1 John 2:28-3:3
“And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him. 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. Beloved, now we are children of God; and 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. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
The Relationship
How is the primary audience described in these verses?
• Little children;
• Born of God;
• Children of God; and
• Us.
What anthropomorphic term is used in these verses for God?
• Father.
What is John implicitly emphasizing through use of these terms?
• A personal, intimate relationship between Christians and God!
The Context : Eschatology
The past five lessons in this 1 John series have the same context, i.e., eschatology:
• 1 John 2:12-14 : Children of God have and Will Overcome the Wicked One
• 1 John 2:15-17 : Don’t Love this Fading World
• 1 John 2:18 : The Last Hour, Antichrists, and the Antichrist
• 1 John 2:18-27 : Antichrists, Us, and You
• 1 John 2:28-29 : Diligently Abide in Christ Until He Comes
For an example of congealing different eschatological issues together, to understand their relative timing and interdependency throughout history and the future, click here.
The Children of God
Who are His children?
“We … little children” who are “born of Him” (1 John 2:28-29).
Are all people His children?
No! While all people are created in God’s image, not all people are born again. As it is written (John 1:12):
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”
The word for “believe” in this verse is derived from πιστεύω which means “to have faith or trust in.”
What is this (“we” being children of God) evidence of (1 John 3:1)?
God’s sacrificial love for us! As John has written:
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God (1 John 3:1)!”
“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us (1 John 3:16a).”
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes (πιστεύω) in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).”
What’s a key consequence of this (1 John 3:1)?
The world doesn’t know us!
Why (1 John 3:1)?
Because the world doesn’t know Him!
The Hope of the Children of God
Hope is derived from the root word ἐλπίς (el-pece’) meaning confident expectation or anticipation with assurance or pleasure. In this regard, part of the hope of the children of God is that one day we shall see Jesus as He is (1 John 3:2), i.e., we shall see Him in His glory (Revelation 1:13-16):
“and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.”
Children of God will also see Jesus in His absolute holiness, for He is pure (1 John 3:3). As it is written (1 John 1:5):
“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”
What shall we be like (1 John 3:2)?
We shall be like Jesus! But in this regard, there are both present and future realities to keep in mind. The present reality is a dual reality, in that while Christians have been purified (declared as righteous due to the imputed righteousness of Christ), we are not without sin (1 John 1:8,10) and thus are still being made increasingly pure. The writer of Hebrews explains:
“… we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all … For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified (Hebrews 10:10b; 10:14).”
The future reality is that we will one day be absolutely free from the sting of sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:50-54):
“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed — in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’”
In 1 John 3:3, to what hope is John likely referring?
Recall that the main context of 1 John 2:12-3:3 is eschatological. In this regard, some aspects of the Christian hope include that:
• God is Sovereign over history and us as individuals; He has always had a plan in place for our good; history is His Story!
• Satan, sin and death will be completely conquered!
• Christians will be saved from God’s wrath to come, and from the Lake of Fire!
• Christians will one day receive new, incorruptible bodies!
• Christians will rule with Christ in His millennial kingdom!
• Christians will dwell in a new heavens and new earth, with God as He is, free from sorrow, pain or death, FOREVER!
How is this uniquely Christian hope described elsewhere in Scripture?
• Acts 2:26 – It’s that which gives us “rest” or “peace;”
• Acts 26:6 – It’s a promise;
• Titus 1:2 – It was promised before time began;
• Ephesians 2:12 – It’s exclusive. Those without Christ have no hope;
• Romans 15:4 – It’s derived from, and based on, the Scriptures;
• 1 Peter 3:15 – It’s in us;
• Colossians 1:27 – It’s a revealed mystery : Christ in us;
• 1 Peter 1:3 – It’s living (active);
• Romans 15:14 – We can abound in it through the power of the Holy Spirit;
• Romans 5:2 – It should prompt us to rejoice;
• Romans 5:4 – It’s the product of godly perseverance;
• Romans 5:5 – It doesn’t disappoint, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts;
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 – It’s comforting;
• 2 Thessalonians 2:16 – It’s good;
• 2 Corinthians 3:12 – It produces boldness of speech;
• Philippians 1:20 – It causes Christ to be magnified through our lives;
• Romans 8:24-25 – It is (in part) unseen ;
• 1 Corinthians 15:19 – It’s based not just on the present, but on that which is to come;
• Colossians 1:5 – It’s awaiting us in heaven;
• Hebrews 6:19 – It’s an anchor of the soul; and
• Hebrews 7:19 – It’s that which allows us to draw near to God!
Application
So then, how should Christians respond to this hope? By purifying ourselves (1 John 3:3)! That is, our hope should drive us to abide in Him (1 John 2:28), to practice righteousness (1 John 2:29), so that when the bridegroom appears, we, as expectant virgins awaiting with sufficient oil for His return, will joyfully enter into the marriage feast (Matthew 25:1-13) [For more on the Parable of the Ten Virgins check out Rex Tremendae Majestatis!]. In other words (Hebrews 10:23-25):
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”
“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’ And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God (1 Peter 1:13-22).”
Reference
[1] http://interlinearbible.org/1_john/
