themes of John s epistle are fellowship and abiding. Some Christians equate abiding with some kind of subjective mystical union that result in Holy Spirit goose bumps. We make the mistake of equating subjective feelings with the facts of revelation. Jesus said; I will never leave you or forsake you. The believer will sometimes say; I don t feel God s presence or I don t feel the presence of Jesus. The absence of the presence of Christ is not dependent on your feelings. However it is not unusual for Christians to sense or experience the presence of God and sometimes to be overwhelmed with the sense of His presence. How do we abide in Christ? Do we invite Jesus for dinner or go bowling or see if Jesus is available to attend the new Star Wars movie? Abiding in Christ begins when you believe the truth. Jesus said, If you abide in Me, and my Word abides in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you (John 15:7). The very next verse in John s gospel reads; By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples (v.8). When I was 1
young my grandparents lived near a large Apricot Orchard. A huge wind came and knocked down a large branch that was laden with fruit. Within a few days the branch was dead and the fruit rotten. The limb was detached from the tree and would produce no further fruit and the fruit it once had became rotten and useless. The same is true of the Christian who ceases to abide in Christ. You abide in Christ when you believe the truth (John 2:24); obey the truth and love other Christians (2:27). We asked ourselves the question; Am I abiding in Christ? You know you are when you remain in the truth and His commandments and His love. In John 15:10-12 Jesus said, If you keep my commandments you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may remain in you, and your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have love you. In short, abiding in Christ means believing that Jesus is God s Son (1 John 4:15); receiving Jesus as Savior and Lord (John 1:12); doing what God says (1 John 3:24); relating in love to the community of believers, Christ s body (John 15:12). Why would people substitute these things for mystical subjective feeling oriented experiences? Why would people substitute Holy Laughter for real joy? Because it is easy to laugh out loud. But it requires faith and discipline to know the truth, believe the truth live the truth and obey the truth. It requires patience and selflessness to love the brethren and agree to participate in each others lives in Christ. Are you a believer? Do you feel empty dry lifeless joy less? Do you feel distant from God distant from His presence and joy? Is it possible that you have neglected the basic things; the first things; the needful things; believing the truth, walking in the truth and finding someone to love in Christ? Perhaps you have disobeyed the Word of God! Is there a lack of love in your life? If so repent! The solution is to confess your sin (1 John 1:9) and receive Christ s forgiveness and walk in the light. Abiding becomes easier among the Saints. I remember speaking to someone about their discomfort around other believers. Why would a Saint feel uncomfortable around other Saints? You cannot exercise your gifts from God and not include other believers. Paul in writing to Timothy said (1 Timothy 3:15); I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth. One way to have fellowship with God is to fellowship in a church where God is honored, where the Bible is taught. Christians need to go to church. I believe in the concept of the invisible church. That doesn t mean that you have to be invisible on Wednesday or Sunday! Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together (see Heb.10:25). Pray for your church. Pray for its leaders. Get involved. Make a contribution. Appearing Soon: Jesus! (v.28b) that when He appears, 2
Those in fellowship with Christ and who continue in Christ through the Holy Spirit will one day see Jesus face to face! There are at least two responses that the believer will experience at the coming of Christ! Joy and terror. Those who abide in Christ approach Jesus with boldness. They know their relationship and fellowship remain secure. Why? Because they confess Jesus as Lord and Christ (2:22) abide in Him (2:24; 27-28) and have no reason to fear his judgment. This is the first mention of Christ s appearing in our little epistle and exhortation of love! The coming of Jesus the appearing of Jesus is to serve as a motive for loving, abiding, and obeying! Prophetic books like Daniel and Revelation deal with the details of Christ s coming. Not all Bible teachers agree on the details. But all Bible teachers who embrace historical Biblical Christianity agree that Jesus will return personally, physically, bodily, literally (Acts 1:11). Jesus is coming for His church (see 1 Thess. 4:13-18). The second coming is different than the death of the believer since Paul says the dead in Christ will rise first. Jesus comes for us (John 14:3). Billy Graham wrote; Many times when I go to bed at night I think to myself that before I awaken Christ may come. John Wesley White says The coming of Jesus Christ and the end of the age occupies some 1,845 Scriptural verses. However you add it up the second coming of Jesus Christ is mentioned specifically 318 times in 260 chapters of the NT. It is mentioned in every one of the NT books with the exception of the book of Galatians (which deals with specific doctrinal issues) and the micro-mini books of 2, 3 John and Philemon. Here it is not mentioned in order to establish the doctrine of the Second Coming but rather to promote righteous living! Vance Havner wrote; We are not just looking for something to happen, we are looking for Someone to come! And when these things begin to come to pass, we are to drop our heads in discouragement or shake our heads in despair, but rather lift up our heads in delight. In the early church the knowledge of the coming of Jesus saved the saints from utter despair! The expectation of the coming of Jesus served as sustenance in the face of militant persecution. The expectation motivated the saints to holy living and self-less evangelism. The second-century church saw the eagerly awaiting of Christ s return as the motivation for the evangelization of the Roman Empire! In later centuries Bible reading was all but lost and evangelism waned. After the Protestant reformation the Bible was placed back in the hands of the people and with the invention of the printing press and translations a world wide proliferation of Bible reading began. Only the doctrine of salvation is mentioned more in the NT than the teaching that Christ will return. What exactly will happen when Jesus shows up? Paul writes about this in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; 3
