Embracing Our Identity as God's Children
Summary
In 1 John 3:1-3, we are reminded of the profound love that God has lavished upon us, calling us His children. This is not merely a future hope but a present reality. As believers, we are already children of God, a status that is not based on our efforts or behavior but on a legal standing granted to us through faith. This standing is a gift, bestowed upon us by God's grace, and it is something we must receive. It is not automatic, nor is it something we can earn. This adoption into God's family means that we have rights as His children, including the cancellation of our debts and access to Him as our Father.
The passage also points us to a future hope that is even greater than our current reality. When Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. This future vision of God, often referred to as the beatific vision, is the ultimate fulfillment of our deepest desires. It is the moment when we will be fully transformed, and it is a hope that purifies us even now. The anticipation of seeing God face to face should reorder our priorities and purify our lives as we align ourselves with this ultimate goal.
This hope is not just a personal transformation but one that will impact all of creation. As we are transformed, the glory of God will be so great that it will envelop the entire created order, liberating it from its bondage to decay. This is the destiny of every believer, and it is a hope that should fill us with joy and anticipation.
Key Takeaways:
- Present Reality of Being God's Children: As believers, we are already children of God, not by our efforts but by a legal standing granted through faith. This status is a gift of grace, emphasizing that our relationship with God is not based on our performance but on His love and promise. [04:59]
- Adoption and Rights as God's Children: Our adoption into God's family grants us rights, including the cancellation of our debts and access to God as our Father. This relationship is not automatic; it must be received through faith in Christ. [11:55]
- Future Transformation and the Beatific Vision: The ultimate hope for believers is the future transformation when we shall see God as He is. This vision will fulfill our deepest desires and transform us completely, aligning us with God's glory. [15:29]
- Impact on Creation: Our future transformation will not only change us but will also impact all of creation, liberating it from decay. This highlights the cosmic scope of God's redemptive plan and our role in it. [17:32]
- Hope that Purifies: The anticipation of seeing God face to face should purify our lives now, reordering our priorities and aligning us with God's ultimate purpose. This hope is a powerful motivator for spiritual growth and transformation. [16:29]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:09] - Introduction to 1 John 3:1-3
- [01:08] - Beholding God by Faith
- [02:26] - Future Hope and Transformation
- [03:52] - Present Reality of Being God's Children
- [05:14] - Adoption and Legal Standing
- [07:04] - Receiving the Gift of Sonship
- [09:18] - Rights as God's Children
- [11:39] - Access to the Father
- [13:07] - God's Love for His Children
- [15:09] - Future Transformation and Beatific Vision
- [17:11] - Impact on Creation
- [19:17] - Fulfillment of Desires in God
- [21:38] - C.S. Lewis on Ultimate Fulfillment
- [24:41] - Conclusion and Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- 1 John 3:1-3
#### Observation Questions
1. According to 1 John 3:1, what is the significance of being called "children of God"? How does this reflect God's love for us? [00:09]
2. What does the sermon say about the current reality of being God's children and how it is not based on our efforts or behavior? [04:59]
3. In the sermon, how is the concept of "adoption" into God's family explained, and what rights does it grant us as believers? [11:55]
4. What future transformation is promised to believers according to 1 John 3:2, and how is this described in the sermon? [15:29]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the sermon explain the difference between being a child of God now and the future transformation that believers will experience? [15:09]
2. What does the sermon suggest about the impact of our future transformation on all of creation? How does this relate to the concept of the beatific vision? [17:32]
3. How does the anticipation of seeing God face to face serve as a motivator for spiritual growth and transformation according to the sermon? [16:29]
4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that our legal standing as God's children affects our daily lives and spiritual priorities? [04:59]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current understanding of being a child of God. How does this identity influence your daily decisions and interactions with others? [04:59]
2. The sermon emphasizes the need to receive our status as God's children through faith. What steps can you take to deepen your faith and fully embrace this identity? [11:55]
3. Consider the future hope of being transformed to be like Christ. How does this promise affect your long-term goals and aspirations? [15:29]
4. The sermon discusses the impact of our transformation on creation. How can you contribute to the liberation and renewal of the world around you in your current context? [17:32]
5. How does the hope of seeing God face to face challenge you to reorder your priorities and purify your life? What specific changes can you make this week to align with this hope? [16:29]
6. Reflect on the rights you have as a child of God, such as access to the Father. How can you make use of these rights in your prayer life and relationship with God? [11:55]
7. The sermon mentions that our status as God's children is not based on our performance. How can this understanding bring you peace and assurance in times of personal failure or doubt? [06:48]
Devotional
Day 1: Present Reality of Divine Adoption
As believers, we are already children of God, not by our efforts but by a legal standing granted through faith. This status is a gift of grace, emphasizing that our relationship with God is not based on our performance but on His love and promise. [04:59]
"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him." (1 John 3:1, ESV)
Reflection: Consider how your identity as a child of God influences your daily decisions. What is one way you can live more fully into this identity today?
