For John, being a child of God was being perfect, not something we’ve achieved often if at all. Even then, it was an aspirational goal.
Here’s a transcript:
I’m thinking about the third chapter of the First Letter of John (1 John 3:1-7). The passage begins with words that are very comforting, even inspiring. See what a great gift God has given us, that we might be called God’s children, for that is what we are. It is a wonderful thing to be thought of as a child of God.
But after that it gets more challenging.
John wrote that an essential characteristic of the children of God is perfection, perfection in word, deed, and in purity. And I don’t know about you, but in my lifetime, perfection has not been a primary characteristic of Christians. As I read the history of the Christian Church, I don’t see perfection as a primary characteristic anywhere along those 2000 years.
So reading this, I find myself wondering, “Am I, are we, indeed to be called children of God?”
Well, in much of the rest of the letter (or a sermon; it’s a little uncertain what form of literature this is; it doesn’t have the characteristics of a first century letter), the author insists that Christians ought to love one another. Why does somebody write that? Because the advice was needed.
John saw that people were not loving one another within the Christian communities, so John wrote to say: This is what we are supposed to be. This is how we become that. it’s aspirational as well as defined.
So if you are looking for a way to achieve perfection in the world, well, I can’t promise that this will work, because only one person has achieved perfection and that person went through a lot to do it, but: Love one another is the route. It is the way. It is the journey.
Love one another, so that when you are called a child of God, it may be as close to the ideal of being a child of God as is possible in the here and now.
That’s what I’m thinking. I’m curious to hear what you’re thinking. Leave me your thoughts in the comment section below. I’d love to hear from you.
