As translated
in the King James Version:.1John
3:2,3 "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear
what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like
him; for we shall see him as he is."
From the original
and paraphrased:.'Beloved
we are the children
of God.(and
thus,
of the family
of God).because
of being in Christ.(Ephesians
1:23), even though not yet manifested
in the spirit.(spiritual
yes, but still in the physical). See
with spiritual eyes that your manifestation will be as His.(*;
John
4:24; 1Corinthians 2:9;
13:12)..And
every man that has this hope in Him.(and
thus,
would be embracing
His example:.1Peter
1:15,16; 2:21).purifies
himself.(it's
expectation of the
continuing supply of the working power of God in an individual that
is purifying).toward
His example of purity.'
One purifies himself by thinking
of himself the way the Creator thinks of him.
Believers are not 'becoming' a holy nation. They now comprise
a spiritual holy nation:.1Peter
2:9.
Are we purified from our
base natures by practicing the do's and don'ts of some religion or by faith?.Acts
15:9 "...purifying their hearts by faith."
Without belief,
the power that the Creator sent Christ to Earth to reveal in
us, is of non effect:.John
1:12; Mark 7:13; John
17:2;
Romans 1:16; 15:13;
16:25,26.
Is there something
that you could do to release your shadow side?
To know God: To really
know God, one must be equal
with Him:.1John
4:8. First though, is to know God is real.
To be like God, one must decide to love and even this, like so many other
things to do with God, is a gift from God:.1John
4:20; 5:20.
A decision to love is the
starting point of all true spirituality and it is a key to obtaining eternal
life:.John
17:3. Why?
It is important to pursue
peace and holiness:.Hebrews
12:14; Psalms 34:14.
The purity of hearts is important
to God:.2Peter
3:11 ".....what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation.(conversation
is old English for 'conduct').and
Godliness?" Lamentations 3:25
"The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seek him."
Philippians
1:9,10 "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more.(how
to do this).and
more in knowledge and in all judgment, that you may approve.(how
to do this).things
that are excellent that you may be sincere and without offence till the
day of Christ."
Paraphrase:.'I
pray that by increasing knowledge.(giving
time for study and taking quiet time with God),
you will see just how love for others is what really counts and that having
come to this conclusion, you will pursue that which provides the security
of your stance
in Christ.'
James
1:27 "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this:
To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep himself
unspotted
from the world."
...
