Hope-So Becomes Know-So

612.  "Hope-So Becomes Know-So"
September 21, 2012
1 John 3-Part 1    (verses 1-3)
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.  1 John 3:1 KJV

How great is the 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.
NIV 1 John 3:1

LET IT GLOW

Manner means kind, style, according to Webster's Dictionary.
Thayer's Lexicon says manner means of what sort or quality. 

The word bestowed is joined with nouns denoting an act or an effect; and the act or effect of him who gives, in such a sense that what he is said he is conceived of as effecting, or as becoming its author. (Thayer's Lexicon)

Webster's Dictionary defines bestow as give, confer as a gift; deposit, consign.

So, can I bring this verse on down to a personal level and say this verse with a personal touch- Look at what kind of love gift Linda's  heavenly Father has given to Linda! So much love, that she can be called His daughter, God's child. 

Dear friend, you can read it again putting your name in place of mine. Do you need His love today?

I look around and see so many gifts of love that God has lavished me with. How can I but praise Him! One particular gift is that of His Son Jesus, to be my proitiation for my sin. He gave salvation to me as a free gift so I would not have to pay for my sins. What manner of love!!!

Looking at verse 2, we have this hope in Christ that when He appears, we shall be made like Him. In the moment, in the blink of an eye, we shall be changed from this decaying, aging body into a heavenly body. I don't know what it will look like, but I am sure looking forward to it.

LET IT GROW

Verse 3 says, And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Liberty Bible Commentary has this to say:
The hope (elpis in Greek ), is not a "hope-so" chance for the Christian, but a "know-so" of the indwelling Holy Spirit. It is because of this "sure expectation" that we "purify" our lives.

Purieth means to cleanse, make clean, morally.
Pure means pure freom every fault, immaculate (referring to God).

What is my hope as a Christian? My hope is in Christ's Second Coming. He will deliever me from this sinful world.

Living in the reality of Christ's return makes a difference in a Christian's behavior. since Christians someday will be like Him, a desire should grow within the Christian to become like Him now. It calls for a purifying of sin, in which we play a part. (MacArthur)

How do I purify myself? I can't. The only thing I can do is confess my sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive me, to cleanse me from my sins as 1 John 1:9 says, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Jesus can and will do it. His Word is true. After all, He is pure, which means Jesus has no sin in Him.

Daily I must confess. Daily I need to be purified. When thinking about heaven, my hope-so became know-so.

LET IT GO

No pride, just be purified.

Keep the hope.

Remember, God loves you and God loves me.