LEARNING DAILY

 

1 John 3:1, 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.

 

You and I need to know that God loves us! He loves us with a love that those in the world do not understand. The Greek word for love here is agape meaning selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional love; this type of love gives while expecting nothing in return. The obvious verse reflecting this is John 3:16.

 

The next verse tells us that as children of God, each of us will someday be with Him and we will be just like Him. We will be resurrected and without sin. Do you understand just what it means to know that through Jesus Christ, God is our heavenly Father and we are His children? Because of that we have hope of heaven regardless of what happens in this world. Being a child of God is the basis of our faith and the hope eternal life with Him in the future.

 

Returning to the question about understanding “what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us” is really the focus today. John focuses on the only real way that my little mind can get even a small grasp on this. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” All of us know John 3:16. To have this truth revealed to us in a way that it grabs ahold of us so that we know that the Creator of all things loves us so much that He sent His Son to take the place we deserve on a cross for our sinful and unrighteous life is truly amazing! “What manner of love the Father has bestowed on us” focusses on the obedience and love of Jesus Christ for all who would believe in Him. Think upon what He did and you have to realize that the cross demands only that I believe in the One who died there in my place. When one truly believes that Jesus Christ died there, in their place, the response is to not only ask Him to save you but to become obedient to the way of life He demands – to walk on the narrow way to His Kingdom.

 

When there is true commitment to do so, when there is true understanding that you and I are children of God, that we are His heirs, the response has to be to become like our Father. His example is His Son who walked the narrow way while on earth. He was obedient to His Father, doing all He did to please Him (and not the world around Him). He spent time in fellowship with His Father. Because God’s Word tells us we are joint heir with the Son, we must live in obedience and do all we possibly can to please Him. God’s desire in making us His children is to save us forever and conform us into the likeness of His Son (see Romans 8:29).

 

How can you and I live like God wants us to when there is so much evil and temptation around us? Jesus told us the narrow way is a difficult way. But He did not leave us to stumble around on our own; He knew we are frail and temptation is strong. But there is an answer. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.” Following the Holy Spirit is proof that we are children of God. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sinful actions, thoughts, words spoken and leads each of us to seek forgiveness and repentance each day. The Holy Spirit will help us to live the way God desires, to keep His commandments; He assures us that we are the children of God.

 

This is no empty thought, today. All of God’s revelation to us about His love for us, the way He works in our lives, and most of all His gift to us in Jesus Christ, is to prepare us to walk into His kingdom! Do you think John was afraid to proclaim he was a child of God? No, I don’t believe that either.  You, and I are not worthy on our own to call God our Father, but because of His Son we can do so with confidence knowing when we do, He knows He declares we are His children.