From Identity to Action: Living as Children of God
Notes
Transcript
Handout
A farmer plows his field, sows the seed, fertilizes, and cultivates — all the while knowing that in the final analysis he is utterly dependent on forces outside of himself. He knows he cannot cause the seed to germinate, nor can he produce the rain and sunshine for growing and harvesting the crop. For a successful harvest, he is dependent on these things from God.
Yet the farmer knows that unless he diligently pursues his responsibilities to plow, plant, , fertilize, and cultivate, he cannot expect a harvest at the end of the season. In a sense he is in a partnership with God, and he will reap its benefits only when he has fulfilled his own responsibilities.
Farming is a joint venture between God and the farmer. The farmer cannot do what God must do, and God will not do what the farmer should do.
We can say just as accurately that the pursuit of holiness is a joint venture between God and the Christian. No one can attain any degree of holiness without God working in his life, but just as sure no one will attain it without effort on his own part. God has made it possible for us to walk in holiness. But He has given to us the responsibility of doing the walking; He does not do that for us.
Many of us work a job and when a manager gives us a task, we are then responsible for completing that task, the one who appoints that task to us is not responsible for carrying out the task itself. We become responsible for it. The same is with God, He has commanded us to live in obedience and thus our responsibility is to live out that obedience in our lives.
The passage we are going to look at and memorize for this series is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. God used it in a special way to bring me personal revival in my life. This passage is one I hope will help encourage you and to remember that we must live a holy life.
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.
1, 2, 3 John & Jude 3. The Comprehending of the Acceptance (1 John 3:1)
“The world knoweth us not, because it knew him not” (
From Identity to Action: Living as Children of God
From Identity to Action: Living as Children of God
Bible Passage: 1 John 3:1–3
Bible Passage: 1 John 3:1–3
Summary: 1 John 3:1–3 presents a powerful declaration of our identity in Christ, emphasizing the transformative effect of being called children of God. John articulates the implications of this relationship—not merely as a title but as a catalyst for action, pushing believers towards a lifestyle of holiness in response to God’s love and future promise.
Application: This sermon invites Christians to recognize that their identity as God's children calls for active participation in holiness. In moments of temptation or doubt, understanding this relationship can empower believers to uphold God’s standards in their daily lives, encouraging them to pursue righteousness despite societal pressures.
Teaching: The teaching centers on the reality that knowing ourselves as children of God requires that we embody that identity. We are not passive recipients of His grace but active participants in His mission, tasked with reflecting His holiness in a world that desperately needs His love and truth.
How this passage could point to Christ: This passage highlights the role of Jesus as the mediator of our new identity as God’s children. Throughout Scripture, the theme of God adopting humanity through Christ emphasizes not just our acceptance, but also our responsibility to live out the holiness required of His family.
Big Idea: Understanding our identity as children of God mobilizes us to live actively in holiness, reflecting His character and preparing for His return.
Recommended Study: For your sermon preparation, I suggest exploring the historical context of the early church's understanding of familial relationships using Logos. Delve into relevant commentaries to see how the concept of being God's children influenced early Christian ethics and behavior. Investigate the Greek nuances behind 'purity' and 'holiness' to enrich your understanding of how these attributes manifest in the life of a believer.
1. Perceive the Privilege
1. Perceive the Privilege
1 John 3:1
Perhaps you could begin by highlighting the depth of God's love revealed in our new identity as His children. This first verse underscores the immense privilege and transformative power of being called God's children. Emphasize that this identity is not just a status but a call to live distinctively. As Christians, realizing this familial relationship should motivate us to respond to God's love by living in holiness, setting the foundation for our moral and ethical decision-making.
The word ‘behold’ here is a call for the reader’s attention to the following statements that the author is about to make.
3:1 Seea how-greatb a-lovec the Father has givend to us
LEXICON—a. aorist act. impera. of ὁράω (LN 32.11): ‘to see’ [HNTC, LN, Lns; NAB, NASB, NJB, NRSV, TEV], ‘to look at’ [AB], ‘to consider’ [BAGD, WBC; REB], ‘to behold’ [KJV], ‘to recognize’ [LN], not explicit [NIV, TNT]. The aorist imperative calls for immediate action [Brd, Lns], calling the reader’s attention to the following statement [TH].
The phrase ‘what manner of love’ indicates a very high degree of love. It places an emphasis on the scale or magnitude of God’s love.
We could say it like this: how great, how glorious, how wonderful is God’s love.
The word ‘love’ is the object or desire of the heart, it is what one takes pleasure in.
