1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear… Loved ones, now are we the children (τέκνα) of God. We are His children even now. "Amidst all the mistakes on the part of the world we are nevertheless really now the children of God," however unworthy we may appear and however little we may be appreciated. The soil may dwarf the Divine life and prevent its perfect development; nevertheless, we have that life in germ. But the infinite future lies before us: "It doth not yet appear." The lily life is subject to hostile climate, and hence is imperfect. The life in us is an exotic from a celestial clime, "and" hence "it doth not yet appear what we shall be." There will be no difficulty in recognising our unfolding of His life in the future. "When He shall appear" all will be well; the life will unfold itself in divinest forms under the immediate sunlight of His countenance. "We shall be like Him." The life will have reached its type. For the present our "life is hid with Christ in God," but "when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory"; yes, "with Him in glory," because "like Him." What is the explanation of that perfect likeness? "For we shall see Him as He is." The sight of Him makes us like Him. Our life begins with a look "Behold the Lamb of God." In the same way that life develops: "We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory." So at last in the heavenly city we are made perfectly like Him, and seas of bliss begin to roll through our souls, because "we see Him as He is." What heaven in such a look! (A. R. Cocke, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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