"WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CHILD OF GOD?"
Chapter 3: 1-3
Introduction: One of the greatest events in the life of any parent is the birth of a child, it is a very blessed, memorable, and emotional experience.
It is also a very significant day to the child. Of course, this baby has no concept of the significance of its parents.
So many, many factors in life are dependent upon parentage. Such things as: Spiritual training, economic status, educational exposure, social strata, and a thousand other tangible and intangible things are involved in the placement of a child in a home.
That baby is completely oblivious to all of these initially, but the fact of their reality still exists. As time passes, they become more and more evident! These same truths are found in the spiritual life also.
There is not a Christian alive who realized all they were receiving when they received Christ as Savior. Our lesson today discusses several parts of our inheritance as children of God
I/ CHILDREN OF GOD ARE THE OBJECT OF GOD’S UNSPEAKABLE LOVE
1 John 3:1,2 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. 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.
1/ As children of God, we are objects of His future goodness.
The word "behold" is plural, indicating that this inheritance is for all of God’s children. The phrase "what manner of" is the Greek word "potapen" which is a Greek word referring "to another country or race".
This love of God is something that is foreign to this human race. Romans 8:15-18 declares that we are the adopted children of God and therefore heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. When you remember:
a. That all of this world was created by God for Christ (Col. 1:16 and Rev. 4:11)
b. And when you recall that Christ was the object of God’s love before even the foundation of the world (John 17:24)
then you can see a small portion of the phenomenal love that God has for His adopted children.
Whenever you read in Romans 8:17 that we become "joint heirs with Christ", and in Romans 8:15 where we can approach Him with the same affection and lack of fear that a child would approach a loving earthly father, we see even more of the marvelous love of God which allowed us to become children of God.
Furthermore, when you remember:
a. That we have become His children as the result of His loving us before we even loved Him (I John 4:19)
b. And remember He loved us while we were yet sinners and sought us to become His children (Luke 19:10. And in Rom. 5:8)
then you can see even more of the depth of God’s unspeakable love.
I Peter 1:3-5 tells us that God has a future inheritance "reserved in heaven" for all of His children. I Cor. 2:9 declares that that inheritance is greater than anything we have seen, heard, or imagined.
2/ As children of God, we are objects of His love in this Present age.
Verse 2 calls us the "beloved". This is the Greek word "agape" which is the highest form of love. We have over 3,000 promises in God’s Word to the believer.
We have the right to come boldly before His throne of Grace (Heb. 4:16)
We have the promise of His divine providence (Rom. 8:28)
We have the promise of His divine provision for all our needs (Phil. 4:19); etc.; ad inf.
II/ AS CHILDREN OF GOD, WE HAVE SOMETHING THE WORLD DOES NOT AND CANNOT UNDERSTAND (3:1b) :
"therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not."
By "the world", John means the people of that system spoken of in I John 2:15-17; that is, the people of this world’s system which are without God. People who do not know God as their personal, forever Savior, cannot and do not understand the joys and the blessings of the Christian life.
(1) Jesus said in John 3:3 "That except a man be born again, he cannot experience" ("see" - "eido") which means to understand or perceive the benefits of eternal life.
(2) John 14:16-18 gives the glorious promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit to continue the work and presence of Jesus Christ in this age. And yet, He tells us plainly "that the world cannot receive Him and cannot see Him, and cannot know Him."
(3) Philippians 4:7 says "that the peace of God is beyond human understanding".
(4) John 16:22 tells us that believers have "a joy that no man can take from them".
III/ THE CHILDREN OF GOD HAVE THE ASSURANCE THAT THEIR SALVATION IS A PRESENT TENSE REALITY (3:1-2)
The Greek word for "hath bestowed" is a perfect tense verb. The perfect tense in the Greek language means an action that was completed in the past time with an abiding result.
This love of God was bestowed upon us even before our creation (Eph. 1:3-5). This love was manifested most clearly in the crucifixion of Christ for us (II Cor. 5:21). And yet, that love is a permanent possession of the recipient of God’s salvation.
Verse 2 makes it very plain that believers are now the "sons of God". That is a present tense reality. Furthermore, verse 2 also makes it plain that our future glorification is assured in Christ Jesus. This truth is substantiated repeatedly in the Word of God (John 3:16; John 5:24; John 10:28-29; Psalms 37:28; Philippians 1:6; Jude 24, etc.).
