Book of 1 John Chapter 2 Vs. 28

 In verses 2:28 – 3:3, this section deals with the purifying hope of every Christian, which is the return of Christ. John uses this purifying hope to reiterate and elaborate on the moral test love and obedience of a true Christian. The hope of Christ’s return has a sanctifying effect on moral behavior.

In anticipation of Christ’s return and reward (1Cor. 3:10-17; 4:1-5; 2Cor. 5:9-10; Rev. 22:12), a genuine Christian walk-in holiness of life. Those who do not evidence such behavior manifest an unsaved life. In these five verses, John has given five features of the believer’s hope.

The readers did not need teaching from the antichrists or, for that matter, from anyone. Their anointing… received from God, remains in them and was a sufficient Teacher. This, along with 1Jhn. 2:12-14 may imply that John’s readers were relatively spiritually mature, since the immature need human teachers (cf. Heb. 5:12). This is appropriate if John were addressing church leaders, but it would also suit a congregation that had long been in the faith. Unlike the antichrists, who may have claimed some form of inspiration, the readers’ anointing was real, not counterfeit. They needed to remain menete, abide in Him the pronoun can refer to the anointing and rely fully on His continuing instruction.

Children of God

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."

abide in him... Two such commands in Scripture:

1. Abide in Him (1Jhn. 2:28)

2. Abide in Me (John 15:4)

Keeping the commandments is the only guarantee of constant abiding (John 15:10). Abiding is the condition of fruit-bearing (John 15:4, 15:7). If one does not abide he is cut off and destroyed like a branch (John 15:6). See, 1Jhn. 2:6.

John Repeats his emphasis on abiding, verse 27, to introduce it as the first feature of the believer’s hope in 2:28-3:3. Whenever John refers to abiding he’s referring to persevering in the faith of salvation, which is evidence of being a true believer (John 15:1-6).

The hope of Christ’s return produces the effect of continual abiding in every true believer as they long for the glorious future prepared for them. Paul called it loving His appearing (2Tim. 4:8) and said those who do that are the ones who will be crowned with eternal righteousness in heaven. Abiding signifies a permanent remaining in Christ and guarantees the believer’s hope. Those who truly abide continue in the faith and in fellowship with the saints, verse 19.

In contrast to verse 27 you abide, however, he commands imperative believers to abide. The command signals that abiding is not passive; continual, active abiding must be pursued by every genuine believer, Phil. 2:12. Salvation is eternal because of the Lord’s side – He holds us (John 6:37-44) and because of our side – we persevere in faith and obedience (John 8:31-32).

It is not unlike salvation in which God sovereignly saves, but not apart from personal faith from the one He saves. Or in the case of sanctification, God conforms us to His Son but not apart from obedience. The New Testament is rich with statements about God’s work and the work of the believer. Paul said it well in Col. 1:29.

that, when he... The 3rd New Testament prophecy in 1John (1Jhn. 2:28, unfulfilled). Next, 1Jhn. 3:2. To be found in Him at His coming is one of the purposes of abiding in Christ. To this end Paul counted all loss for Christ and made every known consecration (Phlp. 3:7-16).

When He shall appear refers especially to the Rapture and gathering of the church (John 14:1-6; 1Cor. 15:51-54; 1Thes. 4:13-18) and the judgment Seat of Christ to follow (1Cor. 4:5; 2Col. 5:9-10).

When He shall appear (ὅταν φανερωθῇ)

The best texts read ἐὰν if, for when. So Rev., which gives also the proper passive force of φανερωθῇ, if He shall be manifested. Not expressing a doubt of the fact, but uncertainty as to the circumstances. On φανερόω to make manifest, see on John 21:1. John never uses ἀποκαλύπτω to reveal, of the revelation of Christ. Indeed, neither the verb nor the kindred noun, ἀποκάλυψις, occurs in his writings except in John 12:38, which is a citation from Isaiah, and in Rev. 1:1.

