
Eager Waiting —Philippians 3:20
Loving Christ's Appearing —2 Timothy 4:8
Exercising Patience —James 5:7-8
Purifying Ourselves —1 John 2:28; 3:3
Being Watchful —Mark 13:32-33
Practicing Faithfulness —Matthew 25:21, 23
Proclaiming the Gospel —2 Timothy 4:1-2
I will concentrate on purifying ourselves, for there is much stress in the New Testament on the importance of self-purification and holiness in preparing for Christ's return.
Let us attend to the words from 1 John: "Abide in Him [Christ], so that when He appears we may have confidence and not shrink from Him ['away from Him,' NASB] in shame at His coming." Every one who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as He is pure."
Will we be ready when the Lord returns? Will we be living in such sin that although His arrival is "our blessed hope" (which indeed it is), we will shrink in shame at His presence? The Lord who will come is holy and pure; shall we meet Him in unholiness and impurity of life? To be sure, none of us will be perfect when Christ returns, but we can make better preparation, as John says, by seeking in every way possible to "purify ourselves as He is pure." Hebrews put it quite strongly: "Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord" (12:14). If we are striving and seeking for holiness and purity of life, we need not shrink in shame at the Lord's appearing. Are you —am I— making ready?