Tonight, after a bit of a pause, we return to our study of the epistle of 1 John. The text tonight being 1 John 2, verse 29 through chapter 3, verse 3. Before we consider that text together, we want to read for our background reading from that familiar chapter in Romans, Romans chapter 8, beginning at verse 12 through verse 39, the end of the chapter. Romans 8, beginning at verse 12 as we now hear the Word of God. Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation, but it is not to the sinful nature to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of Sonship. And by Him we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves who have the firstfruits of the Spirit groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son. that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined He also called. Those He called He also justified. Those He justified He also glorified. What then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also along with Him graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died, more than that, who was raised to life, is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written, for your sake we face death all day long. We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. If you would also turn with me to 1 John. 1 John chapter 2. Again, the last verse of chapter 2, verse 29, and then the first three verses of chapter 3, which serve as the text for this evening. Verse 29 of chapter 2. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of Him. How great is the 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. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known, but we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. Beloved of the Lord Jesus Christ in 1 John 1, verse 4, John tells his audience the purpose for writing this letter, and that is to make our joy complete. And the teaching of this text gives the believers just about the greatest reason for joy that we can imagine. It's hard to beat this. And each one of us really ought to just stop and meditate on the amazing truth that God teaches us here. Now, as we pick up our study of 1 John, we need to remember that John has been talking in the first two chapters about having fellowship with God, which assumes having a relationship with God. Which makes sense because you cannot have fellowship with one whom you do not have a relationship with. But this complete joy that John speaks of includes knowing God and having fellowship with Him. In fact, that's the foundation of that complete joy. But you see, it's not just any old kind of a relationship, for example. It's not like a casual acquaintance with one that we know, but we don't know that one that well. It's not even like a best friendship when we think we know one better than anyone else. Throughout the first two chapters of this letter, we have been taught some of the characteristics of that fellowship, which include not walking in darkness, but instead walking in the light of the truth. It includes not sinning. It includes knowing God and obeying His commandments. It includes walking as Jesus walked, as chapter 2, verse 6 says. It also includes loving Christian brothers and sisters. As well, it includes knowing the truth. But you see, there's even more to the fellowship God's people have with Him. Indeed, they have a relationship. It involves a relationship with God, between God and His people. But it involves an intimate relationship. the only kind of fellowship that one can really have with God, and that is that He is our Father through our Lord Jesus Christ. Beloved, true fellowship with God flows from the most intimate relationship with God. That's the Word of God we want to consider tonight. And again, what is that most intimate relationship? He is our Father, and we, that is, believers, are His children. Simple language, really. Everyday language that each one of us is familiar with, yet so powerful and so sweet. He is our Father. We are His children. That's what John stresses in this text. He even makes the point more secure as he speaks of being born of Him. And as you can tell from the five sermon points listed in your order of worship, there are a number of things that John teaches about this relationship. First of all, it is a relationship identified by righteousness. Notice again verse 29 of chapter 2. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of Him. Now, those characteristics of a child of God which were talked about in the first two chapters, which we just summarized, the things that indeed were dealt with earlier, can be summed up, I believe, with one word if you look at them closely. And that word is righteousness. Righteousness is essential when it comes to having fellowship with God because we know that a holy God cannot have fellowship with something that is not holy. And of course, this isn't talking about simply doing civil good and being a nice neighbor. John is talking about the righteousness that comes from being born again, from having a transformed heart and life where God's law is my delight and where His will is my desire. It's that righteousness that desires to imitate Jesus by walking as Jesus walked, again as chapter 2 verse 6 says. It is that righteousness that flows from a heart and a life filled with the Holy Spirit as we considered this morning. The righteousness that John talks about here is the effect of something else. The cause, you see, is being born of God through Jesus Christ, which results in righteousness in that order. Being born of God and then it results in righteousness. not the other way around as some erroneously teach. Being