Our identity in Christ is not something we earn—it is a gift of grace. John reminds us that we are called God’s children now, and one day we will see Christ face to face. That hope shapes how we live in the present.

Scripture
“See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.” — 1 John 3:1–2 (NLT)

Reflection
John begins with amazement: “See how very much our Father loves us!” The love of God is not abstract—it is personal, expressed in making us His children. This is not just a future reality; it is true right now. In Christ, we belong to the Father’s family.

And yet, there is a “not yet.” What we will fully be has not yet appeared. When Christ returns, we will be made like Him, transformed by His glory. This hope does not make us passive—it purifies us. As John says, “And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure” (1 John 3:3, NLT).

John contrasts the lives of God’s children and the children of the devil. Sin is lawlessness, and those who make a practice of sinning reveal that they do not belong to God. But those who abide in Christ practice righteousness, showing the fruit of their new birth.

Application
Live today in the confidence that you are God’s child. Let that identity shape your choices, your words, and your thoughts. Fix your hope on the day when you will see Christ as He is, and allow that hope to fuel a pursuit of purity and righteousness here and now.

References
“But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.” — John 1:12 (NLT)

Prayer
Father, thank You for calling me Your child. I rest in the security of Your love and look forward to the day when I will see Jesus face to face. Purify my heart as I wait for Him, and help me to walk in righteousness that reflects the family I belong to. Amen.