The Bible study on Thursday looked at 1 John 3:1-3, and how we are different because of what God has done. Differences can be startling, bemusing… or annoying. God is seeking to develop His family likeness in us (affecting our hearts and minds – see Jer 17:9, Ezek 11:19 and Rom 12:2, Eph 4:23) and this inevitably leads to a culture clash. Just as the world reacted to Jesus with bewilderment and hostility (see John 1:9-11, 1 Pet 2:4-8), so at times we will offend others simply because we are dancing to a different tune. Jesus was so contrary to the expectations of the Jews concerning the Messiah that they rejected Him and their obstinacy made a shipwreck of their salvation. We do not go out of our way to offend others, but as we seek to love and befriend people and live according to God’s laws, at times we will face hostility and rejection (see Luke 6:26, Luke 10:37).
John reassures us of our identity as children of God, but also reminds us that ‘what we will be has not yet been made known.’ There are so many things from the Bible that we do know (eg there is only one God and no one comes to the Father except through Jesus), but at the same time, other truths can only be expressed through metaphor or simile (God is a rock, He is our Shepherd, a mighty fortress is our God, for example, using pictures from our known world to explain aspects of God), whilst other things have to be worked out and pieced together from the facts we do have. (The word ‘Trinity’, for example, is not used in the Bible, but the doctrine of the Trinity – God as Father, Son and Spirit – is clearly taught in various places in Scripture.) Other things remain mysteries which we cannot fully understand. John, writing at the end of his life, admits there are things that have not yet been made known. There are many truths about the future which we do not know or understand, but we do know that God promises we shall be transformed (1 Cor 15:44-53), that we will be with God forever (John 14:1-3) and that we shall be like Jesus. This gives us a hope that motivates us to purify ourselves, to live holy lives that are pleasing to Him.