Confident living

And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. – 1 John 2.28

We are God’s children. His promise of eternal life is secure. I have that eternal life.

So how do I live in the light of His promise? Since my eternity is secure does that mean that I am free to do whatever I want now? Does ‘once saved always saved’ mean I just live any old way?

First of all if I have to ask that question I really need to examine my heart as to whether or not I am ‘in the faith.’ No true believer would ask that or try to get away with that.

So as we live in the light of Jesus’ promise and the hope of his return how are we to live and why bother anyway?

‘Little children, abide in Him.’ Great, but what does that mean? To abide in Christ means that we live in Him as He lives in us. It means that we abide in Christ even as we have to dwell in this world. Abiding in Christ means that we really settle in and become one with Him.

If I am truly in Christ I don’t need to fear being ashamed of myself when I see. I want to live in confidence that there is ‘nothing between my soul and the Saviour.’ I can have that confidence when I abide in Him instead of in the ways of the world.

Lord, help me to be constantly abiding in You so I can await Jesus' coming with excitement and confidence.