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).

What did John mean when he told children of God that they need to abide in Christ in order to avoid being “ashamed before Him at His coming”? Is that even possible? Doesn’t Christ’s shed blood guarantee that can’t happen? 

John was writing to born-again people (1 John 2:12-14, 24-25), yet he was warning them about shame they might experience when Christ returns.  

Most believers think that because of the shed blood of Christ, there will be no possibility of shame or sadness when we are judged by Him at the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Cor 5:9-10). However, 1 John 2:28 and many other texts show that shame and sadness will be the experience of many believers at the Bema (e.g., Matt 24:45-51; Luke 19:20-26; 1 Cor 9:27; 2 Cor 5:10; Gal 6:9; 2 Tim 4:6-10; Jas 5:9; Revelation 2-3).  

Universal benefit: The shed blood of Christ makes everyone, the whole world, savable (John 1:29).  

Benefit limited to all believers: It also means that once a person believes in Christ for everlasting life, his sins are forgiven (Acts 10:43).  

Benefit limited only to believers who walk in the light: “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light…the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Of course, we can continue to walk in the light only if we confess the sins of which we become aware (1 John 1:9). 

However, there is no guarantee that believers will avoid judgment in this life. If we walk in the spiritual far country, we will experience spiritual famine and may experience physical suffering (Luke 15:11-32). The blood of Christ does not make us unaccountable.  

There is also no guarantee that believers will avoid rebuke and shame at the Bema. The blood of Christ does not make us immune to negative consequences at the Bema.  

Paul feared that he would not be approved by Christ (1 Cor 9:27). We should all have this fear.  

Many charge the Free Grace position with promoting licentiousness. The opposite is true. We promote accountability both in this life, and after this life at the Bema.  

Keep grace in focus and you will focus on Christ’s soon return and on loving His appearing so that one day you will hear, “Well done, good servant.”