LEARNING DAILY

1 John 3:2-3, Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but He has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as He is pure. (New Living Translation)

Being a child of God is not some future event; Believers are God’s children from the moment they give their lives to Him. There is a catch with this however, “It has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (New King James Version). The Bible gives Believers an idea about what they will be like when they step into heaven. Yet, it is difficult to fully understand what that means as we live in this frail human body. God has not given us a complete picture of what we will be like when Jesus returns, and we see Him face to face. The apostle Paul affirms this in 1 Corinthians 13:12, “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.” (GotQuestions website).

When John writes that Believers are not yet what they will be, he is making sure that Believers, even though saved, will not be perfect. The expectation for being saved is that the Believer will walk the narrow way; as they do, they will become more like Christ. If you have been a Believer for very long, you realize this is not an overnight happening. John is writing a very encouraging word about the ability of walking with Jesus on the narrow way every day to transform each Believer and their wonderful future. As children of God, He protects, guides, and loves us with an unconditional love. He does this because of the goal for each Believer to be like His Son Jesus when He returns.

Believers have a part to play in this. Because they “expect” and anticipate eternal life with the Lord Jesus in His kingdom, they pursue a pure life. Because Believers live in a fallen world, this transformation might seem inconsistent and not noticed by them; it is gradual. But God’s Word is a reminder that the end of days is rapidly coming to an end. When He returns, He will make known to Believers everything that has so far been unclear. His return will represent the conclusion of their transformation; Believers will be perfected and fully conformed to the likeness of Christ.

This is a challenge to examine the depth of our relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a challenge to strive to grow deeper in our relationship to Him each day. That means reflecting His purity in our thoughts, actions, and attitudes toward others. Striving for a deeper relationship with our Lord impacts everything we do. Believers are called to be a light in a dark world. The question for you to answer is, if you will desire to grow in your relationship with Him and allow His light in you to shine brightly.