According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one s work, of what sort it is. If anyone s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet as through fire. The local church is compared to a building or a temple and the Pastor is a builder who is to maintain the qualities of the materials in the building. Paul was the builder that God used to lay the foundation in Corinth and that foundation was the Gospel Christ preached in the Gospel. Then along came Apollos who added to the foundation and other pastors followed him. Each one was supposed to be careful. There are wise builders and worldly builders. The point both would be tested. There is a test when Jesus appears. Believers will be rewarded for their faithfulness in service to Him. Hebrews 9:28 mentions we are to look for His appearing. The word means to be patiently waiting, to look with anticipation, the word picture is like a child on tip toes stretching to see! Is that the way you are looking for Jesus? Do you love the Lord? Do you long for His appearing? Ashamed In His Presence (v.28c) we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. All Christians are accepted in Christ but some are not acceptable! Here we may mean you and I or it may mean the apostles. If it means the apostles we may need to think more about accountability and follow up in leading people to Christ and discipleship. Let me explain. My grandchildren and children play in the snow and come home wet, drenched, soaked. I do not send them to the neighbors with copies of their birth certificates and records and then disown them. They are my children. But they have to leave their soaked and dirty clothes in the laundry room. Paul wrote Therefore we have also our ambition...to be pleasing to Him (2 Cor.5:9). A Christian who fails to walk in love and obedience and truth stunted delayed absent spiritual growth are certainly suspect in their fellowship with God. But if a Christian (born again) continues in sustained unrepentant disobedience loveless and lies they will lose their rewards and be ashamed at His appearing. All Christians will appear before Jesus Christ at His appearing or at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Look closely at the word confidence. It means openness, freedom of speech, no sense of restraint it means to be so close in friendship and fellowship with Jesus that you do not panic 4
in his presence. The passage could read; shall not shrink in shame from Him. Some Christians will shrink in shame because they are living a shameful life. Jesus will catch us red handed in those things which we ought not to be doing. Wouldn t it be tragic if Jesus shows up not when you are at your best but when you are at your worst?! When Dwight Eisenhower was President he vacationed in Denver Colorado. In the city there was a 6 year old boy dying of cancer. The boy expressed the desire to see the President. One Sunday morning President Eisenhower arrived in his presidential limousine with his entourage. He walked up to the front door and knocked and there was the boys father in a pair of Levi s a T shirt with a days growth of beard on his face looking like a hobo. When he saw the President he was speechless! The President took the little boy out to see the limousine and speak to him for a while. Then he shook his hand and left. For many days afterward the man would speak about how embarrassing it was to meet the President but how embarrassing will it be to meet the Lord? Think about it. A Christian is encouraged to obey the Lord. Warren Wiersbe writes; If he looks back, he sees Calvary, where Christ died for him. If he looks within, he sees the Holy Spirit who lives within and teaches him truth. If he looks around, he sees his Christian family whom he loves; but he also sees a world lost in sin, desperate and in need of your godly witness. And if he looks ahead, he sees the return of Christ. Actions Speak Louder Than Words (v.29) 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him. The word if can and perhaps should be understood as since. Since you know that He is righteous! Believers know that God is righteous. God is good. God is incapable of unrighteousness. Since God is righteous all that God does is righteous therefore everyone who is born of Him (born again) is righteous. This is John s logic (William MacDonald p.2316). Being righteous is a twofold condition. We are righteous before God because we have been born again by the power of the Holy Spirit and the sacrifice of the Son of God! We are righteous before the world when we act in the power of the Spirit and reflect the character of the Son of God. Even more simply we are righteous in the world s eyes when we act like Jesus. A.W. Tower wrote; Everything in the universe is good to the degree it conforms to the nature of God and evil as it fails to do so. Even Gandhi said, I would suggest, first, that all you Christians...begin to live more like Jesus Christ. He said this in the context of missionary E. Stanley Jones to the question of how could Christianity be more acceptable in India. John has written about light and darkness; love and hatred; truth and error; and now sums up the whole of Christian living in a single phrase; practices righteousness!! Christians talk and walk we live in obedience truth and love. Paul writes (1 Cor.13:6) love does not rejoice in unrighteousness. That means that love is not an excuse to sin. Love does not justify sin. We cannot call evil good or good evil. But that is the culture s declaration of independence from 5
God. The popular culture despises marriage, virtue, purity. It is not weird or prudish to honor your marriage vows. Promiscuity and sexual immorality hold out an invitation of freedom but brings bondage to the soul. Things that denigrate God glorify violence, celebrate sin are fast consuming us. Spurgeon said; A Christian should be a striking likeness of Jesus Christ...We should be pictures of Christ...Oh! My brethren, there is nothing that can so advantage you, nothing can so prosper you, so assist you, so make you walk toward heaven rapidly, so keep your head upwards toward the sky, and your eyes radiant with glory, like the imitation of Jesus Christ. Conclusion How do we abide in Christ? We love Him. We trust Him. We obey Him. Righteousness promotes confidence. Do we love His appearing? 6