Verses to review today: 1 John 2:21-3:1
New Verse: 1 John 3:2

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Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. (ESV)

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. (KJV)

Greek: ἀγαπητοί, νῦν τέκνα θεοῦ ἐσμεν, καὶ οὔπω ἐφανερώθη τί ἐσόμεθα. οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἐὰν φανερωθῇ, ὅμοιοι αὐτῷ ἐσόμεθα, ὅτι ὀψόμεθα αὐτὸν καθώς ἐστιν.

Transliterated Greek: agapētoi, nyn tekna theou esmen, kai oupō ephanerōthē ti esometha. oidamen hoti ean phanerōthē, homoioi autō esometha, hoti opsometha auton kathōs estin.

Literal Word for Word Translation: Beloved, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet appeared. We know that when he appears, we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is.

Vocab: νῦν, nyn, now; ἐφανερώθη, ephanerōthē, it has appeared; ὅμοιοι, homoioi, same as; ὀψόμεθα, opsometha, we will see.

Commentary: We are the children of God here and now, however, the full extent of what we will be is not yet seen. Yet, we know that the only way to see Him as He is, is so be changed into what He is. For only holiness can be in the presence of holiness. Only the pure in heart will see God, and thus to see Him, means to be made pure.

Between Jesus’ first and second coming, there is a lot of “now, but not yet” tension in God’s kingdom on earth. Now we are being transformed in spirit, in the end, we will have glorified bodies like Jesus’ and be made perfect as He is perfect. That does not mean we will be God or gods as some think, but we will be without sin or defect – to His glory! Amen!