Will Be Like Him

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

1st John 3:2-3: Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

Here's a shocker. This paragraph along with the rest of the letter, is addressed to the believers. The "beloved" are believers in God the Father, God the Son, Jesus, and God the Holy Spirit. The ones to whom the letter was written are called "God's children" because they believe that God loves them, that Jesus died to forgive their sins and rose to life to give them the gift of life now and forever, and that the Holy Spirit guides and directs their obedience to the will of God. And it is the beloved who will be like Him forever.

What about everyone else? Doesn't God love everyone? Didn't Jesus die for all people? Yes, God loves everyone. Yet everyone does not know God nor love Him. Yes, Jesus died for all people of all ages everywhere. Yet all people do not believe that Jesus lived, died, rose, and ascended. And as a wise man shared with me, "If your 'god' didn't die on the cross, avoid it, that ain't your God."

Only those who know and believe in God and believe that Jesus lived, died, rose, and ascended and that the Holy Spirit guides them through life by the Holy Bible will be like Jesus. Only those know this because they see Jesus as He is. And those who know and believe in Jesus' work, our God who died on the cross and rose to life to bring about life to all who will believe, and who ascended to prepare a place for all who believe, have their hope in Him and thereby be pure. Dear God, lead those who don't know You and Your love to here You and receive Your love. Also continue to guide and grow Your beloved so they see You more fully, Amen!