1 John 3:1–3 (NET): 3:1 (See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called God’s children—and indeed we are! For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know him. 3:2 Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever it is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is. 3:3 And everyone who has this hope focused on him purifies himself, just as Jesus is pure).
How incredible. The infinite creator calls us His children. And not only calls us such, but we actually are His children. He has made us so. Not by creating us, but by recreating us in Christ. It’s more than a title, but an absolute reality. He literally “fathered us”. And we have His seed within us (1 Jn 3:9). I assume this refers to the indwell Holy Spirit. How could we have a more special relationship than that? And this privileged position was something God Himself has initiated. We love Him because he first loved us. (1 Jn 4:19)
But our unique relationship with God also means we have have a new relationship to the world. Since they did not acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God, it proves they do not really know God the Father. Likewise they will not understand the unique relationship we have to God as His children. Many mistakenly believe that since God has created all, that all are His children. This is not what the scripture teaches.
John 1:11–13 (NET): 1:11 He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him. 1:12 But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right to become God’s children 1:13—children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God.
The title of God’s children is reserved for those who receive Christ as their personal Savior.
If we are his children now, it causes you to wonder what is ahead in eternity. John declares “what we will be has not yet been revealed”. It has been partially revealed in the resurrected appearance of Christ and the writings of Paul. But not fully revealed. John is encouraging us that there is more ahead than we can possibly imagine. But the most important thing to know about our eternal state is that we will be like Him. We will see and know Him more fully than we ever imagined.
1 Corinthians 13:12 (NASB95): 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
So how does this shape the way we live?
If we know we are God’s children, that He has made us such, and that we will be transformed into His likeness in eternity, it will cause one main motivating force that will drive us. We will want to purify ourselves. We will want to be pure as He is. We will want to be a bride properly prepared for the wedding.
Revelation 19:7–8 (NET):
19:7 Let us rejoice and exult
and give him glory,
because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
19:8 She was permitted to be dressed in bright, clean, fine linen” (for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints).
Amen
ReplyDelete