1 John 3:1-3 is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. There are many great truths contained therein and I have preached on this passage several times emphasizing different words or phrases. We can know Him as Father, but we can't comprehend what this relationship will be like in the future.
In this post, I want you to consider three words. Persecution [v.1b], Promise [v.2b], and Purification [v. 3].
1. Persecution [1:1b]. The world can't know us and understand us because they don't know Him. The Bible says the natural man can't understand the spiritual things because they are spiritually discerned. No wonder the world went crazy with Tim Tebow's "Pro-Life commercial."
2. Promise [v. 2b]. Though we are sons of God now, it remains for us to see what we shall be like at the rapture and in heaven. One thing we do know, we will be like Him as He is revealed in Scripture after His resurrection. To be a child of God is great now, but our best life is later and not your "best life now."
3. Purification [v. 3]. Because of what we are and what we shall be, we should be motivated to live holy and faithful lives. We are to surrender and yield to the Spirit through obedience to the Word of God and the Holy Spirit will make us more like Christ in a gradual process called, sanctification.
Behold, what kind of love is this that the Father has given us that we should be called the sons of God!