Day 2: Adoption and Rights in God's Family
Our adoption into God's family grants us rights, including the cancellation of our debts and access to God as our Father. This relationship is not automatic; it must be received through faith in Christ. [11:55]
"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12-13, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on the rights you have as a child of God. How can you exercise these rights in your prayer life today?
Day 3: Future Transformation and the Beatific Vision
The ultimate hope for believers is the future transformation when we shall see God as He is. This vision will fulfill our deepest desires and transform us completely, aligning us with God's glory. [15:29]
"For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." (1 Corinthians 13:12, ESV)
Reflection: Imagine what it will be like to see God face to face. How does this future hope inspire you to live differently today?
Day 4: Cosmic Impact of Our Transformation
Our future transformation will not only change us but will also impact all of creation, liberating it from decay. This highlights the cosmic scope of God's redemptive plan and our role in it. [17:32]
"For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God." (Romans 8:19-21, ESV)
Reflection: How can you participate in God's redemptive plan for creation today? What is one practical step you can take to care for the world around you?
Day 5: Hope that Purifies
The anticipation of seeing God face to face should purify our lives now, reordering our priorities and aligning us with God's ultimate purpose. This hope is a powerful motivator for spiritual growth and transformation. [16:29]
"Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure." (1 John 3:2-3, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life that needs purification? How can the hope of seeing God face to face motivate you to pursue holiness today?
Quotes
"How great is the love the father has lavished on 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 dear friends now we are children of God and what we will be has not been yet made known but we know that when he appears we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself as he is pure." [00:00:27]
"Beloved we are children of God to be a Christian is not to try to be a child of God but to be a child of God now it's very typical of people to say something like this if you say are you a Christian there's a tendency for them to say I am trying I hope so to say that shows you don't really understand the nature of it this little phrase teaches us what the Bible teaches throughout and that is that Christianity to be a Christian is primarily a standing it's a legal position never forget that." [00:04:59]
"Beloved we are children of God and notice one other thing about what it means to be a Christian is we not only see the Christianity is essentially primarily to be a standing it's a legal position or standing also it's a legal position or standing that we've received because it says in verse one how great is the love of the father that the father has lavished on us and we mentioned this last week I'll say this again this says bestowed upon us made a present to us this tells us that you have to receive this that is not automatic it's got to be brought into your life." [00:07:20]
"Your debts are cancelled when you become a child of God you have access and one more thing when Jesus Christ prayed to us for the to the Father he said father I want them to have the same love you gave me I want you to love them even as you love me and here's something very interesting and I occasionally refer to this my sister has five children yeah that's right I have to count and two of them are dotted and three of them are biologically from her and it's the job of a parent who adopts children into a family it's the job of the parent to say I will love you to the adopted child even as I love my natural children that's the job." [00:11:57]
"Now John is suddenly moving to the future and he is saying that there's something far greater in the future than what we even have now and I'm almost afraid to talk about it for fear of obscuring the glory of it but let's let's do it look at this phrase he says beloved now we are children of God but we're going to be something even more what we know is when he appears we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is let's look at the text briefly first of all number one first of all don't overlook the fact it says beloved we are now children of God now we are children of God now before we move on don't overlook that." [00:03:08]
"Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself as he is pure what kind of experiences this that even though we haven't had it yet they even want it starts to make radical changes in you they even what it begins to transform you Romans chapter 8 tells us that nature is subject to decay you know as great as nature is it's falling apart look at the beautiful flower tomorrow it will be on the dung heap things fall apart as the novel says things fall apart including as beautiful as nature is it's always falling apart is subject to decay we're told in Romans 8 that nature itself groans and yearns to be liberated from its bondage to decay." [00:16:29]