The phrase ‘has given to us’ has the perfect tense which indicates that the effects of giving the love remain.
perfect act. indic. of δίδωμι (LN 57.71): ‘to give’ [HNTC, LN, Lns; NRSV], ‘to bestow on’ [AB; KJV, NAB, NASB, REB], ‘to show to’ [TNT], ‘to shower on’ [WBC], ‘to lavish’ [NIV, NJB]. The phrase ‘to give love’ is translated ‘to love’ [TEV]. The perfect tense indicates that the effects of giving the love remain [ICC, Lns, TH].
How is this verse related to its context?
It expands on the idea of being begotten by God.
What is the significance of the use of ‘Father’ as a name of God?
It corresponds with ‘children’ in the next clause and refers to God’s relationship to Christians.
To whom does ‘us’ refer?
It refers to the people John is writing and to all Christian believers.
Look closely at the phrase ‘that we should be called the sons of God.’
The designation ‘child’ indicates that God acts towards believers as a father does towards his children [NCBC, WBC], having an intimate relationship that is between a father and child [TH]. Being a child means that the person has a similar nature to his father.
Look at the next phrase: Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”
We could say that it like this: ‘for this reason the world knoweth us not.’
The word know:
pres. act. indic. of γινώσκω (LN 31.27) (BAGD 1.b. p. 160): ‘to know’ [BAGD, Lns; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, TEV], ‘to recognize’ [AB, HNTC, WBC; NAB, REB, TNT], ‘to acknowledge’ [NJB]. The present tense indicates continuing action [TH].
The phrase: ‘because it knew him not’ refers back to the historic manifestation of Jesus Christ.
What does it mean that the world does not know us because it does not know Jesus?
The world does not recognize believers to be God’s children. They don’t know what it is to be a child of God, and thus they do not understand the true inner nature or principles and character of believers.
2. Prepare for Purity
2. Prepare for Purity
1 John 3:2
You might want to suggest that believers' future hope shapes their current actions. This verse expounds on the reality that we are God's children now, but what we will become has not been fully revealed. The hope of transformation at Christ's return should instill a desire in us to reflect His purity now. This anticipation calls Christians to align their present conduct with their future glorified state, encouraging them to live out holiness in preparation for what is to come.
Look at the opening statement: ‘Beloved, now are we the sons of God’:
The position of ‘now’ at the front of the clause makes it emphatic.
The phrase ‘and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him.’
The aorist tense of ‘appear’ indicates that it never was manifested on any occasion. This refers to a public display of the Christian’s future glory.
we are now God’s children, but what we shall be has not been revealed. All the future benefits of being God’s children are not yet known, although one fact is known; that is, that we shall be like Christ. The manifestation of their real identity and nature is still in the future
Because we are God’s children and we believe that Jesus is coming again and we shall see Him, behold Him in all His glory, we should live a life of holiness and purity.
Notice the Bible tells us: ‘when He shall appear’.
The event is certain, but the time of the event is unknown.
What will we be like?
We don’t know fully, but when Christ appears, we will be like Him. Because we will see Him in all His glory.
We will never be equal to Him, but we will be like Him.
Look at how amazing this will be:
The result of seeing Him will be a transformation into His likeness.
The process of becoming like Christ starts the moment we trust Him as our Savior, but the it will be completed when we see Him as He is.
3. Pursue Personal Purity
3. Pursue Personal Purity
1 John 3:3
Maybe take this opportunity to explain that this hope leads to active purification. John calls believers to purify themselves just as Christ is pure, illustrating that our belief and hope in Christ's return should provoke a self-purifying response. With Christ’s example of purity as the standard, encourage believers to examine their lives closely, discarding habits and actions that don’t reflect God’s holiness. This active pursuit of holiness is how Christians practically express their identity as God’s children, demonstrating their commitment to His standards.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
The phrase ‘hath this hope’ is having a confident expectation in focus. The present tense of the Greek word here means to have a continuous hope.
The little word ‘in’ here means to be fixed on an object or person.
The verb here ‘purifieth’ is present tense which indicates a continual process of purification.
We could say this verse like this: Every person who has a stedfast hope fixed upon Jesus will continually purify themselves.
This verse specifies the practical outworking of the hope described in the preceding verses. It is an exhortation to purify oneself.
What is implied by the changes in the verses 1 & 2 from ‘we’ and ‘us’ to now everyone’ in verse 3?
It stresses the individual responsibility of each believer.
What is the relationship between ‘hath this hope’ and ‘purifieth himself’?
Hope stirs the desire to be pure.
To encounter Christ when he is revealed, believers must prepare now by purifying themselves [AB]. Present purity is required to be worthy of the call to be like Christ
Purity is not a suggestion, it is a requirement.
Notice: ‘Even as He is pure’; we want to be like Him in the future? We can pursue holiness in our lives and be pure as Jesus was pure.
Jesus is the example of purity.
Many people have a standard of what they think ‘right’ living is in this world.
What is the standard we look upon in our lives?
The standard in which we measure our lives against must be Christ. Only then will we recognize His purity and our need for Him.
