Into Eternity

See what the love of the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God, and that this is what we are.

The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Beloved, we are God's children now.

What we will be has not yet been revealed.

What we do know is this.

When he is revealed, we will be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

So John is writing to his flock, to the believers, and says, see what love the Father has given us, that we mere humans are children of God, and this is who we truly are.

So he's obviously writing to encourage people and to empower them and to help them see themselves as God sees them.

And then he adds, and don't be surprised, When others, like the world, does not appreciate that because they didn't appreciate him.

So, nothing strange, nothing surprising that they don't appreciate you.

Beloved, we are God's children now.

Verse 2, and this is the memory text.

What we will be has not yet been revealed.

So...

In a free universe, where you have a free choice, when you look back, you see that you are where you are because of choices that you made and choices that God made.

Now, regarding the future, you still need to make some choices.

But then he wants to encourage them, but we know this, when he is revealed, we will be like him, because we will see him as he is.

And if you have this hope, then you're going to purify yourself, then you are going to make everything possible so that this future becomes reality.

Now, interestingly, if you look under number two, the main thrust of the memory text is, what is it that John wants to convey to his audience? What would you say? Why is he writing these things? Any ideas? What do you feel is the main intention? Rita?

I think he's encouraging them to recognize that they are children of the gods that he knows and he has been teaching them about and what that means, rather than to be distracted by antichrists and the things of the world.

Okay.

So he wants to encourage them that there is a great future ahead of them.

Now, interestingly enough, most of the time when these texts are quoted in Adventism, the emphasis is on what we will be has not yet been revealed, which, of course, then creates some doubts or it's not so sure, which is quite interesting to take something.

It takes a look at the reality that you have free choice.

So Jesus says, nobody can pluck you out of my hand, but you can pluck yourself out of God's hand because you have free choice.