born of God results in a lifestyle of doing what is right. Now, we're not talking here as well about the righteousness of Christ, which is freely given to the believer in justification so that God now sees believers as clothed in the white robes of Christ's righteousness, His perfect righteousness, but we're talking about the righteousness that flows from that gift that we receive. We're talking about the righteousness that is included in sanctification, that which is worked in us by the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit and that which we as believers demonstrate in our walk of life. But ultimately, the righteousness practiced by God's people points back to God. That's what John is saying in verse 29. Because one can only practice what is right when that one is born of the righteous one. Through Jesus Christ, whom John describes as the righteous one in chapter 2 verse 1, believers are made a part of the family of God and they can't help but to display the family resemblance. Membership in the family of God is to be recognized by the family likeness. Now we know that children often display the family traits of their parents, whether that be in physical looks or mannerisms or any number of ways. And in the same way, Paul says in Ephesians 2, verse 10, For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Now, of course, we're not talking about a perfect or a sinless life here. We could wish for that. We are to strive for that. But the sad truth is that there is so much work for the Holy Spirit still to do in each one of us. And He won't be finished until He brings us into the glory after this life. But again, to do what is right means to practice a righteous life by the grace of God where first of all we recognize that this is our Heavenly Father's world and that He is sovereign over all things. That He is the great provider. That we are called to be obedient to Him because of who He is and what He has done. And all of this because we realize by the grace of God that this world is not our home, our citizen. We are citizens of the heavenly kingdom. Beloved, righteous conduct or behavior is not a condition for being born again. But it is a consequence, a result of being born again. And it identifies our relationship with the one and only righteous God. And that very fact must cause us to pause and reflect upon the truth that in all of our life, we represent the God we serve. In all of our life, in every aspect of our life, we represent the One we profess to serve. And therefore, we need to pause and reflect and ask ourselves, do we represent Him positively or negatively? Do I represent Him in a way that brings honor and glory to His name or is my representation of Him something that shames His name? In the second place, this relationship John teaches of is a relationship resulting from an amazing love. The first part of chapter 3, verse 1, How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God and that is what we are. Now, the NIV overlooks an important word that is in many Greek manuscripts, which is translated as behold, or look, or stop and consider for a moment. A word meant to get our attention and indeed to get us to consider for a moment how great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God. Often children are proud to be identified with their parents. When I was young, it seemed that everyone knew my dad because he was an important banker in our small town. At least I thought he was an important banker. He was to me. And I was proud to say that J. Voss is my dad. I still am proud of that. Are we proud? Not arrogantly proud. Not boastfully proud. But are we humbly proud to be called children of God? and to be able to call Him our Father. If you're not, then maybe you need a good dose of Yana de Young. Maybe you need to go spend a few minutes with her, who cannot say enough about her Heavenly Father. But John reminds us here, you see, that there is only one reason that we should be called children of God, and that's because of the greatness of His love. It's an amazing love. How great is the love the Father has lavished on us. Why has He lavished it on us? That we should be called children of God. You see, you and I didn't choose to be God's children. We didn't choose Him to be our Father. He chose us, and as Paul says in Ephesians 1, He chose us in Christ before the creation of the world. And it's only through the Holy Spirit who directs our eyes toward heaven that we cry out, Abba, Father! That we understand that sonship. John's point here is that it is all of God. Nothing of this relationship is of our doing or of our deserving. And that's amazing when we stop to consider the fact that it's not because of who or what we were that God chose us, but in spite of what we were. By nature, we are enemies of God. We don't want a relationship with Him. We hate Him. And you see, this love of God, beloved, is amazing when we consider what we should have expected from Him. What should have we expected from Him? His righteous wrath and eternal punishment in hell. But instead, He lavished His love on us. In other words, He put it into, implanted, infused, injected His love into His people. Yet this great love of God is something that is foreign to man, isn't it? It's foreign to our practice, even as Paul makes clear in Romans 5, verses 7 and 8, very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. You see, this love of God is a love that is natural to Him and Him alone. A love that freely gives without expecting anything in return. And its only motive is the bounty and the generosity of the giver. And this love led