1 John. 1 John. Continue our study in this
wonderful book. Tonight we'll start chapter 3
and we'll look at verse 1. Last week we finished chapter
2 in our study. We considered that the true believer
in Christ knows the truth. They know the truth. of Christ,
who is the Messiah, God incarnate in the flesh. They know the truth
of what he came to do to save his people from their sins, and
they know the truth of where he is right now. He's seated
at the right hand of the Father in all glory, majesty, and power. And God's people also know who
the Father is. We know that He is holy, we know
that He is righteous, and we know that He is absolutely sovereign. We know these things. We've been
taught these things by our great God. He's revealed them to us. And we also know who the life-giving
Spirit is. We know who the Holy Spirit of
God is. We know it is he who regenerates
us and who drew us to Christ. And we know also that it is he
who guides us into all truth because he's the spirit of truth
and he guides us into all truth. Here not speak of himself, but
here point us to Christ. Therefore, we know because we
know these truths, because they've been revealed to us, we know
when a man's teaching lies, we know when they add works, Anything
to the work of Christ, we know that they're lying to us. We
know these things. And we love to hear the doctrine
of Christ preached and proclaimed. We love to hear the doctrine
of Christ preached and proclaimed, which is the gospel, which tells
us of salvation in Christ and Him alone, all according to the
free and sovereign grace of God. That's what we love to hear proclaimed. And we know it's the truth, because
we've been taught We've been taught that the report of the
gospel is the absolute truth. And we see that the Apostle John
breaks out in the opening of this chapter in admiration and
praise for our great God, when he brings forth before the saints
the discriminating love of God towards his people. And he brings
forth just how we are blessed, beloved. We're blessed to be
called the sons of God. The sons of God. Now let's read
verses 28 and 29 of chapter 2, along with verses 1 to 3 in chapter
3. We're starting 1 John 2, verse
28. And now, little children, abide
in him that when he shall appear, we may have confidence and not
be ashamed before him at His coming. If you know that He is
righteous, you know that everyone that doeth righteousness is born
of Him. Behold, behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us
not because it knew him not. I'm going to read that verse
again. It's just absolutely an incredible verse. Behold what
manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should
be called the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us
not because it knew him not. 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. And every man that hath this
hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure. This portion
of scripture is one of the most precious portions of scripture
for the born-again, blood-washed believer. For the one who is
resting and trusting in Christ alone. It's an absolute wonderful
portion of scripture. This portion of scripture speaks
of God's amazing love. Of his amazing love which he
has for his people. For those who believe the gospel. For those who trust and rest
in Christ. For those who believe the wondrous
report of an accomplished salvation. A fully accomplished salvation. of the elect by the sovereign
substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is who we believe. And we
believe the report that the scripture declares. We believe the gospel
report. We believe that the great work
of redeeming our souls was fully accomplished by Christ and Christ
alone. And in no way at all did we or
can we ever contribute to that wondrous work. That wondrous work of salvation
which is in Christ alone. And it's in Christ that we're
justified. It's in Christ that we're sanctified. It's in Christ that we are redeemed.
And it is in Christ that we are made acceptable by God in Christ. Without any, without any, without
any personal input of ours. Not at all. Again, behold, the
scripture declares, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed
upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. Therefore the
world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. The word behold
here, Weiss brings forth, is plural. Plural in the Greek,
it literally means behold ye. He's speaking to the saints.
So it literally means all of them. Behold ye, the wondrous. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us. And remember who he's writing
to. He's writing to believers. The usual form Weist brings forth
is singular. But in this case, it's plural. So again, we see that John is
calling upon all the saints of God to wonder, to behold, to
stop and consider this wondrous love, this particular kind of
love which God has bestowed upon us. Take notice. Look, consider,
look by faith. Look with wonder and awe, beloved. Look with wonder and awe. Look
with astonishment. Observe how great a favor, what
a great instance of matchless love is here before us. Notice
and stop and consider and look by faith at the wonderful blessing
of grace which has been bestowed upon we who are God's people. Next we see that we are to behold
as believers, and what we are to contemplate, what manner of
love the Father hath bestowed upon us. Take notice again with wonder
and astonishment at the matchless, amazing, and wonderful love of
the Father. The Father has freely given this
to us. Graciously through the Lord Jesus
Christ. And mark this amazing love, beloved. Mark it. This love is like no
other love on earth. It is astonishing love. Which
flows from the astonishing mercy of God. And it's shown and manifested
to we who are sinners. To we who are born of our father
Adam, dead in trespasses and sins, with no hope. Behold, what
manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us. Now John knows, as does every
saint of God, his own frailty. John knows, as does every saint
of God, his own weakness. John knows, as well as every
saint of God, his own sinfulness. He knows what he was by birth,
and he knows what he is now being regenerated by the Holy Spirit
of God. And he is astonished He is astonished,
beloved, that the thrice holy God calls such as he, and all
the brethren, sons of God. He's astonished. God's people, let this sink in,
beloved. God's people are the permanent
objects of His love. God's people are the permanent
objects of His love. They are loved by the everlasting
God with an everlasting love. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us. Weist again brings forth that
hath bestowed here is in the perfect tense. In the Greek,
it means to give something to someone. Oh, what manner of love the Father hath given to us.
