1 John 3:2 NIV

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 3:2-3

‘Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we will be like him, for we will see him even as he is. And every one who has this hope set on him (or ‘in him’) purifies himself, even as he is pure.’ ‘Beloved.’ Possibly opening a subsection, but to also be read as a continuation. We split the letter for convenience, but each part runs into the next. Such expressions continue to reveal the love and concern in the... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 3:2-6

God’s People Contrasted with The Lawless World (1 John 3:2-6 ). Following on his declaration that God has begotten His true people through Christ so that they are His children (tekna - John only uses ‘son’ of Christ), John now calls them to Godlikeness. They are to be so in the light of the glorious thing that God will do in them in making them like Christ and like Himself. For to sin is to be lawless, and sin is no part of God, it is against all that He is. Thus it is impossible to dwell in... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 3:1-3

1 John 2:29 to 1 John 5:12 . The Characteristics of God’ s Children. 1 John 2:29 to 1 John 3:3 . Because God, made known to us in Christ, is righteous, those who claim to be His children must be like Him, with a goodness which the world does not understand and which at Christ’ s manifestation will be perfected. 1 John 2:29 . (read mg.) connects most naturally with the argument that follows. “ He” in “ he is righteous” ought, in view of 1 John 2:28, to refer to Christ, whilst “ begotten... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - 1 John 3:2

Our present state he affirms to be unquestionably that of sons, whatsoever hardships from the world, or severer discipline from our Father, we must for a while undergo; but for our future state, it is much above us to comprehend distinctly the glory of it; it doth not yet appear, it is yet an unrevealed thing, Romans 8:18; a veil is drawn before it, which is to be drawn aside at the appointed season of the manifestation of the sons of God, 1 John 3:19. But so much we in the general know of it,... read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - 1 John 3:1-6

THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SONSHIPCRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTESTHE last word of the previous chapter brought to mind that the Christian is related to God by a spiritual and Divine birth. A Christian is one “born of the Spirit”—“born of God.” But St. John suddenly feels how much is involved, and included in that new Divine birth, and expresses sudden feeling in the outburst of grateful surprise which begins chap. 3. Birth brings near to thought Divine Fatherhood, and privileges of spiritual... read more

William Nicoll

Sermon Bible Commentary - 1 John 3:2

1 John 3:2 I. What is this sight awaiting us which shall accomplish so much? Observe (1) It is the sight of a personal Saviour. "We shall see Him." It is only natural that we should desire to see the countenance of one whose works we have read, and whose friends we have often met, and who is often in our thoughts and affections. It is but natural that there should be a longing to see any one of whom we have read much, and of whom we have thought more. Is it, then, surprising that when the... read more

William Nicoll

Sermon Bible Commentary - 1 John 3:2-3

1 John 3:2-3 The Believer's Sonship. It is a law of our nature, or rather of our mental constitution, that in looking at any particular truth or subject we unconsciously present it in that aspect which strikes ourselves most forcibly, or which is the most congenial to our own minds. Take, for example, the heaven of the believer's hope and prospect. While the object of expectation has been one with the universal Church, the features of that object have been various as in the glass of the... read more

Charles Simeon

Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae - 1 John 3:2

DISCOURSE: 2442THE INESTIMABLE PRIVILEGES OF BELIEVERS1 John 3:2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.OUR Lord was hated, reviled, and persecuted unto death: but we see how glorious was his person, and how exalted his character. In the same manner his followers are treated with contempt: but God declares their state to be the most honourable upon earth. To... read more

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Spurgeon's Verse Expositions of the Bible - 1 John 3:1-10

Exposition: 1 John 3:1-10 "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. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." As dear Dr. Hawker said concerning this, there is a chapter in every word and a sermon in every letter. How it opens with a... read more