John, calls us to behold the type of love that our father has bestowed on us. ......and then describes it, by saying, "that we should be called the children of God"
This is indeed what He has done in our lives. He has made us His children. He calls us His children, we are those that belong to Him.
As a result of our being His children, the world ( as described in 1st John 2:15-17 ) does not know us. They know a life and way of living, that does not include God, leaving God out, and is headed by Satan, and rivals God. They do not know us. They don't recognize or understand us, because they don't know God, and don't understand Him.
Now, ( at this time ) we are the children of God; as to the future, it has not yet been revealed to us, we can't see it, but, here's what we do know. We know that when He is revealed ( this is about the 3rd mention of the appearing once again of Christ that John has made in this letter ) two things are going to happen.
1. We shall be like Him.
2. We shall see Him as He is.
The Bible teaches us that we shall see Jesus, face to face. And, we will know Him, even as we are known by Him. A close personal, and intimate knowledge of Him.
And, we are told that we shall be like Him. In what ways?
First of all, we will be where He is. And, we will have a body like His. We will see the Father, and the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Angels, and all the saints who are in heaven with God. We will all be together, forever and ever.
John, goes on to say concerning this hope, that every person who has this hope in himself, purifies himself, just as He is pure.
Hope and purity are linked together. The fact of hope, of our seeing Him, of His appearing, of His return to the earth, has the effect upon us of purification. We cleanse ourselves.
Continuing on with this cleansing of ourselves, John now says, that whoever commits sin, also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And, you know that He was manifested to take away our sin and in Him there is no sin. 1John 3:4-5
Commits sins, means, practices, or this is their lifestyle, this is what characterizes their lives, they are given over to sin. They are then guilty of sin, and or of lawlessness. That's what sin is. It's lawlessness, or the breaking of and violating of God's law by transgressing it, and neglecting it, being unrestrained and unregulated by His command and His will. That's what it is to practice sin.
One or two more thoughts here.
1. We know that He was manifested, in order to take away our sins. That's the reason He came here, to take away our sins. And, in Him there is no sin. He took them away, but there is no sin in Him. ( where did He take our sins, and what has happened to them )
2. Whoever abides in Him, or is walking with Him, is in the light etc, the born again child of God, does not sin. That is, they do not practice sin as a lifestyle. It's just the opposite of what was said earlier. There was the "whoever commits sin" people, and here there is, the "does not sin" people. Without Christ, and not abiding in Christ, practicing sin. Abiding in Christ, with Him, not practicing sin.
3. The person who is sinning as a practice, has neither seen Him, nor known Him.
Seeing and knowing Jesus changes your life, with respect to sin.
John, has a lot more to say about all this in the remainder of this chapter.
To conclude, with what we started with. What kind of love is this, that God has given to us, that has changed our lives. Praise God, and thank You Lord, for giving us Jesus Christ. We would be still in darkness without Your love working in our lives.
We love you , and bless You Lord.
In Jesus name, amen.
Pastor Bob Grenier
