I John 6

God’s Privileged Children

1 John 3:1–6 NKJV

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

Intro: John writing to all believers. He has told us about having fellowship with one another, having fellowship with the Father, fellowship with the Jesus.

Told us that we all sin, but that we have forgiveness.

He told us about walking in the light and warned about the darkness.

He told us about not loving the things world, and overcoming the wicked one.

He talked about false teachers.

Today we will look at being called children of God.

I. Our present honor. VS 1

1 John 3:1 NKJV

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

Behold: To see, (to be aware, to know)

1. A seeing that becomes knowing. It’s a seeing that becomes a gateway to knowing spiritual truth.

That what happens when we become a follower of Christ, we grasp the spiritual truth.

a. As believers we have spiritual insight to comprehend spiritual things. Things that only a true follower of Christ can comprehend.

b. The love of God is something that we know about, but maybe at this time (in our human form, in the flesh, still don’t fully understand just how much God loves us)

what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called sons of God:

 Manner: G.W that means what possible sort.

c. The phase “what manner” in Greek refers to a country, race, or tribe. It refers to something foreign.

d. “What kind of foreign love did God bestow upon us to calls us His sons”

e. The love of God is foreign to us. It is far greater than the human mind can comprehend.

Matthew 8:24–27 KJV 1900

24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

f. They could not comprehend the power of Jesus.

g. Just because we don’t fully understand, doesn’t mean we don’t believe.

1. Love of God:

A .God’s love for us is a heavenly love, we can relate to His love, be the world can’t.

b. God’s love: God’s love is unconditional because God is love. God’s love is based on His own nature. God loves us because of who He is. God’s love provides the gift of salvation for us.

c. The results of God’s love is being called His children.

That we should be called Sons of God:

Also translated “Children of God”

G.W Teknow having a full dependence on the heavenly father.

d. We have to fully (willing) rely on God and do so in submission to His will.

f. He loves us and calls us His own. The God of all creation, loves us and calls us His children. Only those who accept His love.

VS 1b Therefore the world does not know us,

1. Unbelievers, (the world, lost, those outside the church) do not understand why we (believers)  act as we do, live as we do, why we take a stand for what we stand for, why we will not “get with the times”.

a. When you live a spiritual minded life, you will be looked at as foolish, fanatics, and in today times, haters, bigots, narrow minded.

b. They (unbeievers) are blind to the truth and cannot see or understand because they have not received thing of the spirt.

I Corn 2:14 (No understanding)

VS 1c because it know him not:

John 1:10 (the world knew him not)

c. Food network DDD Elab what happens on show. Sometimes a person will have a secret ingredient. If you don’t have it, it’s just not the same.

d. In our life as follower of Jesus, we do what we do, and live like we live, because we have that special ingredient, and that is Jesus.

e. People can have enthusiasm about life, but he it is kindled with the Jesus and His love it becomes something new. Something that only a true believer has.

II. Our future glory. VS 2

1 John 3:2 NKJV

2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

Beloved: Divinely loved.

Now we are the Sons of God: (Before we look at the future, we need to look at the NOW)

1. You become a child of God at the moment you put your trust in Jesus.

a. We are NOW children of God. We are NOW members of the body of Christ.

b. This NOW we are, means to know you are a child of God. You should know you are a child of God, just as you know you are physically alive.

Song: “Blessed assurance Jesus is mine”

c. Children of God possess the Holy Spirit.

John 3:5 We are born of the Spirit

John 3:5 NKJV

5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

I Cor. 12:12-13 We are baptized in the body of Christ

1 Corinthians 12:12–13 NKJV

12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

Rom 8:14 We are led by the Spirit

Romans 8:14 NKJV

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Rom 8:16 We are assured by the testimony of the spirit

Romans 8:16 NKJV

16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

Eph 4:30 We are sealed by the spirit

Ephesians 4:30 NKJV

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

d. If you are a born again believer saved by the blood of Jesus, you will know it. If you don’t, if you are unsure, get it right today.

“NOW we are sons of God”

and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be

1. It is not made clean just what we will be like after His coming. It is something in our human minds we cannot fully understand.

we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

1. Jesus will return one day, and we will be like Him, and we will see Jesus face to face.

Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His son”

Rev 22:4 And they shall see his face

Phil 30-31

A .We have a great future ahead of us.

III. Our present obligation. VS 3

1 John 3:3 NKJV

3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Hope: Not a I hope I get it. But it’s a hope of expectation, a hope of confidence. We have the hope (the expectation, the confidence of knowing that Jesus will return)

1. We also have the hope of what we already have in Jesus.

Hope is in God: Ps. 43:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God: For I shall yet praise him.

a. God is our only refuge, resource and hope/We trust in God for the future because of what he has done in the past and present.

Hope is a gift from God: II Thes 2:16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace.

a. God grants hope, confidence, assurance, and security in  the future if expect them as gifts.

Hope is to be continual: Ps 71:14 But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.

a. David wrote this at an old age. He is an example to us because he did not lose hope through the years.

Hope is secure: Heb 6: 18 Tells us that it is impossible for God to lie.

a. Our hope is secure because God established a promise, that one day Jesus would return and we will be like Him.

Him purifies himself What does it mean for someone to purifieth himself (to make clean if God is the one that does the purifying?

James 1:18-25

1.The word of God is an incorruptible seed. We were begotten (to birth forth) we are born to be God’s children through His word.

a. Jesus told His disciples in John 15:3

John 15:3 NKJV

3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

b. God’s word spiritually cleanse us. But it does not atomically cleanse us.

c. We are commanded to study God word, receive Gods word with meekness. We are commanded to be doers of the word, we are commanded to look into the perfect law of liberty.

d.Look into it like you are looking into a mirror to find the filth that needs to be removed. We find cleansing in the washing of the water by the word.

Ephesians 5:26 NKJV

26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,

e. Primarily and fundamentally, God does the purifying; but He does it as we look into the mirror of His word, God does the cleaning through His precious and powerful word.

f. Have you looked into the spiritual mirror lately?

Finish: If We are going to be like Jesus one day, should you try to live Him now?