to the cross where the only begotten Son of God gave His life in ransom. that you and I and all of God's elect children would be adopted children of God. Now the parent-child relationship is a one-of-a-kind relationship, isn't it? A child enjoys certain privileges. Children in a family can expect that their parents will provide and care for them, that there will be food for them, clothing for them, shelter for them. Boys and girls, is that because you deserve it? No. It's because of the love of your parents and because they promise to God. that they would do so. In the same way children of God can expect that our Heavenly Father will provide us with all that we stand in need of because He has promised to do so of His great love. As well, only the children in a particular family can call their parents mom or dad. That's a privilege that belongs only to children in a family. Just as children of God are the only ones who can call Him Abba, Father. There's also a legal aspect to the parent-child relationship where the state recognizes that this particular child belongs in this particular family and has the family name. But see, it's also deeper than all of this. A child shares the very nature of his or her parents. A child may look or act like his parents or have the same desires or talents as his parents. Sometimes we say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree And we use that phrase to describe this very thing. And this is even true sometimes in our human adoptive situations. In God's good providence, as parents raise a child, they have adopted that child takes on the characteristics, the nature of the parents. Children of God are given and take on the very life of God as they become temples of the Holy Spirit. We are transformed more and more in His image. We are new creations, the Bible says. We are different than the world. We are heirs of God. Those who are inheritors of all that God has for us. That's an awesome privilege. Heirs of God. Those who look forward to the inheritance earned for us by Christ and waiting for us. It's already ours in principle and we will enjoy the fullness of it in glory. Beloved, we are called children of God for a very good reason. Because that's what we are right now. It's not that we hope one day to become His children. God calls us what He has already made us to be in Christ. And that's His children. Sadly, sometimes we are rebellious, disobedient, wayward children who need His discipline. But praise be to God, those who believe are already right now His children. And as His children, we can recognize His other children by their righteousness, by the family resemblance. Because again, the only way to be righteous is to have been born of the righteous one. And that is also the only way to recognize righteousness. You see, what's interesting is that our relationship with the Heavenly Father is also, in the third place, a relationship invisible to those who don't share it. Notice the second half of verse 1 of chapter 3. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. And then in verse 2, John says, And what we will be has not yet been made known. But the reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. You see, in this life, God's children are only truly recognizable by God's children. The world has no clue what beauty there is in being a child of God. Because those in the world are not born of Him. The world does not recognize the glorious position of a child of God. Because they don't know God. They're not a part of that beautiful body of Christ. They don't make the connection between believers as human beings and as those who also enjoy heavenly citizenship. They don't make that connection. The world doesn't understand righteousness, whether it be of God or of His children, because they only understand what chapter 2, verse 16 says, the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what He has and does. The world misses the truth of God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son because they suppress the truth in unrighteousness. Indeed, congregation, the world can see and is to see that there is something different about God's children. Just because they are ignorant of it, just because they can't understand it or recognize it doesn't let us off the hook. It doesn't mean that we are not responsible before God. to demonstrate that we are children of God. They don't understand that difference. And that's why the world despises Christians. As we are light, the world often covers its eyes because they can't stand the brightness of God's glory. And as we are salt, the world often spits at the church because they can't stand the taste. In fact, the world despises the church and God's children because they can't understand us. To the world, Christians are nothing more than ordinary flesh and blood people. That's all that they see. Yet, they also think that we're not too bright. You see, we give a portion of our hard-earned money to the church. We as parents pay a lot of money to educate our children when it could be free. What's the matter with us? Even as a church, We help to pay for the education of the congregation's children. We spend vast amounts of money on missions to support missions to go out and tell others about some man who died on the cross. And what this comes down to in the world's eyes is that God's children support foolishness, you see. As Paul says, for God has chosen through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. We support foolishness. And as well as believers, God's people don't take advantage of all that this world has to offer. And there are