The Judgment Seat Of Christ (6)

Boldness At The Bema

"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." (I John 2:28 KJV)

"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (4:17)

These verses uproot one of the leading Hardshell presuppositions (which they take to scripture, rather than obtaining from it). What is that presupposition? That presupposition is contained in the following proposition: "There is no condition for the sinner or saint to meet in order to be finally saved." (It may be stated differently by them, but the essence is the same) It is amazing to me that they can affirm such a proposition when so many scriptures, as the above, refute it.

The first passage says that believers are to "abide in him," which is obviously something they do in response to such exhortations. Why abide in him? To obtain merely temporal good? No, it is "that (Greek "hina"; a purpose clause, meaning "in order that")" believers may:

1) have confidence before Christ when he appears the second time (the positive)
2) not be ashamed (disgraced) before him at his coming (the negative)

Since this is what happens at the second coming of Christ, it therefore cannot be made to refer to what is received now in this life. What Hardshell wants to come and refute it?

What does it mean to lack confidence and to be shamed by Christ at his coming? What did all our Old Baptist forefathers teach on it? Did they all not teach that the verses affirm the necessity of perseverance in order to be finally saved?

Here is what Dr. Gill (a real Old Baptist) said:

"And now, little children, abide in him - The apostle having finished his separate instructions exhortations to the fathers, young men and children, returns to the whole body of the saints in general, whom he addresses, as in ( 1 John 2:1 1 John 2:12 ); under the name of little children; (See Gill on 1 John 2:1); and whom he exhorts to abide in Christ, that is, in the exercise of faith on him, of hope in him, and love to him; and to hold to him the head, and to hold fast his word and Gospel, and abide by his truth and ordinances, and adhere to his cause and interest, and not to be moved away on any consideration."

We ask - is that not what it means to "abide in him"?

Gill comments further:

"we may have confidence; boldness or freedom, as now at the throne of grace, so then at the throne of judgment; where the saints will stand with courage and intrepidity, when the wicked will flee to the rocks and mountains, being filled with amazement, terror, and trembling..."

"and not be ashamed before him at his coming; they will not be put to shame by him; nor will they be ashamed of their confidence, faith, hope, and expectation; their hope will not make them ashamed, for they will now enjoy what they hoped for; and, notwithstanding all their sins and infirmities, they will not be ashamed, for they will have on the wedding garment, the righteousness of Christ, and will stand before the throne without fault, spot, or blemish; nor will Christ be ashamed of them who have not been ashamed of him and his words, but have confessed him, and have been faithful unto death, and have cleaved to him and his cause with full purpose of heart to the end."

Does that sound like Gill was a Hardshell?

"that we may have boldness in the day of judgment...not of men's judgment, when brought before judges, governors, and kings, for the sake of Christ and the Gospel, and stand at their bar, where saints, who have true love to God and Christ and the brethren, have stood with great courage and intrepidity, and shown much boldness, and used great freedom of speech; nor of judgment in this life, which sometimes begins at the house of God, though the saints often have great boldness and presence of mind, and freedom of expression both to God and man in a day of affliction, as Job had; but of the future judgment, which, though it will be very awful and solemn, Christ the Judge will appear with great majesty and glory, and all men will stand before him, and the books will be opened, and the judgment will proceed with great strictness and justice, and will issue in the everlasting perdition of devils and wicked men, yet the saints will have boldness in it..."

In preaching upon having boldness in the day of judgment, Spurgeon said:

"Sit down, dear reader, if you are as yet unsaved, and take an hour for this solemn exercise: it may prove the turning-point of your history. In a few years you will be one of that vast assembly, and have to answer for every deed and word of your life. Think of it long; picture it vividly; let it work upon your mind. Though at the first it fill you with fear and trembling, it may conduct you to the Savior's feet, and then, looking up to him with penitential faith, you may hear how to "have boldness in the day of judgment." If you fly to Jesus as your Savior you will not fear to face him as your King. It has been well said, "Thou wilt meet the Great Day well if thou get the Great judge to judge thee every day.""

"Are you afraid to think of it? Be much more afraid of enduring it! If even to dream of the Last Day is a terrible event, what must it be then to be there in reality? The prisoner who will not even think of his trial is in his conscience assured of a verdict of condemnation. Would he not be far wiser to seek for a Counselor to plead his cause? Will you not seek One? Jesus, the faithful Counselor, asks no fee. Commit your cause into his hand, and you need not fear the Last Assize." ("Anticipating the Last Judgment"; From the January 1884 Sword and Trowel - see here)

For our Hardshell brothers to tell professing Christians that they can live in sin (not abide in him and his word) and yet have confidence and boldness when Christ appears, and when one stands before his judgment seat, is highly destructive and perilous for them.