Confidence or Shame?

     There are professed Christians who do not look forward to meeting Christ, because they know deep down, that they are not right with God. Their hearts condemn them according to their actions as Paul teaches in Romans 2:12-16.
      John tells us that we must abide in Christ if we are to have confidence at His appearing (1 John 2:28). Those who abide in Christ are those who bear much fruit (John 15:4-5).
     To abide in Christ is to live in obedient submission to Him as Lord and master. It is to be totally surrendered to Him and His will. It is to live in dependence on Him, trusting Him to empower us to do every good work. It is to be connected to Him through faith. Just as a branch must remain connected to the vine if it is to have life, so we too must remain in Christ or we will be unfruitful, and die spiritually.
     The one who abides in Christ will not shrink in shame at His appearing because he is living righteously. John goes on to tell us that if we believe God is righteous, we will also practice righteousness, because we are born of God (1 John 2:29).
     The one who is born again now lives by a new standard. He no longer lives selfishly, in rebellion against God, but he lives to please God in all he does. Such an individual finds that what the law requires is being fulfilled in his life as he walks in the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:4).
     This kind of individual is doing what is right in the sight of God and man. He loves God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength, and loves his neighbor as himself. this love shows itself in how he treats others. True biblical love must act, it must prove itself by deeds, or it is not love, just as faith without works is dead, because faith works by love (Gal 5:6; James 2:17, 26).
     Look at the bride of Christ at the marriage supper of the lamb in the book of Revelation. She had made herself ready, dressed in fine linen, bright and clean. What did this fine linen represent? The righteous deeds of the saints (Revelation 19:7-8).
     The true Christian is a new person, living for the glory of Christ, working out his faith by doing deeds of righteousness. Christians do not work to earn God's favor, they are producing the fruit of righteousness because they are branches abiding in the vine, which is Christ. It is inevitable that they do such things, because if there is no fruit, they are not in Christ, but lost.
     Do you look for His appearing with joyful confidence, knowing that you are born again, and faithfully serving Jesus Christ? Or, do you fear His return, knowing you must stand before Him in shame, because you are not born again, and your actions prove it?