Title: Becoming Like Christ 
Text: 1 Jn 3:2-3

In the Greek text the fist word in verse two is "now." Now we are children of God. John emphasizes the present reality of being a child of God. Eternal life belongs to us now, it's not something we are waiting to receive. The very moment you believed you became a child of God.

Last week we talked briefly about the doctrine of adoption. Paul explaining in terms of a legal process how we become children of God. The Pharisees thought because they were descendants of Abraham God was their father. Jesus told them in John 8 they actually belonged to their father the devil. He explained if God were their father they would love Him, and believe Him. We are all born with a sinful nature because of that we are children of darkness we live in the domain or dominion of darkness and we have the devil as our father.

When we place our faith in Christ a great change takes place a transformation begins. We receive a new father. We are delivered from the domain and dominion of darkness we are transferred to the Kingdom of Light. (Col 1:13) We are now children of God heirs and joint heirs with Jesus (Rom 8:17; Titus 3:7; Jas 2:5).

We are redeemed, we are justified, we are sanctified, but we are not yet finished. There is a present reality of being God's child, but there is a future aspect to what John writes as well.

Paul writes we have been saved (Eph 2:8); we are being saved (1 Cor 1:18; 2 Cor 2:15) and we will be saved (1 Cor 3:15). Salvation is a process. It begins in regeneration, we are born-again, born from above, made alive by the Spirit of Christ. We become a new creation in Christ we are indwelt and sealed with the Holy Spirit. That is the present reality.

The process continues in sanctification, at the moment we trust Christ we are sanctified or set apart to Christ. Sanctification is also continual. We are being changed on a daily basis by the power of the Spirit of Christ working in us we are becoming or should be becoming more and more like Christ. Sanctification never ends in this lifetime.

The focus of our lives is on this process of sanctification being changed more into the image of Jesus Christ. This is His goal for every believer. In Rom 8:29 Paul wrote: "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son." Becoming more and more like Christ is the goal of sanctification. The purpose for every Christian is to be conformed to the image or likeness of Christ. To be conformed to the image of Christ means we are to be conformed to His character. This is the work the Spirit is performing in our lives every day. And we don't know what that process will mean for our lives. We don't know what God has in store for us a we transform we don't know where it will take us.

The final step in the redemption process is glorification. While we don't know what we are becoming, John says we do know that ultimately we will be like Him. That doesn't mean that we become gods and rule over our own planets. Paul wrote in Phil 3:20-21 our bodies will be similar in form to that of Christ. Glorification involves the perfecting of our spiritual nature at death and the ultimate redemption of our bodies at the resurrection.

We know from 2 Cor 5:1 this Christ like body will be eternal in nature. "For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." (NAS)

In 1 Cor 15:38-50 Paul compares the body we have now with the resurrection body which will be like Christ's.  The present body is perishable, subject to disease, injury, wear and tear and death; the resurrection body will be incorruptible immune from death and decay. The present body is also sown in dishonor Paul says, the resurrection body will be glorious. The present body is weak, the resurrection body will be powerful and finally the present body is physical the resurrection body will be spiritual. So we will ultimately be like Him in character and appearance.

John refers to this expectation as hope, everyone who has this expectation of seeing Him and being like Him has hope. Hope is generally viewed as a feeling that what is expected or what is desired will happen. Biblical hope is different, biblical hope goes beyond feelings or emotions. In the Bible Christ Himself is described as the Christians Hope (1 Tim 1:1). It is a living hope, not just a feeling but a certainty. 1Pe 1:3 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." NAS

Hope is an essential aspect of grace just as are faith and love (1 Cor 13:13). Hope relates to the future it's object is not only Christ Himself, but all that is included in Christ. Paul wrote, "If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied." (1Co 15:19, NAS). Hope in Christ includes His glorious return at the consummation of time when we shall see Him, John says, and when we shall be like Him.

This biblical hope is characterized by purity. "And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." (NAS) Certain hope is a great motivator.  If you know someday you'll be like Christ, that should create within you a desire to become like Him now. Jesus told the disciples that they would be His witnesses (Acts 1:8). As they watched Him ascend to heaven, two angels appeared and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11 NAS)

Why did the angels say that? To give hope and to motivate the disciples to serve Him because He is coming back. Our lives ought to be purified by the knowledge of His return. When Jesus comes back, what would you like Him to find you doing? Serving Him and loving Him should be your answer. If you believe He is coming to give you rewards and make you like Himself, that is motive enough to make you purify your life.

Motive is a strong influence in our lives. We're motivated all the time. People on television motivate us. We're motivated by the presence of authority figures. The first law of safe driving is to watch for the police car. Children are motivated by the teacher in the classroom or the arrival of their parents on the scene of some forbidden activity. Sometimes we're motivated by pride or attention. I remember years ago when I played football. I hated practice, I had a bad habit of dogging it in practice or only operating at half-speed I just wasn't motivated to give it all I had. But on game day I was totally different I was motivated to give it all I had to be the best I could be.

Christians need to be motivated as well. See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, John said, to cleanse us from sin to make us His children. Jesus is a loving Savior, He is coming back someday to complete our redemption and to make us like Him. That is a blessed hope, a living hope an assured hope. That hope should motivate us. Motivate us John says to purify ourselves. That kind of hope should produce in us the kind of love and gratitude that causes us to respond in obedience and conformity to His pure standard.

Sometimes in our Christian lives we fail to understand the enormity of our salvation, we lose sight of the goal we lose our motivation. God desires a people who are like Him, who are holy and righteous and pure. He wants us living with Him in fellowship and communion. He wants us worshiping and serving Him for eternity. That's why He provided salvation in Jesus Christ; why He has given us the hope of being finally and completely transformed into his Likeness. We know He is going to ultimately purify us and make us perfect in every sense of the word. That should motivate us to strive to be pure and holy and righteous in this life.

Paul wrote to the Corinthian church in 2Co 7:1 "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." NAS

It may seem like I'm beating a dead horse, but the point is, enabled by the Holy Spirit Christians are to simply take for granted what God has done for us in the matter of salvation but are to cooperate with Him in the sanctification process by intentionally and willfully doing those things which are pleasing to Him and staying away from those things displeasing to Him.

Striving to be like Him in the only adequate response to we can have to the great love He has shown us. It is the only adequate response to the hope we have in Him. Not only is this awesome love motivation for us to respond.

None of us has yet become what God wants us to be, or what we will be in eternity. but each of us should be motivated and must be motivate by His great Love, his present provision and His future promise to strive with all of our being to become more and more like Him every day. God isn't finished with us yet, we must give surrender our all to Him that we can live daily in His presence, experience His blessings and be His witnesses. Are you willing to surrender all?