Pr Joshua Yong

We are Children of God

1 John 3:1 – “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. ² Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. ³ And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

To be a Christian is more than just bearing a title or a name. To be a Christian involves a personal relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. One biblical description of Christians which wonderfully expresses this truth is “children of God”.

As Apostle John began to expound this truth, he was so filled with excitement that he exclaimed “behold”, “see”, “look”, “examine” this truth very closely. Amid the noise and the distraction of the world, let us pay attention and fix our mind on the truth that we are children of God. Do not let this privilege and this position pass over our head. But consider, meditate and ponder what it means for the Father to bestow His love upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.

1) We are Called to be Children of God (v.1)

Let our minds dwell first on the “manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us.” Have we ever wondered and thought upon the extent and the kind of love the Father has shown to us? There is a sense of amazement and awe in what Apostle John expressed here.

What kind of love has the Father shown to us, that we should be called the sons of God? It is a love that is unconditional, all-giving and self-sacrificial, that is given freely to us. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). It is a love that moved the Father to give of His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins. What condition were we in when God showed His love to us? “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8).

These thoughts ought to humble us and move us. It is especially so when we realize that this is a position that is given freely and not earned – it has been “bestowed.” It is given once and for all. There is nothing that will change this wonderful relationship we have. We have the assurance that we are children of God because we have been “called” the sons of God. Christians are identified to be the “sons of God.” It is a position that has been attributed to us freely and we know that nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 8:39).

Let us come now to the cause of Apostle John’s excitement. See the extent and the kind of love the Father has given unto us, that we have this privilege to be called the “sons of God.” This phrase “sons of God” which means “children of God” focuses not on the age of the children but on the relationship. When we are born again, we have a new relationship with God and with the world.

In this new relationship, the world no longer knows us. The world does not have an intimate personal knowledge of us, because it does not have this intimate personal knowledge of God. In the past, we enjoyed a relationship with the world. But now, being born again of God, the world no longer recognizes us. Our position and our identity have changed. The world may know us superficially, but they do not know us intimately. They do not understand why we live for God; they do not understand why we no longer enjoy the things we once enjoyed; things are different now. Once we were enemies of God, but now we are children of God.

2) We Have the Confidence as Children of God (v.2)

The exhortation in verse two relates to the past, present and the future. When Apostle John wrote “now are we the sons of God”, there is in this thought a reference to the past.

Before we enjoyed this position and privilege as children of God, we were enemies of God (Rom 5:10). The Bible also identifies us to be “children of disobedience”, “children of wrath”, “children of the flesh” and “children of the devil” (Eph 2:2, 3; Rom 9:8; 1 John 3:10). These expressions describe the nature of the life we had in the past; they describe our character, our purpose, and our end. We would do well to look back at our past from time to time. Look back to see who we were before we were saved, before we were brought out from the misery and horrible pit of sin and shame. We do so not to wallow in self-pity or to be ashamed again, but to be reminded again of what we have been saved from and what we have been saved unto. How thankful we would then be.

There is in this truth – “now are we the sons of God” – a reference to the present. In this present time, we are the children of God. The new position, privilege and relationship in Christ are the encouragement for our present living. Sometimes we forget the privileged position that we presently enjoy and we foolishly desire those vain and temporal positions of the world. Can the world offer us anything that can ever be compared to what we presently enjoy in Christ as children of God? This truth also encourages us when we face afflictions and trials. We know that as our loving Father, God always desires the best for us; His divine purposes are always exercised in wisdom and love. We are the children of God even in the midst of present distresses. If we have a greater appreciation for what it truly means to enjoy this present privilege of being children of God, how differently we will live from moment to moment.

This truth also looks to the future. In the present, it has not been fully manifested yet what we shall be as God’s children. In the present, we are not yet in the glorified state, and we have to wrestle with the presence of sin. But when the Lord Jesus Christ returns in glory, we shall be like Him, for at that time we will see Christ as He is. When the Lord Jesus Christ returns, He will come in glory and majesty. His glory will be manifested in the whole world. As children of God, another privilege we will enjoy is that we too will have a glorified body – the corruptible will put on incorruption and the mortal will put on immortality (1 Cor 15:53). The young may not appreciate this as much, but as they age and experience the infirmities of the flesh, they will be more thankful for the glorified body. It will be a body that cannot sin and that is suitable for the heavenly environment. How glorious it will be when one day, as God’s children, we can enjoy communion with our God that is perfect and pure – we will be without sin and our fellowship with God will be in perfect holiness and righteousness.

3) We Have to Cleanse Ourselves as Children of God (v.3)

Because we have this blessed hope that one day we will enjoy the fullness of our salvation as children of God, we have to purify ourselves now. As children of God, we must live in a way that befits our calling and position. The purpose of purifying ourselves is not to make us fit for heaven as we are already fit for heaven. We have to purify ourselves because it is consistent with our calling and position in Christ.

Hence, Apostle John exhorted us to purify ourselves, “even as Christ is pure.” Christ the only begotten Son of God is pure. He is holy and without sin. Since we are the adopted children of God, we ought to manifest the same holiness and purity as the Lord Jesus Christ. Children often bear the resemblance of their parents. Through the physical likeness, the mannerism and the way they talk, we are often able to recognize the relationship between the children and their parents. If we are the children of God, then we must resemble our Holy God. Can others see the beauty of our Saviour through you and me?

While we are in this earthen vessel, we are not sinless. However, we have the hope that one day we will be completely pure and free from sin. In the meantime, we ought to strive unto holiness by purifying ourselves. This is a continuous ongoing process that will one day end when our Saviour calls us home. We are already positionally holy and pure when we are saved through the precious blood of Christ. Practically, we still struggle with the presence and reality of sin; sanctification is an ongoing process. But this is not a process that we have to undertake blindly or with our own strength. God has given us His precious Word which has the power to sanctify us (John 17:17; Eph 5:26). God has also given us who are His children, His Holy Spirit who indwells us and sanctifies us. Our responsibility is to be thoroughly equipped with God’s Word and to be sensitive to the leading of the Spirit as we daily purify ourselves and mortify the flesh.

Conclusion

Dear reader, do you know that as a Christian, you are a child of God? Do you know what it really means to be a child of God, what this position entails, and what the privileges you enjoy are? To be a Christian is more than just a name. It is a relationship which you share with your heavenly Father as His child. What great love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.