1 John 2:24-29, Fellowship Requires Confidence

We have said that John’s first epistle is not easy to outline.  His movements are not as clear as we see in Paul’s writing.  But I do believe in 1 Jn. 2:28 we have a transition.  In 1:5-2:27 John has encouraged us in combating sin which ruins our fellowship with God.  His last thought on this was an imperative to let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning (2:24).  What was heard from the beginning was the “old” command (2:7) to believe on Christ (3:23). 

In 2:28 he repeats the “abide” term but places it in a new context.  Rather than “fellowship” the theme is now “confidence.”  This word is used four times in 1 John: twice having to do with confidence when we stand before Christ at His coming (2:28; 4:17) and twice having to do with confidence now when we come to God in prayer (3:21-22; 5:14).  The term emphasizes confidence or boldness to speak.  That is something we long to have when we come into God’s presence, to not be so overcome by our sinfulness that we are either afraid or ashamed to speak.  If you think about it, this confidence to speak when we are in God’s presence is a continuation of the “fellowship” theme.  Joyful fellowship involves two-way communication, of course. 

With that in mind, it makes sense that John addresses the “little children” on this matter.  It is one of the things we must learn in spiritual childhood; it needs to be with us all through our lives as believers.  The basic command for human beings with respect to God is to “fear the LORD.”  This is all over the Old Testament and in the NT as well.  Both in Hebrew and Greek there is one word for “fear” that applies to being fearfully scared as well as fearfully respectful.  It is quite normal that a person would come to Christ in a fearfully scared state of mind.  As Heb. 10:31 says, It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  The thought of standing before your Creator in judgment should create that kind of fear.  If it doesn’t then you either don’t realize or don’t believe that you will ever do that. 

But if you have come to the Creator and accepted His loving and gracious provision for the sin that separates you from Him, the reason to be fearfully scared has been removed.  Your attitude toward God needs to become fearfully respectful.  That is the growth that John is concerned here.  Again, John’s purpose is that we enjoy fellowship with God.  Unlike every religion of man, where there is always a requirement of being scared of God and uncertain of your relationship with Him, the Christianity of the Bible offers confidence through the blood of Christ.

In my understanding, this context of “confidence” continues to the end of the letter.  But along the way there are two other themes: abiding in Christ and the love of God.  It sounds like we are in for some magnificent truth from the Holy Spirit through the Apostle John.  I am excited as we continue on.