WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM
1 John 3:1 ¶ Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
The Harlot Church of organized religion in its man-centered focus, only dwells upon one ‘getting saved’ in order to stay out of Hell. But that leaves the believer completely out of any intimate relationship with the Person of God, the Saviour! Jonah had to go to “Fish School” in order to learn “Salvation is of the Lord!” (Jonah 2:9)
Therefore we must divest ourselves of such man-centered religion and come to see the true purpose of the God-focused salvation. One would only have to give the prayer of the Lord Jesus as recorded in John chapter seventeen a serious reading to see that the mind and purposes of the Trinity is far different from that imagined by today’s religion. Just take a moment and give the Son’s words a prayerful reading.
John 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. 10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
John 17:20 ¶ Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
John 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. 26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
If you get nothing else from even a light reading of these verses, it must at lease become obvious that the Son knew his death was to bring the Father’s love to those whom the Father had given him for redemption. And this love would be the same as the Father’s love for Himself! Wow! But that kind of intimacy is completely missing in today’s organized religion.
Take another moment and reread the first verse of our text in 1 John. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: John is awed by the awareness of the Father’s love for all believers to be called the sons of God! And the Apostle Paul writes it is because we are sons that God sends his Holy Spirit into us! Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. And do not these wondrous statements from God’s apostles bring a far different concept to our hearts than religion has ever presented to us?
It certainly doesn’t sound like salvation is just an offer from religion to the convert for the prize of not going to Hell! It rather fully conveys the glorious concept of God’s love to the sinner. Religion has gotten in between the glory of God’s purpose of redemption, and the sinner to whom that intimate union is to be granted. We are to receive the personal love of the Father in order that we should, along with the Lord Jesus, be called the sons of God! Romans 8:17 ¶ And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Revelation 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
The Hebrew writer understood that the Incarnation and crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ caused Him to be made one with those for whom he died! Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 10 ¶ For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. 13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. 14 ¶ Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
We should not allow the familiarity with religious traditions to cause us to lose the sense of the awe-inspiring love of the Father! For true salvation is far more than attending religious services and memorizing bible verses. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us!” 1 John 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
For eternal life is not just joining in with the club of religious practitioners. True salvation is had in a personal relationship with the Person of God Himself! John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
And that powerful and intimate acquaintance is had in experiencing one’s own cross, bringing that sufferer into the fellowship of The Crucified Christ! Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. – That is, the spiritual resurrection to only be had in regeneration! For regeneration is the resurrection from being dead in trespasses and sin.
Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
Hebrews 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
After his resurrection the Lord Jesus made himself known to the Emmaus disciples by the breaking of bread. Their hearts were affected in the opening of the scriptures, but the revelation of His person only came in the handling of the Bread! Luke 24:30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
And he revealed himself in the upper room to those gathered there by revealing his wounds. Luke 24:38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
And shall we be made known in any other ways to fellow believers? We may impress with our memorization of the Scriptures, but the real witness of our spirituality will only be seen in how we relate to Christ as our sustaining Bread. And it is also in our patience in tribulations as we fellowship in His sufferings in which we unmistakably reveal ourselves to other true believers.
1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
Colossians 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:
Ephesians 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
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