so many other things that in the world's eyes cause us to seem not too smart or too bright. But congregation, we need to understand that as we are rejected by the world, As the world laughs and scoffs at God's children, the world confirms what we really are. And that is children of God. And that's why we must not desire friendship and acceptance and the approval of the world, even as we considered a bit this morning. That's dangerous, you see. Instead, as one commentator said, to be hated by the world may be unpleasant, But ultimately, it should reassure the members of the community of faith that they are loved by God, which is far more important than the world's hatred. Is that more important to you? To be loved by God than to worry about the world's hatred? You see, the world is blind to the truth of God and His children and that's why they simply can't understand our joy in the midst of sorrow or our comfort in the midst of death or our peace in the midst of turmoil, our patience in adversity or our thankfulness in prosperity. The world doesn't see the precious blood of Jesus Christ that washes us white as snow. They don't recognize that gem of faith that is polished by trials and perfected so that one day we will be presented by Christ to His Heavenly Father without blemish, without stain, without wrinkle. Little does the world know that those who are despised in her eyes are the favorites of heaven. And just as Christ's glory was veiled by His flesh, so now our life is hidden with Christ in God, as Paul says in Colossians 3, verse 3. And this means, beloved, that the world doesn't see that Christians enjoy a relationship which promises that the best is yet to come. That's our fourth point tonight. Verse 2 of chapter 3. Dear friends, now we are children of God. And what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. It is true that today in this life there is really no physical evidence that we are children of God. Other than what we are to display, of course. But as we compare physical human beings, There is really no physical evidence that there is something that we are children of God. We still get hurt. We get sick. We bleed. We die. As for now, dust we are, and to dust we will return. In this life, we walk in the shadow of death. Yet by the grace of God, we enjoy that vital union with our Lord Jesus Christ just as the branch is united with the vine and is nourished by the vine. In the same way, we too are nourished and find our life support only in our faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. Yet today, even though the world can't understand it or see it, today we enjoy the title of being children of God. We enjoy the possession of the Holy Spirit of God. We enjoy the right to the inheritance of glory by adoption. And of course, all of this means nothing to the world, but the best is yet. To come. Because all of this points forward to, all of this is a down payment, if you will, of the glory that awaits us. You see, beloved, that glory is a part of God's unfailing and unchangeable plan. Notice again from Romans 8. Beautiful chapter which supports everything we're saying here, but especially these verses, verses 28-30. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called. Those He called, He also justified. Those He justified, He also glorified. Part of God's unfailing and unchangeable plan. But also, that glory is guaranteed if God is for us. Who can be against us? And Paul talks about How will He not also along with Him, that is, Christ His Son, graciously give us all things? Then picking up at verse 35, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble, or hardship, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, For your sake we face death all day long. We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. No, beloved, not yet has God made a public display of the glory that belongs to His children, of the beauty of the body of Christ, His church. Not yet. As someone else has said, the robe of Christ's righteousness, our crown of hope, the diamond of faith, the pearls of love are invisible to physical eyes. The Scripture is clear what we shall be. It's still a mystery to us, to be sure. But we shall be raised and perishable. We shall be like Him. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3, verse 18, And we who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. And then Paul gets even more specific in Philippians 3, verse 21, And we eagerly await a Savior from there that is from heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body. Beloved, we are children of God now, right now, at this very moment. That's a fact. That will stay the same. That fact will not change. How we experience it, how we enjoy it, that will change as one day we will be glorified with Christ. The world doesn't see that now. They are blinded. to the reality of the living hope that we have. But when Christ comes again on the clouds of heaven and is revealed as He truly is for every eye to see, even our eyes, then those who rejected Him will also, at that time, see the truth about those He came to save. On that day, the family resemblance will also be made clear to the world who rejected Christ and despised His church. But that day is not yet here. And until that day, we must remember that this is a relationship that is not lazy. Verse 3 of chapter 3, Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as he is pure. True believers are actively Christian who desire to be holy even as God is holy. We sing from time to time beautiful Savior. And we are called to desire that beauty. You see, that hope that is ours by the grace of God, that faith that will become sight one day when we stand in the very presence of our Heavenly Father and see Jesus Christ as He truly is, inspires the child of God to prepare for that day even now. