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. 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.
And now little children are called to remain in Christ so that when he appears at his coming they may meet him with confidence and not with shame. Remaining in him means letting what was heard from the beginning stay in the heart, continuing in the truth about the Father and the Son first received by believing and obeying it, continuing in the Son and in the Father in love, and staying under the true teaching of the Holy Spirit while refusing deceivers. That remaining is shown by keeping his commandments and his word, walking just as he walked with the love of God made perfect, loving one's brother and staying in the light where there is no stumbling, and knowing the truth in which there is no lie. It is joined to the hope of seeing him and becoming like him and purifying oneself just as he is pure, with the promise of eternal life and sins forgiven for his name's sake, and doing righteousness is the evidence of being born of him. Being ready for his appearing requires present conversion and evidence of acceptance with God, criticizing self and confessing and forsaking sin without delay, a life record that could be faced with joy and without shame, and inward grace that upholds God's law through repentance and faith in Christ.
Words and Immediate Context
And now little children are called to remain in him now, so that when he shall appear at his coming they may meet him with confidence and not be ashamed before him. Remaining in him is remaining in the truth first received about the Father and the Son, believing it and obeying it, and so continuing in the Son and in the Father in a union of love. It is letting what was heard from the beginning remain in them, holding to what the anointing has taught them and remaining under the true teaching of the Holy Spirit's anointing, which is truth and in which there is no lie, while refusing seducers.
Abiding is joined to the hope of seeing him, becoming like him, and purifying oneself even as he is pure. The promise held out to those who abide is eternal life, with sins forgiven for his name's sake. Doing what is righteous is evidence that a person is born of him, and his return is a sure promise.
The second chapter belongs to those living in the last days to read and study. It holds together with the message that God is light and that walking in the light gives fellowship one with another and cleansing from all sin through the blood of Jesus Christ, with growing up into Christ the Head by speaking the truth in love, and with the calls to remember from where fallen and repent and do the first works lest the candlestick be removed, and to be watchful and strengthen what remains and hold fast and repent. It is the best sermon for bringing into practical life asking in faith with simple trusting faith in God and not in human weakness, being cautious not to be led astray by any man's supposed wisdom, trusting God as helper, remembering being God's little children to be led by the Lord in every step, letting no living man decoy from steadfast faith to follow another man's judgment since man has no more wisdom than he obtains from God, and looking to him who is the source of all wisdom and walking in the light of the Word of God.
The chapter calls readers to walk in the knowledge of the truth and partake of the divine nature, to keep the true understanding of what Jesus presents without crowding the mind with other things, to keep improving the mind to comprehend the requirements of the plain Thus saith the Lord, and to obtain now a genuine experience whose value is greater than recognized. The surrounding passage shows that abiding means having the image of his love stamped upon the mind so it can never be effaced, having Jesus evidently set forth crucified, becoming a partaker of the dignity of his suffering, and looking into the heart of this great mystery to find its interpretation is love.
What Abiding Involves
Abiding in him is shown by keeping his commandments and his word and walking even as he walked, with the love of God perfected in the life. It is loving one's brother and remaining in the light where there is no occasion of stumbling, and knowing the truth in which there is no lie. It is letting what was heard from the beginning remain within, so that one continues in the Son and in the Father. Those who so abide have sins forgiven for his name's sake and hold the promise of eternal life, and they will meet his appearing and his coming with confidence rather than shame.
That abiding brings spiritual dominion over the powers of darkness. It is remaining in the truth first received about the Father and the Son by believing and obeying it, refusing seducers, and remaining under the true teaching of the Holy Spirit's anointing. Its union with the Father and the Son is a union of love, and Christ is glorified in believers as they commit themselves to his guidance and gain victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil. Such victory is proved by doing righteousness as one born of him and by love to God and to one another.
Abiding means staying strong in Christ and faithful to him now so as to be found an overcomer at his coming. It is what enables one to stand before him then with confidence and not with shame. It is therefore to be asked for in prayer, that the Lord would make one strong in him and keep one faithful until his coming.
Ready for His Appearing
Readiness for his coming is having present evidence of acceptance with God through genuine conversion and true religious experience. That evidence rests on God's goodness and mercy and on the condescension and sacrifice of Jesus purchasing the heavenly reward and the last final victory. Those who feel unready and without that evidence are to come forward, pray, and let the Spirit carry the work deeper until hearts are reached.
Such readiness requires not exalting self and disparaging others but turning criticism upon self. It requires confessing and forsaking personal sins, doing diligent work for repentance, being cleansed from sin, and setting the heart in order without losing a moment. This urgency belongs to the great day of atonement in which believers now live, when souls are in peril.
Abiding now requires a life record in the books of heaven that could be faced with joy and confidence and without shame if life were suddenly cut off. That record is formed by guarding every phase of character under God's discipline. It is formed by refusing perverted principles that dishonor God and by refusing to take advantage of fellow workers, with true reformation of conduct.
The inward grace represented by the virgins' oil is what enables believers to stand when he appears. Baptism alone does not prepare anyone without a life conformed to Christ and evidence of good works. Where to stand when he appears is tied to upholding God's law, for the Ten Commandments remain the moral standard by which people will be judged. The law reveals sin but cannot pardon it, so repentance and faith in Christ are needed for a life that vindicates God's law.
Teachers who represent Christ in how they educate and train young people will not be ashamed on judgment day at Christ's coming. They will meet their students and answer for how they managed them without shame. Students likewise are to live circumspectly and resist wrong influences so they can meet their record without shame in the day of judgment.
Having confidence and not being ashamed when he appears comes from being faithful to the trust given. That faithfulness means practicing self-denial and liberality to supply needs. It means telling neighbors and friends of the need of the colored children in the South, inviting them to give by the same method, and by such efforts helping in the saving of souls.