1 John 3:2
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.
John says something here that is both comforting and honest at the same time. He says that now we are the sons of God. That is our present standing. That is not something postponed until heaven. That is not a title waiting for us at the finish line. In Christ, it is true of us right now.
But then John adds that it does not yet appear what we shall be.
That rings true, because there are times when we do not act much like sons of God. There are times when we do not seem to reflect His heart very well. There is still too much weakness in us, too much immaturity, too much of the flesh showing through. And yet John says not to stop there. He says the day is coming when all of that will change. When Christ appears, we shall be like Him.
I love that, because I love Him.
That really is the point. John is not merely saying we will be polished up a little or improved around the edges. He is saying we will be like Jesus. And when you think about who Jesus is, that becomes one of the sweetest promises in all of Scripture. He is everything a man ought to be, everything the human heart recognizes as beautiful, strong, pure, and right.
He was so gentle that little children were drawn to Him, just as Jesus said in Matthew 19:14, “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me.”
Yet He was so commanding that when the crowd at Nazareth rose up to throw Him down from the hill, Luke 4:29–30says, “But he passing through the midst of them went his way.”
He was so authoritative that when the wind raged and the waves crashed, Mark 4:39 says, “he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.” And immediately there was a great calm.
Yet He was so tender that when the woman caught in adultery stood surrounded by accusation, He said in John 8:11, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”
He was so embracing that in Matthew 11:19 He was called “a friend of publicans and sinners.”
Yet He was so righteous that 1 John 2:2 says He “is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Jesus is the perfect Man.
He is strength without hardness. Holiness without coldness. Authority without harshness. Tenderness without compromise. Wisdom without pride. Purity without distance. There is nothing twisted in Him, nothing empty, nothing out of place. When you look at Jesus, you are looking at humanity as it was meant to be.
And the amazing thing is this: the more you get to know Him, the more impressive He becomes.
That is not usually how it works with people. Usually, the closer you get to someone, the more flaws you notice. The polish starts to wear off. The cracks begin to show. But not so with Jesus. The longer you walk with Him, the more you see His beauty. The more carefully you read the Gospels, the more deeply you appreciate His character, His wisdom, His integrity, His kindness, and His strength.
Not less.
More.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see through a glass, darkly.” Right now our sight is partial. We see Him dimly. We know Him truly, but not fully. And yet even through that dim glass, what we see is enough to make us love Him more and long for Him more.
I like what I see.
And John says one day we will not be looking through a dim glass anymore. One day we will see Him as He is. No fog. No distance. No veil. No limitation.
And when we see Him, we shall be like Him.
Beloved, that means the struggle you feel right now is not the end of the story. The weakness you battle is not your final condition. The inconsistencies that trouble you will not have the last word. Right now you belong to Him, and one day you will be conformed fully to the likeness of the One you love.
So keep looking at Jesus.
Stay in the Gospels. Watch Him closely. Think on His ways. Let your heart be impressed by Him again and again. Because the One you are beholding now by faith is the very One you will someday see face to face.
And when that day comes, you will be like Him.