Confident at His Coming
Orientation
The fear of being ashamed before Christ at His coming stems from a misunderstanding of readiness as human achievement rather than God's sustaining promise.
- Readiness is not about frantic self-examination or deciphering prophetic puzzles.
- The dividing line is between abiding in Christ and being spiritually asleep or intoxicated by the world.
- Shame at His appearing exposes the bankruptcy of self-reliance, not a loss of salvation.
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. (1 John 2:28)
— 1 John 2:28
Clarification
Confidence at Christ's coming is the guaranteed result of God's power to keep and present us, not a reward for our sustained performance.
- The crown of righteousness is given to all who love His appearing, not just to a subset of high-performing believers.
- God's ability to keep us from falling and present us faultless is the foundation of our assurance.
- Soul searching over failure is meant to drive us to His promise, not to our own renewed resolve.
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, (Jude 1:24)
— Jude 1:24
Structure
Biblical logic ties our confident hope directly to God's covenant faithfulness to complete His work in us, anchoring readiness in His action, not our condition.
- The promise that Christ will appear a second time without sin unto salvation is specifically for those who look for Him.
- The resurrection and eternal union described in 1 Thessalonians is comfort based on God's action, not a challenge based on our preparedness.
- The good work God began, He will complete until the day of Christ.
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28)
— Hebrews 9:28
Weight-Bearing Prose
The apostolic witness places abiding in Christ as the sole ground for confidence at His coming, directly opposing any framework where readiness is a human achievement. This confidence is the positive result; shame is the negative exposure of neglecting the covenantal promise in favor of self-reliance or worldliness. Pauline categories are essential here: our union with Christ in His death and resurrection is the rule of life, not outward commands or perseverance of works. The promises cited—the crown of righteousness, God’s power to keep and present us, Christ’s second appearing for salvation—are all guarantees rooted in God’s ability and intent. They are testamentary, flowing from the everlasting covenant secured by Christ as our representative. Objections that frame this as a loss of reward or a second-class inheritance fail. The Bema is a celebration; our inheritance is Christ Himself, received in full at justification. The ‘crown of righteousness’ is given to ‘all them also that love his appearing’ (2 Timothy 4:8), not as a wage for effort but as the manifestation of the righteousness already possessed in Christ. Soul searching over failure has a constructive role only when it drives us to repentance and faith in this promise, not in our own resolve.
Integration
Your confidence at His coming is not something you build; it is something you receive by abiding in the One who is your confidence. Christ is your righteousness, your sanctification, and your reward. The same God who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it. Look to Him. Rest in the promise that He is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless with exceeding joy. There is no pressure to advance, only the invitation to remain. Let the hope of His appearing comfort and stabilize you, for He comes for you, not against you. Your assurance is anchored in His work, His promise, and His person. Abide there.