1 John 3:1
See what love the Father has lavished on us in letting us be called God’s children! For that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it has not known him. 2 Dear friends, we are God’s children now; and it has not yet been made clear what we will become. We do know that when he appears, we will be like him; because we will see him as he really is.
3 And everyone who has this hope in him continues purifying himself, since God is pure. 4 Everyone who keeps sinning is violating Torah — indeed, sin is violation of Torah. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and that there is no sin in him. 6 So no one who remains united with him continues sinning; everyone who does continue sinning has neither seen him nor known him.
7 Children, don’t let anyone deceive you — it is the person that keeps on doing what is right who is righteous, just as God is righteous.
(Complete Jewish Bible)."Beloved, we are God's children now," John writes. It's another wondrous gift--we are God's children now! This is not a promise whose fulfillment we await; it's a promise God has already kept. We are claimed as God's children in the waters of baptism, dripping with God's word of promise and overflowing with God's love in Christ.
And we still look forward to even greater wonders. One day, John says, Christ will be revealed and "we will be like him, for we will see him as he is." We are already created in the image of God, precious in God's sight. We are already being conformed more and more into the image of Christ, as the Holy Spirit works through us, answering baptismal prayer. Finally, one day, we will be made completely like Christ, with whom we will dwell face to face in resurrected glory.
God of glory, you have called us your own and made us beloved children. Fill us with the joy of this identity. Inspire us with the hope of our bright future, made certain in Jesus Christ, our risen Lord. Amen.
Amanda Jertson Talley, '12
Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Churches, Hartington and Crofton, Neb.
1 John 3:1 See what love the Father has given 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.
2 Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.
3 And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
4 Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
5 You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
6 No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him.
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. (New Revised Standard Version)
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