When it came to my mess-ups as a kid, there were what I’d call misdemeanors and felonies.  

Misdemeanors were handled by mom. This was when I had to go to my room to “think about what I had done.” As far as punishments go, this wasn’t so bad. For the most part, thinking didn’t hurt. 

Then there were the behavioral felonies—acts so egregious that mom would have to involve dad. I never liked hearing those dreaded words: “You wait until your father gets home!” This meant that I had made my mother so mad, I deserved something worse than “thinking.” 

When I heard those words, I usually felt (in this order) fear and guilt. Full disclosure, guilt was late to the party. I was afraid because I knew my dad would discipline me, and it would likely sting. To a lesser degree, I also experienced guilt, knowing I’d done wrong. 

When we’re connected to Christ, John reassures believers that we need not feel shame or shrink back at the thought of him coming home. He’s not coming back to punish us.

How is that even possible? It’s certainly not because of our stellar record. No matter who we are, compared to a holy God, our resume of righteousness is far from impressive. 

Our confidence stands because Christ is our righteous one. As the author of Hebrews writes, “…so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” His constant intercession on our behalf guarantees that God doesn’t turn away from us. In Christ, He has moved toward us. This is good news. 

When he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.

So, rest assured. Be confident. Experience his peace. Wait until your Father gets home—but not so he can dole out the penalties for your felonies (or misdemeanors). Those have already been paid for by Christ.