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 7, verse 1, Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. Of course, we know that we cannot make ourselves perfect and pure. That's the work of the Holy Spirit of God in sanctification. Yet He also includes us. We have a part in that sanctifying work. You see, our new nature in Christ comes with a desire to hate sin and to avoid sin and to desire to be like Christ. And this is something the child of God actively works at. That's what John says here. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself. It's a fact. John doesn't say ought to purify himself. But this is what one does who possesses this hope in Christ. This is the natural activity of God's children. We are called to work out our salvation, to live out our salvation in fear and trembling. Holiness naturally follows from an understanding of our position as children. Understanding who God is, our Father. Understanding who we are in relation to Him. You see, this is doctrine and life that we're talking about. Now, some don't like the word doctrine. It's a heavy word. Doctrine divides. Doctrine splits churches. But you see, beloved, you can't separate doctrine and life. When I asked a mother in my previous congregation a few years ago why she was no longer requiring her children, even her high school children, to attend catechism, her answer was she had had too much doctrine throughout her life and she's not worried about doctrine. All she's concerned about is that her children have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. How blinded she was. She didn't understand that it's impossible to have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ without doctrine. Because doctrine teaches us who we are and why we are who we are. It teaches us who God is. It teaches us of Jesus Christ and our relationship with Him. And our life and our conduct of life naturally flows out of that doctrine. That's why all of God's people are held by God to the same standard. God's standard. There's a set of initials that I think have been understood throughout the history of the church, at least in my lifetime. The initial is PK. It stands for preacher's kid. And for some odd reason, even when I was young, I remember that PKs were held by the congregation to a different standard than their own children. You know, after we moved here a couple of years ago, I remember talking to Steve Hauerzal, and he told me what his father, Reverend Hauerzal, said to them when they were younger, and that is that he didn't expect any more out of his children than he expected from every other child in the church. Do I expect a lot from my children? Yes. But I don't expect any more from them than I expect from every other one of you children here tonight. And that's because we are called to live according to a high standard. Not my standard. Not the congregation's standard. but God's standard. As Paul says again, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. Beloved, we purify ourselves by considering Jesus Christ and what He has done for us. We purify ourselves by looking at Him and His perfect life and striving to walk as He walked. He is the only pattern we are to follow. We know that the world gives us many alternative patterns. But He alone is the way and the truth and the life. We purify ourselves by meditating on the Word of God and admiring and considering how great and glorious is God's love. That's what John is telling us to do here. Admire and consider how great and glorious is God's love. We purify ourselves by striving to do what is right, even in the midst of a world that will despise and ridicule us for doing it. And we purify ourselves, beloved, by striving, desiring to be drawn closer to our Father. What glory for the child of God. Do you understand what it means that God calls you His child? Does that humble you and fill you with an overwhelming awe and desire to display the family resemblance? Of course, if you are not a child of God because you don't believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, then you are most likely quite comfortable with the world and the world is most likely quite comfortable with you and accepts you as you are. How dangerous. And if that's the case, there is no room for you in the Heavenly Father's house. But for those who turn to the Lord Jesus Christ and trust in Him alone for salvation, God says to you without a doubt, you are my child. I am your Father. There is no greater blessing. And Jesus says, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. That's our joy, beloved. And what a day that will be when that joy is made complete. Amen. Shall we pray? Father, what a wonderful, awesome truth that we are able to cling to, that You are our Father and we are Your children. O Lord God, we know that we don't deserve that title and we often don't act like Your children, Lord, we pray that indeed You would help us to take this call seriously and also to understand that we are indeed called as those who are children of God to purify ourselves. That it would be our desire to more and more look like our Lord Jesus Christ and display the image of God. Oh, Father, we pray that You would continue that work which You have begun in us. We thank You for the promise that indeed that work will be completed one day of the day of Christ Jesus. Hear our prayer for Jesus' sake and in His name, Amen.