As we stand at the threshold of 2026, many of us are already thinking about New Year’s resolutions. What needs to change in your life this coming year? While it’s natural to look ahead and plan for improvements, there’s something far more significant we should be preparing for than just personal goals.

What Does Advent Really Mean?

During Advent, we celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ—what an incredible miracle and blessing. But Advent isn’t just about looking back to Christ’s first coming. It calls us to look ahead to His return. The question is: are we just waiting, or are we actively preparing?

True preparation involves active repentance, prayer on our knees, and hope-filled longing for the One who was and is and is to come. We’re preparing for nothing less than Jesus Christ in all His glory, when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord of Lords.

What Does the Bible Say About Faithful Living?

To understand how to live during this time of preparation, we need to look to God’s Word for guidance. Scripture gives us clear examples of faithful living through several key figures.

Examples of Righteous Living

• Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:5–6)
• Job (Job 1:1)
• Noah (Genesis 6:9)
• David (1 Kings 9:4)

How Can Imperfect People Be Called Blameless?

This raises an important question: how can these people be called blameless when we know they had flaws? David committed adultery and murder. Noah got drunk. Job complained bitterly about his circumstances. Zechariah doubted God’s promise.

The word “blameless” doesn’t mean sinless perfection—it refers to being wholehearted, having integrity, and maintaining a consistent orientation toward God.

Why Only Jesus Can Show Us True Righteousness

While we can learn from many who were righteous and blameless before God, there’s only one who can show us how to be truly righteous and make us that way—Jesus Christ.

Jesus endured the ultimate testing in the wilderness, was betrayed by His own disciples, and suffered crucifixion. Yet Scripture tells us: “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22).

How God Helps Us Persevere in Faith

According to the Canons of Dort, God preserves, continues, and completes His work in us through:

• Hearing and Reading the Gospel
• Meditation on Scripture
• Exhortations, Threats, and Promises
• Use of the Sacraments

Living with Advent Hope in 2026

Focus on God, commitment to His Word, His Gospel, His presence, His promises, and His people in community. Between Christmas and the second coming of Jesus, we have the opportunity to open our hearts to Christ’s ongoing arrival in the present.

Life Application

Commit to one spiritual discipline that helps you prepare for Christ’s return: Scripture reading, prayer, small group, or communion.

Questions for Reflection

• What spiritual discipline do you need to strengthen in 2026?
• How can you move from waiting for Christ’s return to actively preparing for it?
• How can you rely more on Christ’s righteousness rather than your own?

We can live righteously and blamelessly in 2026—not through our own efforts, but through the power of Jesus Christ working in us.