1 John 2:28

A. Abiding to Face Christ Confidently 2:28

John introduced the new idea of the believer’s meeting with Jesus Christ at death or the Rapture to motivate his readers to continue to cultivate intimate fellowship with God. The prospect of this meeting remained the basis for John’s instruction through 1 John 4:19. This is the theme verse because it sets the agenda for what follows in this major portion of the epistle. 1 John 2:28 is a janus that looks in two directions: backward to summarize the preceding section, and forward to introduce the following section. Janus was the Roman god of beginnings and endings who supposedly guarded portals. He had two faces, one on the front and the other on the back of his head. The month of January gets its name from him. It is the month in which we look backward on the past year and forward to the new year.

"Abide" (Gr. meno) appeared no less than seven times in 1 John 2:12-27. The exhortation to abide here in 1 John 2:28 is the outworking of John’s concern to abide in 1 John 2:12-27. "If" might better be translated "whenever." The fact of the Lord’s appearing is certain even though its time is indefinite. [Note: See Gerald B. Stanton, Kept from the Hour, ch. 6: "The Imminency of the Coming of Christ for the Church," pp. 108-37.] John meant that Christ’s return for His own might be while his readers were still alive. [Note: Westcott, p. 81. See also A. E. Brooke, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Johannine Epistles, p. 65; Charles H. Spurgeon, 12 Sermons on the Second Coming of Christ, p. 134; George G. Findlay, Fellowship in the Life Eternal, pp. 232-33; and Robert S. Candlish, The First Epistle of John, p. 213.] Other passages that teach the imminency of Christ’s return include 1 Corinthians 1:8; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Corinthians 16:22; Philippians 3:20; Philippians 4:5; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:10-12; Titus 2:13; James 5:7-9; and Revelation 3:11; Revelation 22:7; Revelation 22:12; Revelation 22:17; Revelation 22:20. "Confidence" (Gr. parresia) is freedom or boldness of speech that comes as a result of a clear conscience. John’s idea was that if we walk in fellowship with God now we will not feel embarrassed to meet Him whenever we see Him (cf. Mark 8:38). The prospect of seeing Jesus Christ one day soon should motivate us to abide in Him now (cf. James 5:8).

"Even though eternal salvation is an entirely free gift which can never be lost, the New Testament makes plain that the believer must give an account of his or her Christian life in the presence of Christ (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10-12). As is shown by the texts just cited, as well as by 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, this judgment is not merely a review of our good deeds, but a comprehensive review that embraces both ’good and bad’ (2 Corinthians 5:10). Therefore, shame is decidedly possible at the Judgment Seat. This is all the more true since Christians at that time will have their eternal bodies. Thus sin will no longer inhibit appropriate regret and embarrassment about those things in one’s earthly life that did not please the Lord." [Note: Hodges, The Epistles . . ., p. 125.]