"These Things I've Written..." (1 John 3:1-3)

Introduction

Today’s message is a fitting one because today is Father’s day.

Some of my favorite memory’s are the times I got to be with with my dad. I also have some of my funniest memories.

Some of these I can share in public and some I cannot… Building the carport.

Like I said last week, no matter what my children do right or wrong, it will not change my standing with them. I simply choose to love them.

1 John 3:1–3 NASB95

1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

John taught the Jewish Christian audience to remember their privileges as Christians.

Last week, we talked about the priviliges of having eternal life and having the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Today, we learn what it means to be a child of God.

What are the benefits of being a child of God?

1. Children of God are adopted. (v 1)

It is a privilege to be a child of God.

There is always something in a name.

Just as to belong to a great school, a great county, a great church and even more to bear the name of the family og God is something to keep our feet on the right way and inspire us in our life.

It’s important to note what type of fatherhood John is referring to when he claims us to be children of God. By nature, we are God’s creatures, but it is by grace that we become children of God. There are two English words which are closely connected but have widely different meanings when they refer to fatherhood.

Paternity describes a relationship in which a man is responsible for the physical existence of a children.

Fatherhood describes an intimate, loving relationship.

In the sense of paternity, we are all children of God; but, in the sense of fatherhood, we are children of a loving father.

In the New Testament, there is an idea of adoption:

Romans 8:14–17 NASB95

14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

By a deliberate act of adoption on the part of God, every Christian enters into a family.

The first night a child goes into foster care is hard. I’ve seen too many children go to bed at night in a home they aren’t accustomed wondering where their life is headed.

While all men and women are children of God in the sense that they owe their lives to Him, they become children in the intimate and loving sense of the term only by an act of God extending His hand in grace towards them.

This type of the love from God the Father is so unearthly, so foreign to this world, that the people of earth don’t know what country it is from.

When people ask me how I feel so loved and I tell them how and why, they cannot understand what it means to be a child of God through grace.

They don’t understand you presently because they did not know Jesus historically.

Don’t be surprised when people do not understand the love of God.

2. Children of God are “Christlike”. (v 2)

As Christians on earth, we become new people who begin to live and see the world the way that Christ saw the world.

We already are sons and daughters of God.

John writes in verse 2 that he doesn’t even know what the Christian will experience at the return of Jesus. We will be transformed into something so great that John wasn’t even aware of. It is inconceivably glorious!

The exact condition of the redeemed in heaven had not yet been revealed to John.

We do not know that the transformation of the believers will take place and it will be like the transformation of Jesus. We will be like Him. The image of God, ruined by the fall of sin, will be stamped on us again.

We will be both with Christ and like Christ. The fuller revelation of what we are going to be requires people to be content to wait.

My dad always knew the best presents. Pudge Rodriguez signed baseball.

As Christians, we are given a great promise that goes beyond our own understanding. While today, we are children, we are promised to be so much more when Christ returns.

It makes it worth it to endure through life’s trouble doesn’t it?

Are you crazy enough to say, “Let the trials come because I know that every minute of this life is bringing me closer to Jesus”?

I know it’s hard, but you’re getting closer. Keep going. Your redemption is on its way.

3. Children of God are pure. (v 3)

Christians who fix their hope (confident expectation) upon Christ’s return, will purify themselves, not ceremonially like the Jews were accustomed to but morally.

Purity - freedom from moral stain

John said in 2:28-29 since Christ is righteous, we must practice righteous, we must practice righteousness if we do not want to be ashamed at his coming.

When we see Him, we will be like Him in His purity. In the meantime, we must begin the process of being pure ourselves.

True, only the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse us from the state and guilt of sin, but we have a part to play in purifying ourselves from its power.

2 Corinthians 7:1 NASB95

1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

1 Timothy 5:22 NASB95

22 Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin.

James 4:8 NASB95

8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

We’ve all messed up haven’t we? We all have moments of impurity that we hate to place in the light of God. What are the dirtiest parts of your house? Behind the fridge, under the bed, under the couch, under the rug, behind the toilet, etc. It’s so easy to neglect these areas because we know that few will take the time to look and it’s too much work to move what’s heavy to clean this area. It’s much easier to just let it be.

You have impure areas of your life that no one else can see other than just a few people maybe. Your hope is that maybe, just maybe you won’t have to deal with them and that God will simply just move you past them when He comes.

There are 3 things I want you to know:

God is a God of grace.

It’s easy to say but difficult to do, but you have to trust that His grace is enough for you for you be a child of God.

God loves you too much to allow you to get away with sin that has not been dealt with.

He’s not out to expose you simply because he wants you to feel shame. He wants everything out of your life that affects your relationship with Him. The pain of dealing with sin is great but once it is cut off, you will remain. It will hurt so good! You will be able to breathe after.

There is no baggage in Heaven.

Now is the time. Deal with your sin. You’re not going to take it with you.

He’s too good of a Father for you to hold on to the world. It’s time to let go.