We have the love of God in us. We love Christ. We love His Gospel. My. God's people again are the permanent
objects of His love. Loved with an everlasting love
by the everlasting God. And it is He who chose us in
Christ, His dear Son. And it is He who sent Him here
to be our substitute, to die in our room and place on Calvary's
cross. He then called us by His grace. He then called us by His grace.
We are born dead in sins and He calls us by His grace. We're
born again by the Holy Spirit of God. We are accepted in Christ
and now we're called the sons of God. Behold what manner of
love the Father hath bestowed upon us. Oh, what wondrous love is this? Oh, my soul. Oh, my soul. What manner of love is this?
Marvel at this, you who are a saint of God. This wondrous, eternal
love of the Father hath been bestowed upon us, revealed to
us, manifested to us. Turn, if you would, to Galatians
chapter 4. Galatians chapter 4. The fact that Christ has died
for us, the fact that we are born again by the Holy Spirit
of God, oh, is proof that this wondrous love has been bestowed
upon us. The fact that we cry, beloved,
Abba Father, Abba Father. Look at this in Galatians chapter
four, verses three to seven. Even so, we, when we were children,
were in bondage under the elements of the world. or we were dead
in trespasses and sins. But look at this, and praise
God, but when the fullness of time was come, at the time and place that God
had purposed for you and I to hear the gospel, to be given
hearing ears and seeing eyes to look to Christ. But when the
fullness of time was come, this is speaking of Christ, of course,
Christ coming, God sent forth his son, at the exact time, at
the exact second. Made of a woman, made under the
law. To redeem them that were under the law, that's us. See
Christ is perfect, he's sinless, he's spotless. That we might
receive what? The adoption of sons. And because
you are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his son into your
hearts. Born again. Crying what? Abba Father. Abba
Father. Wherefore thou art no more a
servant, but a son. And if a son, then an heir of
God through Christ. Let's go back to our text then
with that in our mind. Oh, God has sent forth the spirit
of a son into every believer. And we cry, Abba, Father, Abba,
Father. And we're no more a servant,
but now we're a son. And if a son, an heir of God
through Christ. Let's read again, verse one.
Behold what manner of love The Father hath bestowed upon us
that we should be called the sons of God. Therefore the world
knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Note in this verse that
we should be called the sons of God. That we should be called
the sons of God. Here before us is the key word
of this verse, called. Called. John the Apostle is marveling
in his astonished at the matchless love of God. And here he is astonished
again that he and his brethren are called the sons of God. The sons of God. Now, beloved of God, it is God
who called us. It's God who's called us. It's
God who calls us. It's God who called us by His
grace. And it's God here. who calls us the sons of God. John brings forth that this is
a work of God. And we as believers know this
to be true. What does the scripture proclaim?
The scriptures proclaim, so then it's not of him that willeth,
nor of him that runneth, but God that showeth mercy. So just
look at this verse with that in mind. Behold what manner of
love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called
the sons of God. This is incredible. That we who are sinners by birth,
nature, and choice should be called the sons of God. And it's God who calls us his
sons. As the word called can also mean
named. Listen to what brother Tim James
brings forth about this verse. He says, the important thing
to consider is who does the naming? Who does the naming? Who has
called us sons? Who does the naming? Who has
called us sons? He said, this in effect removes
us from the act. It's a work of God. He continues,
John does not say, I call myself God's son. And it is clear that
the world unbelievers does not call us sons of God. It is God
that makes this call. It's God that makes this call.
God, and I like what he says here, he says, God calls it as
he sees it. God calls it as he sees it. And
he sees things as they are. How God sees it, how God calls
it, is how it is. End quote. Isn't that beautiful? How God sees it, how he calls
it, is how it is. This is a fact. So we can see
John is just breaking out in adoration for our great God. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us. Believers We who believe the
gospel report, we saw that at the end of chapter two. We who
believe the gospel report, behold, what manner of love the Father
hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of
God. So John ascribes that he is called
a son of God to God alone. This is a work of God. And this is because God's willed
it to be so. And it's so for every one of
us who believe too. That's amazing. Behold what manner
of love the Father hath bestowed upon us. That we sinners should
be called the sons of God. My John, just like every gospel
preacher again, ascribes that he is called the son of God by
God alone and by God's power alone. Any inclination or effort
at improving one's walk has nothing to do with this. This is a fact. Proving that one is a son flows
from the fact that we are sons of God. And what does the love of Christ
now do for the believer? It constrains us from sin. This is a stated fact. Because God says it's so. Oh, what joy this brings the
believer. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed
upon us, that He has given us, that we should be called the
sons of God. Marvel. Marvel at this, you who
are saved, you who are born again, you who believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, you who are a sinner by birth, nature, and choice.