"When we see him face to face and when we actually experience the complete transformation that occurs because we're seeing him face to face the glory that will be infused upon us and it will come to us will be so great that we'll bring nature with us we're going to be ground zero for some kind of experience of God's glory that is so great that it will envelop all of the created order what is it I only have time to sort of mention it here because we'll have to come back and look at it later here's what it is seeing him as he is the more you see him as he really is the more you actually become like him on that day when we actually see him as he is we're going to find that we have become just like him will be completely glorified." [00:17:32]
"Psalm 17 15 says when I awake I shall behold your face and righteousness I shall experience total fulfillment when I see your form Psalm 17 15 David when I awake I will behold your face and righteousness I shall experience total fulfillment when I see your form what is it talking about let me just read you two quotes here's a guy named John Flavel Puritan writer British wrote in the 1600s and he put it this way and he's talking about this verse he says what will it be like he says the understanding can no no more the will can will nothing are there other the emotions of joy delight and love are all in their proper center for all good is in this chief good as all the rivers of the world come from the ocean as you bring a great ship into a narrow channel she cannot swim or sail but runs the ground but give it sea room and depth and she can turn and sail before the wind so it is here all that delights you and earthly things can never satisfy you for all of your desires are in God the comforts you have here are only drops in flaming not satisfying the appetites of your soul but the lamb will lead you to Fountains of living water you know you've got all these appetites here's your intellectual appetite and your aesthetic appetite and your sexual appetite and your relational appetite and your creative appetite what's so interesting is that the same object that stimulates you intellectually may not stimulate you relationally you know you need an electrical stimulation and you need this you need that the objects here John Flavel says can only satisfy one of your many desires and only partially because they wear out you need new ones but there is an object he says there's an object that can fulfill all of those at once and absolutely and finally what is it it's the vision of God whether you know it or not he says your mind is after it your heart is after it what you're after in sex what you're after in thinking what you're after in work what you're after in love and relationships this is what you're after I will behold your face and righteousness I will be satisfied by seeing your form." [00:18:18]
"Beloved as great as it is what we have now and as great as it is to have the things we have now it's nothing compared to the day in which we see him as he is look for that let's pray father we ask that you would help us not to be too overwhelmed by what is being promised but to say Lord I build my life around that that's my goal that's why I'm after I would make nothing else ultimate everything else is penultimate to this I want to see your face I pray Lord that everybody in this room will find that as they make that vow and as they make that promise their lives are reordered their priorities are reordered and they find themselves being purified even as your son is pure it's in his name we pray amen." [00:25:21]
"Now what are you saying here if you're a child now there's something we know will happen you notice that we are now children of God but we know that we are destined the climax of your life is to see him as he is right now you see him by faith but then face to face if your life was a symphony this would be the chord it's building - if your life was it was a book this would be the climax every Christian is someone who knows that you are destined to see him face to face this is the visio day this is what's called the beatific vision the vision of God seeing him face to face this experience is so astonishing that we're told here look at verse 3 it says everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself as he is pure." [00:15:29]
"Beloved we are children of God and what we will be has not been yet made known but we know that when he appears we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is now John is suddenly moving to the future and he is saying that there's something far greater in the future than what we even have now and I'm almost afraid to talk about it for fear of obscuring the glory of it but let's let's do it look at this phrase he says beloved now we are children of God but we're going to be something even more what we know is when he appears we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is let's look at the text briefly first of all number one first of all don't overlook the fact it says beloved we are now children of God now we are children of God now before we move on don't overlook that." [00:03:08]
"Beloved we are children of God to be a Christian is not to try to be a child of God but to be a child of God now it's very typical of people to say something like this if you say are you a Christian there's a tendency for them to say I am trying I hope so to say that shows you don't really understand the nature of it this little phrase teaches us what the Bible teaches throughout and that is that Christianity to be a Christian is primarily a standing it's a legal position never forget that." [00:04:59]
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained only on this specific sermon. Do you have any questions about it?