1 John 3:1-3 (Children of God)

Chapter 3

Verses 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."

Verse 1 the use of the word "behold" is significant in the fact that throughout scripture when this word is used it signifies an importance, and it is followed with a great truth or something that must be known. "What manner of love the Father has bestowed on us..." later in this epistle that love is shown in these words:

1 John 4:9-10:
"In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

While we deserved the hatred of God, He showed us love. The importance of this doctrine is the furthering the truth that we are not justified by our works, but by the "love the Father has bestowed on us."

"That we should be called the children of God!" We are made the children of God by His grace alone. See note on verse 2 for more reference to this.

"Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him." As Jesus says in John 15:18: "If the world hates you, you know that it hate Me before it hated you." The point is to the world may not look at us as the sons of God, and we may be opressed by the world, still our salvation remains safe and secure.

Verse 2 "Beloved, now we are the children of God..." Adoption is what occurs after our justification, we are then deemed the children of God, John 1:12 says this: "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name." Meaning this Romans 8:16-17, "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together." So then we become "joint heirs with Christ" in the Kingdom of Heaven.

"It has not yet been revealed what we shall be..." not knowing the whole fruit of our adoption yet, for it is in heaven we will be heirs but while we are on earth we cannot imagine heaven. For the rest of the verse I want to refer to Colossians 3:3-4, " For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." And so our call is to wait patiently for the return of Christ and for all things to be revealed to us.

"We shall be like Him..." Is not to say that we will in any way be equal to Him, but we will be conformed to His image, He will make our sinful body to be comformed to His glorious body

Philippians 3:21:
"Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself."

Verse 3, "This hope..." The promise of His appearing fills believers, not with apprehension, but with confidence.

1 John 4:17:
"Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world."

1 Thessalonians 5:2,4:
"For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night...But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief."

So the believer has no fear of the return of Christ like the wicked do (and don't know it yet), but we await that day patiently.