1 John 3:2

3:1,2 Little does the world know of the happiness of the real followers of Christ. Little does the world think that these poor, humble, despised ones, are favourites of God, and will dwell in heaven. Let the followers of Christ be content with hard fare here, since they are in a land of strangers, where their Lord was so badly treated before them. The sons of God must walk by faith, and live by hope. They may well wait in faith, hope, and earnest desire, for the revelation of the Lord Jesus. The sons of God will be known, and be made manifest by likeness to their Head. They shall be transformed into the same image, by their view of him.

{3} 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 {c} like him; for we shall see him {d} as he is. (3) The other: This dignity is not fully revealed to us ourselves, much less to strangers, but we are sure of the accomplishment of it, in as much as we shall be like the Son of God himself and shall enjoy his sight indeed, such as he is now, but yet this is deferred until his next coming. (c) Like, but not equal. (d) For now we see as in a glass 1Co 13:12

1 John 3:2 . Having spoken of our present dignity, the Apostle goes on to speak of our future destiny. The Incarnation manifested our standing as children of God, but “it was not yet manifested what we shall be”. The aorist ἐφανερώθη ( cf. ἔγνω in previous verse) refers to the historic manifestation in Jesus Christ. The N.T. says nothing definite about the nature of our future glory. With our present faculties we cannot conceive it. It must be experienced to be understood. Jesus simply assures us of the felicity of the Father’s House, and bids us take His word for it ( cf. John 14:2 ). ἐὰν φανερωθῇ , “if ( cf. note on 1 John 2:28 ) it may be manifested,” taking up οὔπω ἐφανερώθη . This obvious connection is decisive against the rendering “if He shall be manifested” ( cf. 1 John 2:28 ; Colossians 3:4 ). ὅτι , κ . τ . λ .: What we shall be was not manifested, but this we know that we shall be like Him. And how do we know it? From His promise that “we shall see Him even as He is” ( cf. John 17:24 ). The argument is two-fold: (1) Vision of God implies likeness to Him in character and affection ( cf. Matthew 5:8 ); (2) the vision of God transfigures ( cf. 2 Corinthians 3:18 ), even in this life. “Ah! the Master is so fair, His smile so sweet to banished men, That they who meet it unaware Can never rest on earth again.” And how will it be when we “see Him face to face” ( 1 Corinthians 13:12 )? St.

Our present state he affirms to be unquestionably that of sons, whatsoever hardships from the world, or severer discipline from our Father, we must for a while undergo; but for our future state, it is much above us to comprehend distinctly the glory of it; it doth not yet appear, it is yet an unrevealed thing, Romans 8:18 ; a veil is drawn before it, which is to be drawn aside at the appointed season of the manifestation of the sons of God, 1Jo 3:19 . But so much we in the general know of it, (so certain are the apprehensions of faith), that when he shall appear, or display his own glory in the appearance of his Son, who is then to come in the glory of his Father, Matthew 16:27 1 Timothy 6:14-16 , we shall be like him, as it befits children to be unto their Father; i.e. his image shall then be perfected in us, which was defaced so greatly in the apostacy, is restored imperfectly in regeneration, Ephesians 4:24 Colossians 3:10 , must be daily improved in progressive sanctification: so that as God was above said to be light, Christians are to shine as lights, as the sons of God, without rebuke, representing and glorifying their Father, Matthew 5:16 Philippians 2:15 1 Peter 2:9 : but is then to be advanced in us to a far higher pitch than ever, in respect both of holiness and blessedness.

For we shall see him as he is; i.e. so far as the limited capacity of our natures can admit; and are therefore by that likeness to be qualified for such vision: which eternal, efficacious vision doth also coutinue that likeness, the causal particle, for, admitting both those references: see Psalm 17:15 .

1 John 3:2 . Beloved — It is a most certain and joyful truth, that now are we, who believe on God’s Son with our heart unto righteousness; the children of God — And, persevering in that faith, we shall be acknowledged as such before men and angels in the day of final accounts; a truth which draws after it a long train of glorious consequences. For the happy condition we shall be in hereafter exceeds all that we can now conceive; and it doth not yet appear — Even to ourselves, though supernaturally enlightened by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation; what we shall be — How pure and holy, intelligent and wise in our souls, how spiritual and glorious in our bodies, how exalted in dignity, how great in power, how rich in inheritance, how happy in enjoyments! But we know — In the general, on the testimony of him who cannot lie; that when he — The Son of God; shall appear, we shall be like him — In all these respects; our souls perfectly conformed to his wise and holy soul, our bodies to his immortal and glorious body, and that we shall share with him in his felicity, honour, and riches, world without end. For we shall see him as he is — Which it would be impossible we should do if we were not like him.

