Reading: 1 John 3:1-3.
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
When a new baby is born, someone will always say, “He looks just like his father!” Or “She looks just like her mother.” I have heard that comment a number of times in my life. Some people say it as a compliment. Yet, children naturally take on the characteristics of their parents.
Our text today tells us that God's children will one day “be like Him.” What a beautiful truth! Let us look at the Christian's likeness to his/her Heavenly Father.
1ST POINT: There is a Present Likeness.
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are the children of God.” Verses 1-2a.
John is saying here that we do not expect to be the sons of God, for we are the sons of God. The follower of Christ as Lord and Saviour can say in faith, “I am a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ.”
We do not hope to be.
We do not expect to be.
But, right now, we are the children of God!
We are boasters not in ourselves, but we are boasting of the wonderful Saviour that He had done for us. John makes it perfectly clear that if you are a born again child of God, you are going to display a life that conforms to the Father.
We are the heirs of God's love. We are His children NOW! Verse two tells us “Now we are the sons of God.” Our salvation is a legal operation. We are “born again,” that is, born spiritually into the “Family of God.” Most Christians never consider the great blessings that we have RIGHT NOW! We live in hope of “eternity,” forgetting that we are His children at this very moment.
We have:
His Spirit.
His Love.
His presence.
His Mind!
God Himself has come to dwell in us. We have His likeness within us, by the outworking of the Holy Spirit in our lives!
2ND POINT: There is a Perfect Likeness.
“It has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” Verse 2b.
Love is the greatest drive in every life. When human love is genuine love, it is a beautiful thing, it is a splendor thing, it is a wonderful thing, and it is a tremendous drive. But God’s love for His children far exceeds anything we can experience on the human level.
The true child of God is going to prove his/her spiritual birth by being obedient to God’s Word. God’s wonderful love for us should motivate us. It is that which is going to cause us to want to live for God. Some members of a family (often called the black sheep of the family) can course so much pain and hurt by their life style that it drags down the family name.
Are we not also guilty of dragging our family name in the mire? For we are Christians! We are God’s children!
3RD POINT: There is a Progressive Likeness.
“And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” Verse 3.
Look at this progressive likeness that we have in Christ Jesus.
I have been saved.
The Lord Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” John 5:24.
The moment you trusted Christ you received everlasting life, and you will never be any more saved than you are the moment you trust Him. You are born again, born into the family of God.
I am being saved.
Paul said, “Therefore, my beloved, ... work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” Philippians 2:12-13.
John here is saying you are saved and you are being saved, till one day we shall be like Him! We bear the family likeness right now; but one day we will be like Him more fully. But another great truth is we are continually becoming more like Him every day. In 2 Peter 3:18 we read, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
As a perfect Father, God loves and delights in us. Just as a father wishes that his children love and appreciate him, so God the Father wishes to have closeness with His children. It's not the “do's and don'ts” of the Christian life that is most important. It's the relationship with the Father. It's the progressive likeness, growing more and more like Him with each passing day.
Conclusion:
A.W. Tozier said, “God does not NEED us, but He WANTS us.” When Adam sinned it was not Adam who cried, “God, where are You?' It was God who cried, “Adam, where are you?”
Are we pleasing our Heavenly Father? Are we seeking to be more and more like Him? One day we will be like Him and we will be forever with Him. Why not live like it now?
