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Children of God


          See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.  Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. (I John 3:1-3)

 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

          You’re probably getting tired of my asking “What does that mean?” but that’s the question for the day. What does it mean to be children of God? John tells us that at least part of the answer is beyond our ability to know. He also tells us that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him. That’s part of the non-answer that has not yet been made known. 
          Some people believe that we are all children of God because God created us all. Of course, He did create us all but Jesus and John both make it clear that there are sheep and there are goats, there are those who hear His voice and follow Him, and some that don’t. There are His children, and there are the children of the devil; His followers, and the world. It may be our wish (and His!) that everyone be included, but the reality found in Matthew 7:13-14.
          So what does it mean to be a child of God? John tells us three things. 
1) we are hidden. As a child, Jesus was hidden in Egypt for a time. He remained hidden until He began His ministry around age thirty. That doesn’t mean there aren’t indications that we’re different. When Jesus stayed at the temple at age twelve, the priests who talked with Him were amazed by Him. As His children, we may we nobodies in society. We may be in places no one would think to look for us. 
2) we will be like him because we will see Him as He is (which means it’s possible for someone to not see Him as He is)
3) We hope in Him and therefore purify ourselves. That doesn’t mean we are completely pure now. It is a process. The point here, I believe, is that those who are not saved are not hidden, they will never be like Him or see Him as He is, and who do not hope and therefore don’t purify themselves. Two groups, two destinies.

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