We Shall Be Like Him

Introduction

A. Perhaps one of the great challenges of living in the flesh is learning to accept ourselves as we really are — both strengths and weaknesses. All of us talk to ourselves and the messages we speak to ourselves may or may not be truthful. We can be very critical about ourselves. We can dislike ourselves enough that we lose heart and confidence. We put a lot of stock in our looks; God acknowledged that in 1 Samuel 16:7 when he said that humans look at the outward appearance. That truth is very real to most of us. We look at ourselves and say in our minds “I’m fat; I’m too skinny; I’m ugly; I’m getting wrinkles; I’m losing my hair: I’m short; I’m …you fill in the blank.

B. And those messages affect how we think about ourselves and even how we relate to others. Some of those messages get started very early in life and then we are never quite able to separate the hurtful message of youth from the truthful message of adulthood. As a result we repeat untruthful messages resulting in loss of confidence. Gladys Aylward left England in 1930 to be a missionary in China. Her life story is told in the book “The Small Woman” by Alan Burgess published in 1957 and Hollywood captured part of her life story in the film The Inn of the 6th Happiness in 1958. Gladys Aylward was a very short woman. She was unlike her childhood friends. She was dark haired. Her friends were blond. Somehow this made her feel inferior. But her greatest concern was her height. She quit growing at 4 feet 10 inches tall. Shortness was by far her greatest physical challenge. And then she went to China and found herself surrounded by short, dark haired people. It is in Elisabeth Eliot’s book “Let Me Be a Woman” that Aylward is quoted as saying “The Lord knew what he was doing all along.”

C. People look at the outward appearance. Even we get so caught up in how we look that we may judge ourselves harshly when we compare ourselves to others or to an artificial standard. But 1 Samuel 16:7 doesn’t end with God only declaring the truth about human beings but he also speaks the truth about himself. He says, “man looks on the outward appearance, but he looks at the heart.” Wouldn’t it be great if we could set aside our internal messages and let God pronounce what is truthful about us? We can trust God to be truthful with us. We can trust God to speak about his standard rather than an artificial standard found in our culture. And when we hear God’s truth, then we can tell ourselves that message rather than the one that goes around in our heart. Our message tears away at our confidence. God’s truth restores confidence. That is what we will see in John’s writing today. May we hear the truth from God.

Continue in Him

A. Verse 28 begins a new section with the use of the phrase “And now.” However, John continues the thought from the previous section. At the end of verse 27 he commanded his readers to “remain in Christ” and now here in verse 28 he uses the phrase “continue in him” which carries the same idea. Building on the idea of the promise of eternal life in verse 25, John tells us that when we remain in him his appearing that is when the invisible is made visible his appearance will bring confidence. This word confidence carries the idea of fearlessness or joyousness in the face of possible threat. To remain in Jesus is to be fearless when he appears. Those of us who remain in Christ are not afraid by the thought nor we will be afraid when he appears. But John isn’t through. Those who abide in Christ will not only be confident but without shame when Christ comes.

i. The word “coming” carries the idea of a great ruler who visits. The ruler’s visit results in celebration and joy.

ii. Those who have not remained in Christ will be ashamed when Christ returns. When Christ returns we will be exposed for what we truly are. For those who have remained in Christ — no fear but celebration. For those who have not continued in Christ — fear and disgrace.

B. John continues in verse 29 explaining who is continuing in Christ. Those who recognize that Jesus is righteous or is who he claims to be, then those who continue in Christ will do right. Doing right is a sign of spiritual birth. This is a subtle rebuke of those who have left the body of believers. They are not doing right; thus, they are not continuing in Christ.

C. But John doesn’t keep talking about those who have left. This section is to encourage and build up his readers. The ones who remain in Christ. Any doubt of their standing with God based upon those who pulled away is negated by 3:1. “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” This new birth gives us a new name “children of God.” We are not spiritually deficient. We are God’s children. So named because we have been born of God. This is the truth — to continue in Christ means that we do what is right. Doing what is right confirms what is true — we are God’s children.

D. But John doesn’t stop. We not only are God’s children, but there is more to come. When he appears we will be like him. We will not be him. But we will be like him. But don’t stop. We shall be like him because we will finally see him as he is. Our best imagination is still tainted by sin. We think of Christ in whatever way we want, but he is still veiled to us. But the day is coming when the veil will be lifted and we will see him as he really is. And on that day we will be like him.

So What?

A. What will that look like? I don’t know for sure. As a sinner I cannot say with perfect clarity what that will look like. But here is what I know to be true.

i. We will see in a way we have never seen before.

ii. We will see with such clarity.

iii. We will love what he loves.

iv. We will see people as he sees people.

v. We will know motives as he knows motives.

vi. We will never hurt again.

vii. We will rest as he rests.

viii. We will be confident in the presence of God as he is.

ix. We will understand as he understands.

B. The scales of our eyes will fall away and we will no longer look at the externals. We will no longer look at someone with their flaws. But we will be able to see perfectly that which sin has not allowed us to see. The color of skin will not matter; the financial bank statement will not carry any weight; the intellect will no longer be tested. We will see him as he really is and we will be like him.

C. But John quickly adds verse 3. Everyone who has this hope purifies himself just as he is pure. As in 2:25 John uses the word “promise” the only time in his writings so here in 3:3 he uses the word “pure” the only time in all of his writings. It is the idea of moral purity. Those of us who continue in Christ are now children of God but the day will come when we will be like him and see him as he really is. To continue in Christ means that we live now in purity.

i. We run from sin not engage it.

ii. We live in the light because we want to one day be like him.

iii. No spreading of the darkness but living in the light as he is in the light.

iv. Is your life one of purity? Will you be confident, without fear and filled with joy when Jesus appears? Or will you be ashamed because of the sin in your life? Invitation.

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