How beautiful it is to hear these words from one who had known that love so long and so well! The Apostle had just said, “If ye know that He is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him.” What a thought! It is this that causes the Apostle to exclaim, “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons [children] of God.” It gives a character and a relationship of which the world knows nothing. He who was the Son of God, the only begotten, was not known by the world. “He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not” (John 1:1010He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. (John 1:10)).
We have Christ’s relationship with the Father, and we have His place as unknown here on earth. “Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not” (1 John 3:11There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: (John 3:1)). We suffer with Him here; we shall be glorified with Him there. Here it is suffering with Christ in a scene where sin has its sway, but being children of God, we wait for the children’s place in glory. As His coheirs we shall then possess the inheritance with Him and reign with Him, having been glorified with Him. We can then well afford to be unknown in a world that knew Him not. In the meanwhile, we need patience and confidence in God, for “yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry” (Heb. 10:3737For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. (Hebrews 10:37)). It is blessed to look forward to His coming, but now we must be content to be unknown in the world.
A Present and Known Relationship
However, while we wait for Him, we have a present and known relationship with the Father —we do not wait for this! We are born of God now and are children and heirs of God now. It is a present relationship which we know by the Word of God and have the consciousness of by His Spirit in us. How vastly more blessed this is than anything that can be known by this poor world! In this world it is wonderful to be the child of a king, but what is this compared to being heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ? This is the dignity of the humblest and poorest believer in Christ. How it ought to lift our hearts above all the empty glory of this world!
Objects of the Father’s Love
But this is not all. In the relationship we have with the Father, through Christ, we are the objects of His love — immeasurable, boundless, eternal. Who can measure that love? Only at Calvary’s cross can we see the measure of that love. But the price has been paid, and now we have the same place in the Father’s love as Christ Himself. The day of glory will manifest this even to the world — “that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved Me” (John 17:2323I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:23)). We are privileged to drink into this ocean fullness of love even now!
In the coming day of glory we shall not only enjoy this love for all eternity, but we shall be fashioned into the likeness of the glorified Firstborn. Of this we can confidently say, “We know,” although today it is not a matter of public manifestation. But we shall see Him as He is. Here it is not His coming Messiah glory that is in view. To be sure, we shall see Him and be with Him in His Messianic glory, for “when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory” (Col. 3:44When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)). All the world will see Him then as Son of Man, publicly displayed. But we shall see Him as He is now in the glory of His Father’s presence. This is the expressed wish of the Lord Himself — “Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me: for Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:2424Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24)). The One who was loved before the foundation of the world is the object of the Father’s unchanging delight. Having glorified God as man here on earth, He has been glorified as man on high with the glory which He had with the Father before the world was. This is the One whom we shall see as He is! What a sight that will be! What praises will flow from us when we see that once crucified, but now glorified Saviour!
Like Him in Dazzling Glory
How could our mortal eyes look upon Him, in that dazzling glory? The answer is simple — we shall be like Him! Our bodies, humbled by sin, will be changed into a body of glory, after the likeness of Christ’s body of glory. And this is not merely in body, but in spirit as well, so that we shall in every way be united to the glorious sphere where He dwells.
What present effect does all this have on you and me? “Every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure” (1 John 3:33Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3)). Do we expect to be like Him in that day? Then it is worthwhile to be like Him now — in purity of heart, in spirit and in ways, giving forth the sweet fragrance of His life along the path here.
May we continue to purify ourselves as He is pure till He comes and completes it in glory!
A. H. Rule, adapted from
Things New and Old, Vol. 31, p. 29