IV/ THE CHILDREN OF GOD HAVE THE PROMISE OF A FUTURE GLORIFICATION
3:2"but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."
1. The children of God do not presently have everything that God has promised (3:2). Although the children of God have more than the unbelievers, no believer has all that God has prepared for their future (I Cor. 2:9; Rom. 8:18; II Cor. 12:4; Rev. 21:3-5; etc.).
2. This future glorification and revelation is guaranteed by God (3:2). You will notice the word "know". This is not a hope, or wish, but a promise of God.
3. The fullness of this glorified state has never and will never be experienced in its fullness upon this earth. The Greek words for "it doth not yet appear" is an aorist tense which means "there never has appeared in the past and there is not appearing in the present anything like that which God shall reveal to us in the future." I Cor. 15:51-52 tells us that this is a "mystery" or something which has not yet been revealed, but will be revealed at the return of Christ and the rapture. We are told in I Thess. 4:13-18 that all believers will be changed into Christ-likeness, whether living or dead, at His appearing.
V/ THE CHILDREN OF GOD HAVE A REGENERATED INNER MAN (SPIRIT) WHICH PRODUCES OUTER SANCTIFICATION IN THE BELIEVER WHILE HE AWAITS THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST (3:3).
1. This truth is applicable to all believers ("every man"). Sanctification is not an option, but the result of the inner working of the Holy Spirit.
2. This work of sanctification is done through "the inner man". It is very obvious in the Greek that this refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Greek word for "He is pure" is "hagnos". This word is always used in reference to Christ, and not to God the Father, where the word is "hagios". This is an exciting promise that God’s Holy Spirit is sanctifying body and soul and it is a glorious promise that our future glorified state will be both physical and spiritual. If this referred to God the Father, then it would be only spiritual, for He does not have a body (John 4:24). But on this earth, through the process of sanctification, the believer is changed into the likeness of Christ, and at His return we shall be glorified into the likeness of Christ’s resurrected body, physically and spiritually.
Philippians 3:20-21 makes it plain that a believer’s "citizenship" is in heaven. We have something that the world did not give us and cannot take from us. It is from heaven also that Christ shall appear and at His appearing He will change "our vile body" into His glorious likeness. These verses do not exhaust all of the inheritance of the children of God, but give five wonderful possessions of a child of God.
THE PLAN OF SALVATION IN A CAPSULE
I/ SIN NECESSITATES THE NEED OF SALVATION
1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
1. This passage offers the simplest definition of sin in the Bible (3:4). The words "the transgression of the law" in the Greek text are one word, "anomia". It is made up of the word "nomos" which means "law" with an alpha prefix which simply means "no law".
Obviously, John is addressing the Antinomians who contended that under the covenant of grace, the believer is free from the responsibility of keeping the laws and commandments of God. There have always been people like this.
However, Jesus (grace) did not nullify the law (Matthew 5:17-20). Galatians 3:24 tells us the law shows us the need for a Savior. James 2:10-11 clearly shows that breaking any one of the commandments of God makes us guilty, condemned sinners in need of a Savior (Genesis 2:17 & Romans 6:23).
1 John 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 1 John 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
2. Sin reveals whose child a person really is (3:6b & 3:10). While a person is not saved by keeping the law (Gal. 2:16 & 21), and while all believers will sin after they are saved (I John 1:8 & 10), a person who habitually and deliberately breaks the commandments of God, clearly reveals whose child they really are. Obedience does not produce nor retain salvation, but obedience to God’s commandments manifests or reveals salvation. Continual breaking of the law reveals an absence of Christ.
II/ THE PRESENCE OF SIN PRODUCED THE NEED FOR A SAVIOUR
1 John 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
1. Jesus was revealed "to take away" the penalty of sin (3:5). The Greek word for "to take away" is "airo" and refers to our spiritual position in Christ. It is past tense. He came "to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). A believer is declared "righteous" in God’s sight thru Jesus (II Cor. 5:21 and Heb. 10:17).
2. Jesus was worthy to be our Savior and sin substitute (3:5b & Heb. 4:15). Jesus was not revealed to simply demonstrate a Godly lifestyle, but the scriptures plainly teach that He was revealed (manifested) to be our Savior. His sinless life made Him worthy to be our Savior (I Peter 1:18-21).
