We shall be like Him

Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 1 John 3:2-3

I used to always think this passage meant when I get to heaven and see Jesus, then I’ll know what I’m to be, or perhaps it meant I’d be complete at that time. But, in reading it over recently, I saw something else. We don’t have to wait until we get to heaven to see him, especially if seeing Him is knowing Him more intimately.

The man who wrote this at one time wanted to call fire down from heaven to consume a nation, but after a walk of intimacy with Jesus, we find John at the end with his head leaning on Jesus listening to the Master’s heart, not as a slave, but as a friend.

What took John from wanting to call fire down to the realization that an intimacy with Jesus was what counted and had real meaning? John learned what love was. In the rest of this chapter John has some powerful things to say about love.

Verse 16-- By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

How do we do this? By sacrificing our own rights, by favoring others above ourselves, by not becoming offended by others when they slight us, by giving what others need, and by making the quality, and sometimes tough, decision to walk in love towards others—no matter what they do to us. That’s showing love; that’s laying our lives down for others.

Then John leaves the new commandments in verse 23:

And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

And then John nails it when he says in verse 24:

Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

How do we see Jesus? We see him by keeping these two commandments because in doing so we abide in Him, and He abides in us. John walked with Jesus; he laid his head on Jesus and heard the heart beat of our Savior. He knew Jesus intimately and continued that relationship even after Jesus left earth for heaven, but because of this continued close relationship—Jesus continued to reveal himself to John;

Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Revelation 4:2-3

And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Revelation 5:1

John adds this that also opens the door for that closeness with the Lord: “Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

That’s what I want. Reveal it to me, Lord, what I shall be. Draw me closer, Lord. I want more of you. Consume me with your presence. Let my will be your will—I want to be like you. Live in me, live big in me, I pray.