I John 3:2 - Seeing God as He Is

I John 3:2 

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

Message: Seeing God as He Is

Time: The author of this book never was identified but contemporaries have attributed it to John and its dating is estimated to be 90 AD. John focused on three issues: the zeal of the believers, standing firm against false teachers, and reassuring the Christians that they have eternal life. 

What the Lord is Saying: Much of my study thus far has been focused on the glory of God defined and what we know of it from God's perspective, what is summarized as the divine angle of glory. The ultimate thought is that everything in life is done for the Glory of God, for His glory. This is followed by how man interacts or testifies of God's glory and how that Glory impacts mankind. And in that glory that we can see or also is attributed to us is a glory we can see, but it is not the full glory. It is the human angle of glory. The culmination of this is to Seeing God as He Is. It is that ultimate moment that we are looking towards when we will see God and experience God from His angle. We will be able to see the bright light. 

The other day as we had our home fellowship time we went around the room and talked about what makes us smile. I mentioned my wife as being with her always is a smiling moment, but then I also mentioned experiences or the beauty of God's creation that makes me smile. Seeing God as He Is will bring a joy and happiness that I can't define in this present life. Right now, I only see pieces of this joy and happiness, moments like being with my wife or children or grandson. Moments when I see His creation and the beauty of it. But there are other temporal parts of my day and this world that distract me from this ultimate experience of Joy. 

Today's verse is that promise from I John 3:2 that "we as children of God, it (glory) has not appeared as yet what we will be." It is coming, but not yet. It is a promise and we have assurance of that promise for God has been faithful in our lives even now. 

Romans 8:18 - For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

I Corinthians 13:12 - For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.

Summary: Nothing is more satisfying than God Himself and our satisfaction will never be greater than when we see the beauty of divine glory face-to-face. 

Promise: Since He is the source of all that is good, true, and beautiful, to see the Lord face-to-face is to see goodness itself, truth itself, and beauty itself. 

Prayer: Lord, I look forward to that day. Remind me to look forward to that day when I will see you face to face. Remind me that the woes of this life and the stresses will go away. Perhaps Lord it is hard for me to comprehend that day right now because all I know is now. I am so grateful to the beauty of this day, but I also suffer little in this day. I am thankful for this, but as I listen to people experiencing loss of loved ones and also experiencing cancer and pain, perhaps it is easier for them to behold this idea of You. But Lord, impress it upon me and give me an urgency to communicate Your truth to others.