Monday 06 August 2012

Background

There are a lot of us who find it very hard tobelieve that we really are children of God. How can God love usthat much when there are so many more likely or deserving peoplearound? Or how can we be the children of God when the rest of theworld does not recognise us as such and at best ignores and atworst attacks us? The writer of the first letter of John has tokeep telling people to hold on to the fact that they really areGod's children. The fact that the rest of the world does notrecognise them is because the world does not know God: so how couldit acknowledge people as children of God? The writer alsoemphasises that it is not the case that we will only become God'schildren in some future life. We are already God's children "now".That does not mean, though, that we have entered a state ofspiritual arrested-development. Being children of God meanscontinuing to grow in love and to be transformed by grace as wegaze on God in Christ. It means growing in holiness (verse2-3).

The writer almost seems to take for grantedhere ideas spelt out elsewhere in the New Testament. In Mark'sGospel it is not obvious to the world or - for a long time - evento his disciples that Jesus is God's son and Messiah. Yet at hisTransfiguration some of the disciples see him as God sees him andas he will be in his resurrection form (Mark9:2-6). And the apostle Paul says that as we look at the gloryof God in Christ we reflect Christ's image (2Corinthians 3:12 - 4:6). As Charles Wesley put it in his hymn"Love Divine" we are "changed from glory into glory, till in heavenwe take our place".

To ponder

• What difference would really accepting that you are a child ofGod make to you?

• Are there any signs that your development as a disciple isarrested? How might you continue to develop?

• How do we help each other to keep our eyes on God in Christ andto allow ourselves to be changed from glory into glory?