1 John 2:28-3:10

28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 

29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. 

3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 

2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 

3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 

4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 

5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 

6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 

8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 

9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 

10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. 

Main Idea

The Father’s love makes us His children, and His children increasingly reflect His Son.

John 1:12

12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 

Genesis 22:2

1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 

2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 

John 3:3-5

3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 

4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 

5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 

John 3:16-17

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 

1. What difference should it make in everyday life to know that God calls you His child?
2. If the Father has made us His children, how should that relationship shape the way we live?