1 John 3:1-3 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
Praise God what a beautiful scripture, stating the truth about Christianity and our place hidden in Christ by faith in him. He is the only song we sing in our hearts. Dedicated to serve him and him alone, we daily attempt to walk in purity. This is the purity of serving the Creator only, not our flesh or anything else, not any other doctrine or philosophy. He represents the center of our existence. When we live by faith in Jesus Christ and his works, we are hidden within a position of faith. As Paul wrote: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) We are surrounded by the eternal womb of God with the Holy Spirit abiding in us and protecting our new life with his love and care. As children of God, in this early state of eternal life, we are as God made us. And that is what we are! The world does not know who we are, for they are not in the womb of CHRIST; yet all who are alive in God are there by faith in Jesus. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Because we are IN CHRIST, perfectly formed by him as a child is in the womb, we now can be called children of God! Because our souls have been made right with God, we presently sit in heavenly places, along with Jesus at the right hand of God. Dear friends, NOW we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. Of course, now we do not comprehend fully our exalted position IN CHRIST. We do not appreciate completely how important we are with our Abba Father, for in this world, we experience emotional, psychological, and physical pain. Our souls are caught in the dimension of time and within an adulterous environment, not under the complete control of the Holy One of Heaven. The world from the beginning of time has chosen to ignore the one and only Creator, willingly bowing down to everything else but God with obeisance to idols of wood, stone, metal, made into false images including animals of every kind, birds and reptiles. Of course, idol worship was part of the ancient world. These gods were created out of people’s own fleshly imaginations. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. (Romans 1:21-23) Many of their idols created an atmosphere where mankind lived in a sinful state of violence, sexual impropriety, and self-interest. Today, we scoff at such primitive idol worshipping, for such a lifestyle is strange to us. Why would people try to create gods from their own imaginations? However, in our modern world of knowledge and wisdom, we worship and serve the self in our dedicated pursuit of getting the most out of life by eating, drinking and being merry as we rush to experience and to accumulate all life has to offer. Men and women across the world have written God out of their lives, serving only themselves. Knowing and fearing the shortness of their lives, cognizant always of the eternal abyss awaiting, they push to have it all with little or no time for God.
John says when we see Christ, we will be like him. Our full godly stature will be known to us. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Now we are cloaked in the robes of the flesh. Our desires are oftentimes controlled by our carnal nature, but inside us is the fullness of Christ. The Bible says, The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. (Hebrews 1:3) We who are IN CHRIST are part of his body, known as the church; therefore, we also are the full representation of God. Nonetheless, as we analyze our lives, we know that we are not like God in all our ways. We often do not reflect the goodness of God by displaying his mercy and love to others. But by faith, we must commit to the reality that God is in us, and his grace covers our weaknesses. Jesus is the center of our lives, the key to our victory over sin. Now religious service or obeying the regulations of the law will not display God to the world in the purity that He desires. Our religious service to God might make us feel better or ease our consciences, but does not indicate a Spirit-led life. We might find some peace by reading the Bible, fasting, and religiously regulating our lives, but this lifestyle might be far from what God desires for us. Why? Because it might be for ourselves and not for others. “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. (Isaiah 58:6-9) In this present life, we should display God fully, showing his image to the world. Yes, someday when we meet Jesus, we will understand fully who we are, children of God. But at this time, in the veil of flesh, we need to be about our Father’s business. This is what Jesus’ life was about, doing his Father’s business: healing the sick, caring for the lonely, working with the outcasts. We should be as Jesus, caring for the disabled, the hurting, the lonely. In the Isaiah passage, we see the Lord’s disdain for a self-serving religious way of life. He said He would not answer the concerns and cries of those people. The life He would honor, the fasting He would respond to by saying: Here am I is a life that works to loose the chains of injustice, to set the oppressed free, to share food with the hungry, to provide the poor wanderer with shelter, to cloth the naked, to turn not away from your own flesh and blood? Jesus said we would be honored by God if we served the least in the community of man. If we serve them, we serve God, for as his children we reveal him to humankind. Yes, we are in the womb of Christ, developed in his likeness. We have his eyes, his mouth, his hands and feet. In our weak state of being still in the flesh, we should shine forth his glory and likeness. We ought to be God’s servants in this life, preferring others above our own needs and wants. How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation. (Isaiah 52:7)
Breakfast companions, life can be stressful and difficult to navigate. Many times our lives seem to have no exit from our troubles. But God is on the throne—miracles happen to those who set their feet on a straight path, believing God is in our lives, and we are the children of God. When our lives fail to be as we desire, let us continue in our belief that we are children of the living God. He will not abandon us: He will make a way for us. AS CHILDREN OF HIS, WE MUST CONTINUE TO BELIEVE HE IS WITH US AND HAS THE ANSWERS. Does this mean that our lives will smooth out for us? Not always, but it does mean that if we walk with God, He will walk with us. Our image of our lives so often depends upon our circumstances, but we must lift our lives to heaven, understanding that our likeness is God’s likeness. Presently, even in our difficulties, we are perfectly made. He will not abort us. He will not leave us in shame but will guide and keep us. Recently, Dad told a very talented young lady to sing the songs God has put in her heart. To capture those songs, she should place the words on paper, and publish them by singing them to herself and to others. All of us have songs God has placed in our hearts. All of us do not have a beautiful voice to sing to others, but we do have a voice to sing to ourselves. If you feel locked in, as if there is a yoke around your neck, as if the burden of life is too great, know that God is with you. All of your experiences can be used. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) Reflect on your talents as you move forward step by step with God directing you. YOU ARE NEVER LOCKED IN: He has a way out for you, if nothing more than reflecting his goodness and love to others. No other mission is greater or more beneficial to his kingdom. When Christ appears, we will know who we are and who we have been. This will either be at his second coming or at our demise, but God asks us to know who we are at this time. We are his children—greatly loved, formed in Christ. Let us live that way, capitalizing on our skills. Let us love as He loves, giving mercy as He gives mercy. As we fight the good fight, we thank God for freedom from the bondage of the devil. Dear friends you have been given so much by God, serve him with all your might, knowing He will be there to comfort you and make a way for you through the power of the cross. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. Praise God forever!
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