“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. 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.” – 1 John 3:1-2
John speaks of the faith in this way so that we do not grow weary or lose hope. At the very core of these verses is the eternal truth that “God loves you.” John repeats this, not just here, but throughout the letter. We are called children of God — and because we are called His children, we ARE his children. Plain and simple because God is not a liar. We may sometimes find this difficult to comprehend because we still live in this world and in these bodies and we experience troubles every day. We don’t feel like children of God because we are in these bodies. We don’t experience what it is to be children of God in the fullest sense because we still have one foot in this world. But it does not matter! God has called us His children; thus, we are, and it matters not how we feel or what we experience! Trust His words and promises; God does not lie.
Jesus is hidden from the world. He, at one time, revealed Himself, but it was a brief revelation and only in the shadows. And even if God conceals Himself from us to a degree, He never withdraws Himself from us. It is the world, the flesh, and the devil that obscure our vision of Him so that we do not fully see God. It is faith which breaks through these things and faith comes from the Word of God. We are children of God, not because we physically see or experience God, but because we believe in God. This is so important in a world where people base so much on feelings and experiences. Faith is neither a feeling or an experience, but it is a sure and bold trust in God and His Word, so sure in fact that it stands strong and unwavered even in the darkest of tempests and winds.
Faith in the Word delivers great things concerning what we will one day become. But as long as we dwell in this world, our sinful nature is here, and the devil is on our back trying so hard to steal us away. But he is a scoundrel and a liar and has no authority to do anything but pester and annoy. We are children of God! And for we who are called His children and who love Him, we cannot even fathom what our futures and eternities will be with Him.
Dear Jesus, thank You for saving me and making me a child of the heavenly Father. Keep me steadfast in Your Word and promises so that, through daily repentance and trust in Your mercies, I may stand firm in the faith even when this world, my flesh, and the devil hound me, so that I may, on the Last Day, be called worthy and brought into everlasting joys. Amen!