1Jo 3:2-3 | KingComments | STEP | . In chapter 3 John continues describing the characteristics of the new life by which you can identify the children of God. Before he goes on with that it seems like he is overwhelmed by the thought that we have become children of God. Does that ever happen to you, that it suddenly dawns on you how wonderful it is that you are a child of God? If you think about it like that, it can deeply touch you. That you are a child of God is a gift of the love of the Father! The Father expresses His love to you by calling you His child. He openly declares that you are His. You could never and would never have thought of that yourself. The fact that you definitely are a child of God, can overwhelm you with feelings of gratitude and admiration. You are really a child of God! I address you as a child of God, in order to bring the message closer to you. Nevertheless it is right to point out that John speaks always about “child ren of God”, in plural. You are a child of God together with others who also are. Together with them you form the family of God. You belong to a company that is not known by the world. It doesn’t mean that the world would not know who you are, but that the world does not recognize you as someone who belongs to its company. That is because the world did not know the Lord Jesus. Since you belong to Him, the world doesn’t know you either. However, that notably applies not only if you are faithful to the Lord and go your way separated from the world. It also applies if you – which is hoped not to be – would become unfaithful. You see that with Lot, who I believe is the most unfaithful believer that you meet in the Scripture. When he makes a disgusting proposal to his wicked fellow citizens whom he even called ‘my brethren’, to stop them from committing a disgusting deed, they refer to him by calling him ‘a resident alien’ or one who ‘came to sojourn’ ( ). But also Peter, who has found himself in the company of enemies of the Lord Jesus, is being recognized as a person who does not belong there, but that he belongs to the Lord ( ). . Once again John speaks out the assurance of the fact that we are children of God. He emphasizes that it is indeed “now” already. By addressing them as “beloved” he underlines their common blessing. He loves them, and the Father and the Son love them even more. It is a love that is enjoyed in the family circle of God. That’s something the world does not know anything about or has any insight in. That will change when the Lord Jesus “appears”. Then the world will recognize that He has loved us ( ). That recognition is, because “we will be like Him”. When the world will see us then, they will see Him. And that we will be like Him, is because we then “see Him just as He is”. To be able to see Him just as He is, it is necessary for us to be like Him. When we are like Him, the result will be that we will radiate His glory. Beholding Him will cause that transformation ( ). . This hope that we have in Him, to see Him, can have nothing else than a purifying effect. If you think of Him and look forward to Him, you will definitely want to be pure “just as He is pure”. You will inwardly sense that certain things cannot go hand in hand with the coming meeting with Him. Therefore, you will remove all those things from your life. By doing so, you are already rejoicing His heart. Now read 1 John 3:1-3 again. Reflection: What effect does the thinking about the coming meeting with the Lord have on you?

‏ 1 John 3:2-3

Children of God

1Jn 3:1. In chapter 3 John continues describing the characteristics of the new life by which you can identify the children of God. Before he goes on with that it seems like he is overwhelmed by the thought that we have become children of God. Does that ever happen to you, that it suddenly dawns on you how wonderful it is that you are a child of God? If you think about it like that, it can deeply touch you. That you are a child of God is a gift of the love of the Father! The Father expresses His love to you by calling you His child. He openly declares that you are His. You could never and would never have thought of that yourself. The fact that you definitely are a child of God, can overwhelm you with feelings of gratitude and admiration. You are really a child of God!

I address you as a child of God, in order to bring the message closer to you. Nevertheless it is right to point out that John speaks always about “children of God”, in plural. You are a child of God together with others who also are. Together with them you form the family of God. You belong to a company that is not known by the world. It doesn’t mean that the world would not know who you are, but that the world does not recognize you as someone who belongs to its company. That is because the world did not know the Lord Jesus. Since you belong to Him, the world doesn’t know you either.

However, that notably applies not only if you are faithful to the Lord and go your way separated from the world. It also applies if you – which is hoped not to be – would become unfaithful. You see that with Lot, who I believe is the most unfaithful believer that you meet in the Scripture. When he makes a disgusting proposal to his wicked fellow citizens whom he even called ‘my brethren’, to stop them from committing a disgusting deed, they refer to him by calling him ‘a resident alien’ or one who ‘came to sojourn’ (Gen 19:4-9). But also Peter, who has found himself in the company of enemies of the Lord Jesus, is being recognized as a person who does not belong there, but that he belongs to the Lord (Mt 26:69-75).

1Jn 3:2. Once again John speaks out the assurance of the fact that we are children of God. He emphasizes that it is indeed “now” already. By addressing them as “beloved” he underlines their common blessing. He loves them, and the Father and the Son love them even more. It is a love that is enjoyed in the family circle of God. That’s something the world does not know anything about or has any insight in.

That will change when the Lord Jesus “appears”. Then the world will recognize that He has loved us (Jn 17:22-23). That recognition is, because “we will be like Him”. When the world will see us then, they will see Him. And that we will be like Him, is because we then “see Him just as He is”.

To be able to see Him just as He is, it is necessary for us to be like Him. When we are like Him, the result will be that we will radiate His glory. Beholding Him will cause that transformation (2Cor 3:18).

1Jn 3:3. This hope that we have in Him, to see Him, can have nothing else than a purifying effect. If you think of Him and look forward to Him, you will definitely want to be pure “just as He is pure”. You will inwardly sense that certain things cannot go hand in hand with the coming meeting with Him. Therefore, you will remove all those things from your life. By doing so, you are already rejoicing His heart.

Now read 1 John 3:1-3 again.

Reflection: What effect does the thinking about the coming meeting with the Lord have on you?