And now, dear children, continue in Him,
so that when He appears we may be confident
and unashamed before Him at His coming.
1 John 2 v 28 NIV
1. Children of God
Who do you think you are? ‘Dear children’ occurs in the Bible eleven times and nine of those are in 1 John. ‘Children of God’ occurs nine times in the Bible and five of those are in 1 John. We are sons and daughters, chosen, adopted and loved by God. We begin this year as a church as dear children of God.
Our human relationship with our parents changes as we grow up and mature. God calls us to have a maturity in our relationship to Him. Although childlike, trusting and open in our faith we must grow up and mature to work with Him.
2. Continuing (or abiding) in God
The alternative translations indicate both a passive and active relationship with God. We must keep on even though we do not know what lies ahead, and God is with us each step of the way. We can echo the prayer ascribed to Richard of Chichester and made popular by the musical Godspell:
O most merciful Redeemer, friend and brother,
May I know Thee more clearly,
Love Thee more dearly,
Follow Thee more nearly.
3. Confidence in God
We may not be confident in the light of our sin but God has done an amazing work in us through Christ’s death and resurrection. We can be confident because it is God who has done everything; we, ourselves, have done nothing. Philippians 1:6 says
‘...being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.’
God has not finished with us and we look forward this year with confidence as God works in us.
