1 John 2:28-3:10

Fitting in the Family

What are some characteristics that define your family?

Did you find yourself having to act a certain way to be able to fit in with your family?

We see something similar here within this text.

1 John 2:28–3:3 “28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. 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.”

v.28

Jesus is coming

The first thing we see here is Christians living in light of Jesus returning

It was common knowledge and common practice that Christians knew that Jesus was coming back

You are going to live 1 of 2 ways

With confidence in his returning

Shrink from Him in shame

His return in sure. You will stand before Him. The only question is, what will that be like for you?

v.29

Those who practice righteousness can be confident in His return

Those who do not practice righteousness will be ashamed before Him at His coming

Philippians 2:10–11 “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

v.1

We are supposed to be the black sheep in the world

Instead we spend our time, our energy, our money, doing our best to look like the world, to fit in with the world

We have to have the cars, the clothes, the phones, watch the same things on Netflix, because if we don’t we won’t fit in

We are driven by our fear of not fitting in or our FOMO, ironically we have very little or no FOMO about the Kingdom of God and Heaven

Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not

If you find yourself feeling left out, like your different because of your faith, even hated, persecuted, remember the words of Jesus is John 15:18–19 “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

v.2-3

When He shall appear, we shall be like Him

We will see Him as He is

v.4-10

Jesus came to eliminate our sin, that is why the evidence is clear that when we choose sin and walk willingly and joyfully in sin we are not of Him.

A family characteristic is righteousness

what does it mean to practice righteousness

A family characteristic is not living in sin

source idols