Taking a Look at 1 John

“See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.”–1 John 3:1-3New Living Translation

            John is pointing out that the fact that God calling us his children shows how great his love is for us. The world thinks we are strange and by their standards we are. The world doesn’t know Christ and so they do not recognize us either. The fact is that we aren’t strange at all; we’re just different than they are. We answer to a different calling. We march to the beat of a different drum. We follow the lead of someone the world knows nothing about. Those who march to their own drumbeat cannot know the Lord at all. They must first surrender their will to the One who can cleanse them of all unrighteousness.

             As we grow we begin to slowly resemble the Lord. This takes place as we glorify him with our words and actions. Someday we will meet him in the clouds. Then we shall see him as he really is. What he is we shall be also. The children of mortal man take on the traits of their parents as they advance in years. Parents aren’t perfect, even Christian parents, so their children will not be perfect either. But when you are a child of God, though you are not literally perfect, you are made perfect in his eyes.

            This is the message John is conveying to his readers. They need to know God so closely, so intimately, that false teachers will not be able to take over their minds. They will see imposters for what they are as revealed to them by the Holy Spirit within. This holds true for all true believers all over the world. To know what is true you must know the One who always and only speaks the truth. Thatwe believe by faith. Almighty God is the only One who can speak and back it up with immutable action. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible

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