Series: 1 John
Week: Ten
Passage: 1 John 3:1-3
Title: The Two Distinctions of the Children of God
Focus: Christian Living
INTRODUCTION: A group of expectant fathers were in a waiting room, while their wives were in the process of delivering babies. A nurse came in and announced to one man that his wife had just given birth to twins. "That's quite a coincidence" he responded, "I play for the Minnesota Twins!" A few minutes later another nurse came in and announced to another man that he was the father of triplets. "That's amazing," he exclaimed, "I work for the 3M company." At that point, a third man slipped off his chair and laid down on the floor. Somebody asked him if he was feeling ill. "No," he responded, "I happen to work for the 7-up company."
No matter how many children a man is blessed with, the Father truly appreciates them all. There is great pride in a man knowing his children are knitted out of the same fabric as he and bear his image. His children, however individually gifted, have similarities of their dad and perform much like him when disciplined to do so properly.
While unexpected and often unknown until much later in life, the children have the inherited the ability to become pure by honoring their Father and placing their hope in what will last forever and not simply a mortal lifetime. He we are not simply talking about a man and his children in an earthly relationship but more God the Father's wonderful plan of salvation for those who would accept to become His children.
SCRIPTURE: “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 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. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” 1 John 3:1-3
TITLE: The Two Distinctions of the Children of God (1 John 1:1-3)
Point #1: Children of God Change Personalities and Practices (1 John 3:1)
ο Explanation: John continues to expound on the applications of God's love to the children (the church) to help demonstrate how once they were accepted into the family of God their personalities and practices would change. This is shown in a few ways.
1. We change because of the love that was shown: (“What Matter of Love”): God, caring for us his children choose to adopt us into his family. Paul explains in Romans 11 how the Gentiles were grafted into the family of God through faith. This means, in summery, that God, through the affliction of Jesus Christ and the acceptance of His creation (the Saints) allowed us to be accepted into his family. We gain in the adoption process the ability to call Him (God) “Father”. As James states there is no greater love than adopting an orphan or taking care of widows (James 1:27). This is a perfect picture of what Christ demonstrated for us on the cross.
2. We change because of the name that was given (“called”): “Called” is often used in the sense of “to be” meaning here, the gaining of privileges in the adoption.
i. Romans 8:15 “You have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
ii. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
iii. 2 Corinthians 6:18 “I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”
3. We change because of the rejection of the world (“the world does not know us”): After accepting the love and receiving the name/calling, one cannot gain pleasure from the world once they have tasted the goodness of God. Earthly pleasures are abandoned when eternal understanding is gained. There is nothing greater than the source of joy from God knowing that we are His children.
ο Illustration: Ann Landers Column. “Dear Ann Landers: It happened again today. My two sons and I were in a shopping mall, and a total stranger felt the need to comment on the fact that my boys didn't look anything alike. Apparently, my 6 year old decided it was time he explained the difference. "I'm adopted," he said. "That's when you have the same family but not the same face."
ο Application:
a. In the Love that was shown: When we remember where we came from (sin - ungrateful and rebellious) we may well be amazed at the love in which God adopted us. When we value the acceptance of God regardless of the past we work (deeds) to honor the Father for His provision.
b. In the Call: When we receive the call to accept that new identity in Christ cry out to the Lord, glorifying him with our bodies (being disciplined and self controlled) knowing that only true strength can come from Him.
c. In the rejection of the world: The world had no right views of the real character Jesus when he was on the earth. They perceived Him for a fake. With Christ's character in question, it is no wonder that our will be as well.
i. 1 Corinthians 2:8 “None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”
ii. John 17:25 “O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me.”
1. When you reject the world, expect to be treated the same way as Christ in your personality and practice. However do not be dismayed for the honor goes to the Lord and not that which are opinions of man.
2. John 15:18-20 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”
Point #2: The Children of God Change Focus (Earthly to the Eternal) (1 John 3:2-3)
ο Explanation: When the personalities and practices start changing in one that is striving to become more like Christ, the Christian starts to set his (or her) mind on that which is eternal (perspective change). John gives two eternal distinctions that a believer is to focus on while striving to honor the Lord here on earth with an eternal mindset.
1. We will be like Christ when He appears (“we shall be like him” 1 John 3:2): We do not know for certain in exact fully disclosed detail exactly what being “like him” entails but we could infer (we must be careful in this though).
i. This information could not be fully disclosed to us because we as humans would not understand it. i.e. no words could describe it (the kingdom of heaven is like…)
ii. This information is undisclosed to us because God's desire is that we as Christians would focus our effort on reaching the world that is in darkness.
1. 2 Peter 1:4 “Since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me.”
a. NOTE: We should not lose hope on speculation because we DO KNOW that we shall be made like Christ; in the bodies, raised up, in character, in happiness, and in glory. (Philippians 3:21; 2 Corinthians 3:18)
2. We shall have our hope in Him/Christ (“Everyone who thus hopes in Him” 1 John 3:3): The person who sets his hope by faith on the Son of God experiences an inward purification that is as complete as Christ's own purity. New birth involves a perfect purification from sin, which is therefore a new weapon again the flesh, the eyes, and desires that are in the world.
ο Illustration: “A young man came to an aged Professor of a distinguished University and with pleasure informed him that the fondly cherished desire of his heart was fulfilled: he was to study law. 'Well, and when you have finished your study, what do you mean to do then!' asked the Professor. 'Then I shall take my degree,' said the young man. 'And then?' 'Then I shall get difficult cases and win fame by my eloquence and acuteness.' And then?' 'Then I shall be promoted and become rich.' `And then?' After time has gone, eternity begins. What then?” (Dr. Octavius Winslow)
ο Application: The Christian must ask, “what then” in regards to eternity. In others words, what is the application for us living now with an eternal perspective?
1. In being like Christ when He appears: To be like Christ is the goal and objective here on earth.
a. Philippians 3:10 “That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”
i. To know means “to know by experience”. This is something only the Christians could gain if they applied biblical principles!
2. In having hope in Christ: This hope of seeing Christ and of being made like him is that confidence which gives the saints the ability to carry on knowing that one day we will be permitted to dwell with him and achieve full holiness.
a. Romans 8:24-25 “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”
CONCLUSION: We do not expect the world to understand our relationship with God, we can only strive to help them find that which we have already obtained ourselves through faith. The ability to do this comes from a change of earthly perspective to an eternal mindset that with, in effect, change our personalities and practice to become more like Christ. When we become more like Jesus, our ability to understand God is heightened and only a person who knows God through Christ can fully appreciate what it means to be called a child of God.
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