Marvel at this, you who trust Christ and Him alone. You are
called the sons of God. And it's God that's made it so. Again, this statement is connected
to the previous verse in chapter two. Look at verse 29. If you
know that he is righteous, you know that everyone that doeth
righteousness is born of him. Again, this is a result of the
new birth. It's a result of the Holy Spirit's
work. We looked at last week, believing
God and trusting Christ and knowing who he is, is a result of the
new birth. Turn, if you would, to Romans,
Romans chapter 10. And keep in mind what we've just
looked at in our text. I'll read it again. Behold what
manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should
be called the sons of God. Look at this over here. Look
at this. This is absolutely beautiful.
I was up shouting in my study today after looking at this with
this in mind. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the
sons of God. Look at this in Romans chapter
10. In knowing that this wondrous gift from God, that we should
be called the sons of God, knowing that this love is wondrous, knowing
that this all comes from him. Romans chapter 10, look at verses
17 to 20. So then faith cometh by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God. But I say, have they not heard? Yes, verily, their sound went
into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
But I say, did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke
you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish
nation I will anger you. But Isaiah is very bold and saith,
here it is, I was found of them that sought me not. I was made manifest unto them
that asked not after me. That's us. That's us, beloved. I was found
of them that sought me not. Well, the scripture says there's
none that seeketh after God. I was made manifest unto them
that ask not after me." My. So let's go back to 1 John
3, verse 1. With that in mind, with in mind
I was found of them that sought me not. I was made manifest unto
them that asked not after me. Now let's read again the first
portion of this verse. Behold, what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us on we who sought him not. In our natural state. On we who
asked not after him. in our natural state. Behold,
what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we
should be called the sons of God, all by God's power, all
by His sovereign hand. We who sought Him not, and we
who asked not after Him, by the power of God, and by the
power of God alone, are now called the sons of God. And that's every
believer in Christ, beloved. I was found to them that sought
me not, I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. Look at wonder and awe, beloved,
at the Scripture. Look at what the Scripture declares,
that we are the children of God now. We're born again by the
Holy Spirit of God. But at one time we never sought
after God and we never asked after Him. But that's changed,
hasn't it? That's all changed now for the
born-again believer. Now we seek Him. Now we ask after
Him, don't we? And He's made Himself manifest
to us, hasn't He? Just like the Scripture declared
there. I was found to them that sought me not, I was made manifest
unto them that asked me not. What wondrous love is this? Oh
my soul, oh my soul. And so the natural state of man
and women is not seeking after God, not understanding who God
is, and if God left us in that state, beloved, we'd still be
there. We never would have sought him. But look at what John writes
again. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed
upon us that we should be called the sons of God. Behold, marvel
at this scripture, beloved of God. Marvel at it. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God, that we should have an interest in the things of
Christ. Behold and marvel at that. Because
there's people that drive by here every day. And there's people
we meet in our lives every day. who have absolutely no interest
in Christ, and absolutely no interest in the Gospel, and we
were right there with them. But behold what manner of love
the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called
the sons of God. Again, what wondrous love is
this, O my soul, O my soul. It's immeasurable love, beloved.
