“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.” (1 John 3:1-3)
John exalts the Lord concerning the wonderful gift of union with Him, both now and in eternity. We who have faith in Jesus are children of God, equal in righteousness to Jesus Himself, as deserving as He of the Father’s love and blessings. Though we are ever aware of our sinfulness, the truth of God’s blessing to us should spur us on to live in purity and holiness. And though we struggle in this life with our sinfulness and the sinful allure of the world, we rejoice to know that one day that struggle will be over.
God’s accepts us in love. He desires that we extend His love to others. Love, as He manifests it, is totally different from the world’s outrageous misconceptions of love as romance, “chemistry”, physical attraction, or sexual relations. Thousands of songs and motion pictures have extolled this type of cheap love. Billions of dollars has been wasted by people seeking this contemptible mockery of true love.
Love as God demonstrates toward us is what He desires of us: a positive regard for others, not just those who love us, not just our relatives and friends, but our enemies as well. Love is shown by self-sacrifice and caring for the needs of others without demanding or expecting anything in return. Jesus manifested such love by dying on the cross. He expects us to do the same. This seems an impossible task because we are by nature sinful and selfish. It is possible by faith in Jesus who knows our weakness. He equips and enables us, the children of His heavenly Father, to obey and love as He loves us.