Or rather, as perhaps the apostle chiefly means, the great privilege being granted us, of seeing him as he is, the sight of him will transform us into his likeness. “The sight of God,” [in Christ,] as Archbishop Tillotson proves at large, (see his works, vol. 3. p. 194,) “is put to express the knowledge and enjoyment of him, because of its excellence and dignity, its largeness and comprehension, its spirituality and quickness, its evidence and certainty.” The apostle alludes to Christ’s words, which he has recorded in his gospel, ( John 17:24 ,) Father, I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me: and therefore is speaking, not of a transient, but of an abiding sight of Christ, as is plain, because only such a view of him could be a reason for our being like him. And since we are to live with him for ever, our bodies must be fashioned like to his body, corruptible bodies not being capable, in the nature of things, of inheriting the kingdom of God. And with respect to our minds, the seeing of Christ as he is cannot be supposed effectual to make us like him, unless it be an abiding sight; which, by exciting in us an admiration of his glories, esteem for his excellences, gratitude for his goodness, love to his person, delight in his will, with all wise, holy, and happy affections, will assuredly produce that happy effect.

Beloved See 1 John 2:7. Now are we and, etc. The two thoughts of the present and the future condition of God's children are placed side by side with the simple copula, and, as parts of one thought. Christian condition, now and eternally, centers in the fact of being children of God. In that fact lies the germ of all the possibilities of eternal life. It doth not yet appear (οὔπω ἐφανερώθη) Rev., more correctly, it is not yet made manifest. See on John 21:1. The force of the aorist tense is, was never manifested on any occasion. What we shall be (τί ἐσόμεθα) "This what suggests something unspeakable, contained in the likeness of God" (Bengel). But we know Omit but. When He shall appear (ἐὰν φανερωθῇ) Rev., correctly, if He (or it) shall be manifested. We may render either "if it shall be manifested," that is what we shall be; or, "if He," etc. The preceding ἐφανερώθη it is (not yet) made manifest, must, I think, decide us in favor of the rendering it. We are now children of God. It has not been revealed what we shall be, and therefore we do not know. In the absence of such revelation, we know (through our consciousness of childship, through His promise that we shall behold His glory), that if what we shall be were manifested, the essential fact of the glorified condition thus revealed will be likeness to the Lord. This fact we know now as a promise, as a general truth of our future state.

The condition of realizing the fact is the manifestation of that glorified state, the revealing of the τί ἐσόμεθα what we shall be; for that manifestation will bring with it the open vision of the Lord. When the what we shall be shall be manifest, it will bring us face to face with Him, and we shall be like Him because we shall see Him as He is. As He is (καθώς ἐστιν) Strictly, just as. Rev., even as. continued...

1 John 3:2 . Ἀγαπητοὶ ) beloved by me, because the Father loves us.— νῦν ) now , at present. The antithesis is, not yet . In this verse it must be especially seen, what words are to be pronounced with a fuller sound: now, not yet, what, like Him .— τέκνα , sons ) This is repeated from 1 John 3:1 .— τί ἐσόμεθα ) what we are about to be further, by the power of this sonship. This what , by Epitasis [see Append.], suggests something unspeakable, contained in the likeness of God, which so exalts the sons of God, that they become as it were gods .— οἴδαμεν ) we know , in general.— φανερωθῇ , shall be manifested ) The same word occurs, ch. 1 John 2:28 .— ὅμοιοι αὐτῷ , like Him ) God, whose sons we are.— ὅτι , since ) From beholding comes resemblance, 2 Corinthians 3:18 ; as the whole body, the countenance, and especially the eyes of those who behold the sun, are sunned.— ὀψόμεθα , we shall see ) Sight includes in its notion all the other kinds of senses.— αὐτὸν , Him ) God.— καθώς ἐστι , as He is ) that is, manifestly.