1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
3. Jesus is able to loosen the works of the flesh and Satan in born again believers (3:8b). The Greek word for "destroy" is the word "luo". This verse does not refer to our vertical position in Christ, but to our horizontal position in Christ. When a person is born again, their soul and spirit receives an eternal sinless nature, but the power of Christ within a believer is also able to loosen and remove the sins and works which Satan and the flesh have attached. Praise His name! (Gal. 5:16-18 and I John 4:4).
4. Jesus keeps the born again believer eternally saved (3:5; 2:1-2; and Romans 8:34-39) God’s seed (sperma) remains or abides continually in the believer, and therefore he "cannot sin". "Cannot sin" is "dunamai" in the Greek which means "I am not able" and is a present infinitive. Because of Christ in a believer, the Spirit and soul cannot commit sin and ever be separated from God, in the present nor future.
III/ WHENEVER A SINNER RECEIVES THE SAVIOUR, HE/SHE IS SAVED ETERNALLY
1 John 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
1. When a person is saved they will not continue to commit sin (3:6). The tense of the verbs is present, indicating a continuous, habitual, unceasing action and conduct.
And this verse clearly declares that everyone who habitually is sinning is unsaved.
1 John 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
2. No one should be misled into thinking that a saved person will habitually commit sin (3:7). John is careful to announce that no believer will be perfect, refuting the Perfectionist, but he is also careful to declare that a saved person will be a different and changed person, refuting the Antinomians (Matthew 7:20-23 & II Cor. 5:17).
3. Any good thing which comes out of a saved person is because of Jesus Christ within that person (3:7b and Romans 7:14-25).
1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
4. The soul and spirit of a saved person is instantaneously and eternally sanctified at the time of conversion (3:9). The word for "is born" is a perfect participle in the Greek text, speaking of past completed action at the time of regeneration when God imparted His divine nature to the believer (II Peter 1:4). This also refers to a present and eternally abiding result of that completed action in the past tense.
IV/ THE UNSAVED SINNER IS MANIFESTED BY HIS RESPONSE TO SIN AND THE SAVIOUR
1 John 3:6-7 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
1. A person who habitually commits sin has not and does not know the Saviour (3:6b-7a & John 14:15 & 23-24).
1 John 3:8a He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.
2. An unsaved man sins because of whose child he really is (3:8a and John 8:43-47).
V/ SATAN IS THE CAUSE OF ALL SIN AND THE REASON WE NEED A SAVIOUR
1. Satan possesses a totally depraved sin nature (3:8a). From the very first sin in Satan until the very present time, he is an unceasing, habitual sinner.
1 John 3:8b For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
2. The power of Jesus Christ is greater than the power of Satan (3:8b; 4:4; and Romans 6:12-14). This is good news to all sinners who desire to be saved and it is a great source of encouragement and patience to those of us who are saved sinners and desire victory over sinful habits.
1 John 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
3. Those who follow Satan are the children of Satan (3:8 and 3:10).
Satan has his demons just as God has His angels. Satan has his children just as God has His children. Satan has his doctrine just as God has His doctrine, etc. Don’t be deceived! If there is no fruit, there is no Savior in that person.
Conclusion: These few verses have clearly given the need, the provision, and the result of salvation. The believer must never forget that
1. Salvation is instantaneous (regeneration) (3:1-2)
2. Salvation is progressive (sanctification) (3:8-10)
3. Salvation is also futuristic and eschatological (glorification) (3:2).
A believer can say with confidence "I have been saved, I am saved, and I shall be saved." A believer can say with John Newton "I am not what I should be; I am not what I someday will be; but by the grace of God, I am not what I once was".
Called out of Darkness
A man named Rudd told what it is like to live at the North Pole during three months of darkness. You never see the sun. He said, "I ached and hungered to see the dawn." Then one morning in
February he climbed atop the wind-swept ridge and sat quietly, facing east; the sky was a gray sheet. Then it became a pale blue, which deepened. There was a silent rush of color as the
sun rose. Rudd stood blinking with frozen tears on his cheeks.
Many hunger for they know not what. They "ache and hunger for the dawn," for the Son to rise!
We have been called out of darkness into his marvelous light to be the light of the world. Mission is a call to testify to the light that is already in the world and illuminating every heart.
Won’t you discover your mission for God?
