1 John 3: We Are God’s Children

1 John 3:1-10

“Look at how great a love the Father has given us, that we should be called God’s children. And we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know Him. Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is.  And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure.  Everyone who commits sin also breaks the law; sin is the breaking of law. You know that He was revealed so that He might take away sins, and there is no sin in Him. Everyone who remains in Him does not sin; everyone who sins has not seen Him or known Him.  Little children, let no one deceive you! The one who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous. The one who commits sin is of the Devil, for the Devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose: to destroy the Devil’s works. Everyone who has been born of God does not sin, because His seed remains in him; he is not able to sin, because he has been born of God. This is how God’s children—and the Devil’s children—are made evident.”

How great is God’s love for the children of God? This is what John was communicating to the people through this epistle. Paul used the reference “saints of God” in referring to God’s people. Yet, many of us have difficulty believing the depth of God’s love, for the reason that we can’t understand how God can love us in our fallibility and our humanity.

He declares that we are the children of God (1 John 3:1).
a. by His love (Romans 5:8, 8:15-16)
b. He lavished on us (bestowed, gave)
c. He gave to us to our advantage
d. He supplies to us, or provides necessary things

We have been given a position as a child of God (1 John 2:28-29), yet the world does not recognize the children of God (1 John 3:1). If we are the children of God, there should be a resemblance to Him, just as we, as children, have the physical traits of our parents. When you are confident that you are a child of God, you are confident in your ability to live in Jesus Christ. There is a distinct and value in your identity as a child of God in Christ, no matter what anyone in the world has to say about it.

Our struggle is in how we are viewed in the world and the temptations to conform with the world. We have to remember to not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16; 2 Timothy 1:8-9; 2 Timothy 2:15), for the world does not understand the commands and principles of God.

What we, as children of God, will become, has not yet been made known to us (1 John 3:2).
1. God has plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11).
2. God has more to say to you (John 16:12-13). He speaks to us at the appropriate time. He asks us, in the meantime, to be obedient to Him, and to walk in faith and trust in Him.
3. God wants you to understand more about Him and yourself (1 Corinthians 2:12).
4. We are predestined to be like Jesus (Romans 8:29). We will have the attitude, mindset, and behavior of Christ.

We are still learning about the things of God, but one day we will know what God had planned for us all along.

What the Christian should know…
1. God is at work (Philippians 1:6).
2. We are God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10); therefore, we are to live by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7).
What the Christian should know with confidence…
1. We will see Him.
2. We will be like Him (1 John 3:2-3).
This is a hope that purifies us. You will find yourself saying “yes” to the things of God more often, and “no” to the things that keep you from being obedient to Him and to His will.

Everyone who sins breaks the law (1 John 3:4). God’s laws for us are not meant to hurt us; in contrast, they are boundaries of safety that, in fact, protect us, sometimes even from ourselves. It is a fact that believers do sin (1 John 1:8-10). Sin is incompatible with the Christian life; as a result, sin must not be a part of our lives (1 John 3:5). Thankfully, Jesus takes away our sin and removes it, for in Him there is no sin (1 John 3:6; John 1:17, 15:5). He grieved for us because of sin, and because He loved us so much, He paid the penalty of sin for us.

We pray that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we all recognize the importance of living for Christ in all things. Lord, convict us of our sin and allow every area of our lives to be addressed according to your Word, in that we may be a people who humble ourselves before you and who lifts up your Name for all to see. Amen.