“When He is revealed, we shall be like Him” 1 John 3:2

Our Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. He humbled Himself, suffered and died for the sins of all and rose again on the third day, having won forgiveness of sins and life everlasting for all mankind.

He now – through the preaching of His Word – calls sinners to repent of their sinful ways and trust in Him and His shed blood for full and free forgiveness and for the everlasting joys of heaven.

When by the grace and mercy of God, we are brought to see our sinfulness and to turn to Jesus for forgiveness and life in Him, we become children of God – saved by His grace alone. We have an inheritance in heaven and look forward to the day when Jesus our Savior returns to take us to live with Him in holiness and righteousness, forever with our God and Savior.

We can’t even begin to understand what it will be like when we are raised up in – or changed into – His image. The Bible tells us: “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

Now we are faultless before our heavenly Father because of Christ’s righteous life and atoning sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world, but we look forward to that day when we are free of all sin and can indeed serve our God in righteousness and purity forever. While we await that day, we strive – led and aided by God’s Holy Spirit – to be more and more like our Savior. As the Bible says, “Everyone who has this hope in Him (Jesus Christ) purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3).

But the day will come, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,” and we shall be changed into the image of our Lord Jesus (1 Cor. 15:52). “We shall be like Him.”

As believers in our Lord Jesus, we can join with David in his psalm and say: “As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness” (Psalm 17:15).

What a day that will be!

Dear Lord Jesus, we thank You for redeeming us with Your holy and precious blood and for graciously bringing us to repent of our sins and trust in You for forgiveness and life. By Your Spirit, keep us in the faith and move us to seek to be more and more like You until that day when You return and we are changed into Your likeness and dwell with You forevermore. Amen.

[Scripture is taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]