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.—1 John 3:1-3
God the Father has lavished me with His love. I am not only called His child, I AM His child.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 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
For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.—Romans 8:15-17
This world is not my home. My hope is certain...my destiny sure. My life here is the worst things will get for me. Here on earth I might be rejected, despised and tried, but through it all, I can look forward to receiving my full inheritance in heaven. We, who believe, will be like Him and be with Him. My new man was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness.
and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,—Colossians 3:10
At Christ’s return, the believer (me!) will experience ultimate conformity to His likeness.
who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself—Philippians 3:21
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.—Romans 8:29
John MacArthur says this about that likeness...
“The glorious nature of that conformity defies description, but as much as glorified humanity can be like incarnate deity, believers will be, without becoming deity.”
Having this sure and certain hope encourages us to purify our hearts and live godly today. Paul nails it in Philippians 3:
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.—Philippians 3:12-14
Paul’s goal here on earth and in heaven were the same...Christlikeness. Ours should be the same.
