Knowing That We Shall Be Like Him
“1 See what great 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. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,[a] we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.”
Through 1 John, we learn what it means to live as a Christian. Today’s passage teaches us what it means to be children of God. God’s children are those who receive His love and keep His commandments. Those who persist in sin align themselves with the work of the devil, but those who practice righteousness are truly God’s children.
God’s grace is not merely about forgiving our sins; it has the power to heal our sinful nature. He does not only pardon us legally but also transforms our broken hearts and sinful tendencies. Grace is more than just forgiveness—it is the power that wholly renews us.
What, then, does a transformed life look like? 1 John emphasizes that it is a life of love. To become like God is to love like God. The essence of a holy life is love—loving God and loving our neighbors is at the heart of Christian living. Reading Scripture and practicing our faith are not merely legalistic acts but natural expressions of a heart that loves God. The more we grow to resemble God, the more we distance ourselves from sin and embrace others in love. This transformation is possible only through the power of God’s grace, shaping us into the image of Christ.
Prayer: Lord, heal our broken hearts caused by sin and our sinful nature. We ask that You restore our weak hearts, which are prone to wrongdoing, through the power of Your grace. May our perspective in prayer be transformed as we walk with You, and may our hearts be filled with hope and expectation in You. Help us to live lives that love You and love our neighbors, avoiding sin and walking in righteousness. Lord, work within us so that we may be renewed in Your likeness.
(Note: This summary was created based on an AI draft.)