We may have

Thus identifying himself with his children in the faith. Teacher and pupil must alike abide in Him.

may have confidence… not be ashamed before him at his coming. The word confidence means outspokenness or freedom of speech. Those who are saved will have confidence at Christ’s coming because they will be blameless in holiness based on abiding in Christ (Eph. 5:27; Col. 1:22; 1Thes. 3:13, 5:23).

We may have confidence (σχῶμεν παῤῥησίαν)

Rev., boldness. For the phrase have boldness, see 1Jhn. 3:21; 4:17; 5:14; Heb. 3:6; 10:19; Phlm. 1:8. For the word παῤῥησία boldness, see on John 7:13; see on Acts 2:29. It is opposed, as here, to αἰσχύνομαι to be ashamed, in Prov. 13:5, where the Septuagint reads a wicked man is ashamed αἰσχύνεται and shall not have boldness παῤῥησίαν. Also in Phlp. 1:20. Compare 2Cor. 3:12. The idea of free, open speech lies at the bottom of the word: coming before God's bar with nothing to conceal.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

not be ashamed... Greek: aischuno, confounded; disgraced; to be ashamed (1Jhn. 2:28; Luke 16:3; 2Cor. 10:8; Phlp. 1:20; 1Pet. 4:16).


In contrast, there will be many, like the soils in Mat. 13, who are temporary look-alike believers (see 13:20-22), who did not believe, who did not persevere in abiding and consequently, face only shame at His appearance.

Be ashamed before Him (αἰσχυνθῶμεν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ)

The expression is peculiar. Lit., be ashamed from Him. The fundamental thought is that of separation and shrinking from God through the shame of conscious guilt. The same construction is found in the Septuagint. Isa. 1:29, They shall be ashamed from their idols. Jer. 2:36, Thou shalt be ashamed of from Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of from Assyria. Jer. 12:13.

at his coming... This coming refers to the rapture when Christ comes for the saints who will rise to meet Him in the air (1Thes. 4:13-17; John 14:1-3; 1Cor. 15:23, 15:51-58; Col. 3:4; Phlp. 3:20-21; 2Thes. 2:7-8).

Wishing to please the Lord, and not be ashamed before him at his coming, ought to motivate believers to stand firm, to abide in him.

Coming (παρουσίᾳ)

Lit., presence. So 2Cor. 10:10. Hence, the presence of one coming, and so coming, especially in the New Testament, of the future, visible return of our Lord to raise the dead, judge the world, and finally establish the kingdom of God. The word does not occur elsewhere in John, nor does he use ἐπιφάνεια, which is Paul's word for the same event.

Stay with God, and let Christ in you live through you, and there will be no fear of error. The Holy Ghost takes up habitation in those who will receive Him. We will not be ashamed, when we follow the leading of the Spirit of God, and get our flesh under subjection to that Spirit.

The Body of the Epistle

In the section just completed (1Jhn. 2:12-27), John wrote both to assure his readers of the validity of their spiritual experiences and to warn them against the antichrists who denied that validity. In what may be described as the body of his letter, John then explored the true character and consequences of that form of experience which the readers already had and needed to maintain.

The theme stated

Many commentators see a major break here. The words continue in Him involve again the Greek verb menō abide which has already occurred 10 times in 1Jhn. 2:6-27. (John used menō 66 of the 112 times it occurs in the NT: 40 in John, 23 in 1 John, and 3 in 2 John.) In accord with his basic theme about fellowship (1Jhn. 1:3), John once more enjoined the abiding life. But now he introduced the new thought of being confident before Christ at His coming. The Greek words rendered be confident are literally have confidence. The latter is parrēsia, a word that can signify a bold freedom of speech. John used it again in 1Jhn. 3:21; 4:17; 5:14. If the readers would maintain their fellowship with God, they would enjoy a genuine boldness of speech when they would meet their Lord. How this can be so is the subject of 2:29-4:19. Should a believer fail to abide in Him, however, there is the possibility of shame when Christ comes. This intimates divine disapproval at the judgment seat of Christ, referred to in 1Jhn. 4:17-19. The NIV’s unashamed before Him might be more literally rendered: not be ashamed before Him. The possibility is real but does not, of course, suggest the loss of salvation.