This week we are going to be looking at 1 John 3: 1-10.  This passage has some really powerful and important words for us to hear.  Today we’ll be looking at the World in Front of the Text of this passage.

1 See what love the Father has given 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. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. 3 And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. 4 Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 Everyone who commits sin is a child of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Those who have been born of God do not sin, because God’s seed abides in them; they cannot sin, because they have been born of God. 10 The children of God and the children of the devil are revealed in this way: all who do not do what is right are not from God, nor are those who do not love their brothers and sisters.

We see John in this chapter, along with the previous chapter, really emphasize the Holy Spirit,  The Spirit lavishes us with that love and grace of God. The world doesn’t recognize us because the world does not recognize Jesus.  I think this passage has a couple of things that we need to internalize within our lives.

First, understand that through His grace we are the children of God. What love He has given us, that we should be His children.  Know that, you are loved and are part of His family.  Through Jesus, you can be His child.  What great love.

Second, we see that through that same Holy Spirit, we know Him in a way that the world doesn’t.  So, don’t be discouraged when the world doesn’t know, doesn’t follow, doesn’t care.  Remember, the world doesn’t know Him.  So, let’s not get mad at lost folks who don’t know Jesus.  They don’t know Jesus.  Our job is not to be mad at them for not knowing, our job is to teach them who He is and how to love Him.  We know Him.  Our job is to live in that love and then show that love to others.  They don’t know.  We have to show them.

But we also see what that life looks like, it is a life of dedication to Jesus, His life, and His ideals.  We purify ourselves as He is pure.  In other words, we seek to live a life of holiness and dedication to the way that He has shown us through scripture. Our life is not live haphazardly.  Our life, our Christian life, should be lived with purpose.  With intentionality, with a goal.  Jesus did that and He calls us to that.  We must seek after His purity and holiness.  Just as He is, and when He returns, we will be ready.

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