It's debtless love. It's incomprehensible love. It's
like no love on this earth. And it's higher than any love
here. It's sovereign love. It's majestic
love. And it has been bestowed upon
God's elect, upon God's people in and through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the
sons The blessings of being called
the sons of God comes not by our nature, we know that, or
by any merit in us, but it comes by the free and sovereign grace
of God in Christ alone. It comes to God's people through
Christ. We see the grace of adoption
in Christ, of a people to an inheritance of which we had no
legal right to. to the foundation, and the foundation
and the spring of it is the everlasting, unchangeable love of God. That's
the spring. Is it any wonder then that our
dear brother John breaks forth in wonder and admiration when
he's contemplating this wondrous love which is set before us tonight? Is it any wonder then that John
tells us to contemplate this this wondrous love with thankfulness
behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us
that we should be called the sons of God and now note God's distinguishing
sovereign love on display in this verse let's read chapter one again
or chapter or Verse 1 of chapter 3 again, Behold what manner of
love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called
the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us
not, because it knew him not. Those two words, knoweth and
knew, is both gnoska, that's an intimate knowledge. We have
a, the Lord knows us. When He says, I never knew you,
to those people in Matthew 7, He's saying, I never gnosked
you, I didn't know you intimately. But He has an intimate knowledge
of His people. And this says here, the world
knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. It has no intimate relationship
with Christ at all. But God's people do. God's people
here do. So here before us in this verse,
which brings forth the amazing, incredible love of God, we actually
see God's distinguishing grace also brought forth. His distinguishing
mercy, His distinguishing love set forth. We know that the Father's love
has been set upon His people from eternity. Those who are
called the sons of God. And we know as the scripture
says here, the world knoweth us not because it knew Him not. Now when we contemplate the manifestation
of God's distinguishing mercy and grace to His people, it will
overwhelm us as believers. It will absolutely overwhelm
us as we wonder at the fact that God's eternal unchanging love
has been set upon us and manifested to us in our salvation in Christ
alone. It will leave the believer in
absolute awe. in the election of grace shown
in our effectual calling at a time when the whole world lies in
wickedness. You ever thought of that? The
election of grace shown in our effectual calling when God called
us by His effectual power all the time leaving others in their
wickedness. Oh, does that not show the distinguishing
grace of God as well? It brings forth very clearly
God's sovereignty. Again, we were once a people
who never sought Him. We were once a people who never
desired Him. And now we love Him. Now we desire
Him. Now we desire to hear the things
of Christ. Have you ever thought about how
the world looks at us? How the world looks at us? They
hear the account of the gospel, but they have absolutely no interest
in Christ. And how they are ignorant of
the children of the covenant. They're ignorant of the children
of the covenant. As we were once a people, again, who didn't seek
God, and we were once just as ignorant as they were about the
covenant of grace. And they have no idea of the
Lord's design in the covenant of grace to save a people from
their sins. And they have no interest in
it. But behold what manner of love
the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the
sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew
Him not. How striking then are the words
of our great King in Matthew chapter 13, when he was asked
by his disciples why he spoke in parables. Listen to this answer
in light of the latter part of verse 1, which says, Therefore
the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Listen to what our Lord said
to those in Matthew 13, 11. He answered and said unto them,
because it is given unto you." Who? Those who are the sons of
God. Those who are the elect of God.
Those who are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the
world. He answered and said unto them, because it is given unto
you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to
them it's not given. Oh my. There's God's distinguishing
grace on full display in Matthew 13, 11. He answered and said
unto them, because it is given unto you to know the mysteries
of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it's not given. And don't
ever forget that word, given. The only reason we know about
Christ, the only reason we know anything about the scriptures,
the only reason we know what we know up to this point in our
lives and our walk with the Lord, is because it's been given to
us. Because God's revealed it to us by His grace and by His
mercy. So He gets all the glory. He
gets all the glory. Ezekiel wrote this, he said,
Then said I, Ah, Lord God, they say of me, doth he not speak
parables? Oh my. Again, I'll read what our Lord
said to the disciples again in Matthew 13, 11. He answered and
said unto them, because it is given unto you, again, those
who become the sons of God, because it's given unto you to know the
mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it's not given. Let's
go back to the latter part of our verse. It says, therefore,
the world knoweth us not because it knew him not. Now we know.
They do not know him because they've not been given. They have not been. It's not
being given unto them to know the mysteries of the kingdom
of heaven. But it has been to you. And I who are the blood
washed saints of God. So mark these wonderful words
we've looked at tonight. Let's read our verse again. Mark
the distinguishing grace of God on display, even in this verse.
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us
believers, the ones who John's writing to brothers and sisters
in Christ, that we should be called the sons of God. And here's
the distinction. Therefore, the world knoweth
us not because it knew him not. We see God's distinguishing grace
right there on display. So what a privilege it is for
the believer to be called the sons of God. Mark this. Take note. Not subjects or servants, but
sons. To be called the sons of God
is to be sons of God. As Brother Tim brought forth,
it's a fact. Turn if you would to Luke 15.
Luke 15. in light of this verse right
here. I'll read the verse again. Behold, what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us
not, because it knew him not. Look at this in Luke 15, verses
21 to 24. Look at what the prodigal says,
and then look with the father, how the father responds. Luke
15, 21, And the Son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against
heaven, and in my sight, and am no more worthy to be called
thy Son. And look at the Father's response
in verse 22. But the Father said to his servants,
Bring forth the best robe. Again, that pictures the righteousness
of Christ. The best robe. The pure, spotless
righteousness of Christ. And put it on him. put a ring on his hand and shoes
on his feet, and bring hither the fatted calf and kill it,
and let us eat and be merry. For this my son was dead, and
is alive again. He was lost, and he is found,
and they began to be merry." Oh my! The fountain from which
this love, this calling, being called the sons of God, the fountain
from which this flows is the everlasting, eternal love of
the Father through Christ and Christ alone. Turn, if you would,
to Ephesians chapter 2. It's God that purposed and planned
this. And let this truth fill your
heart with joy this week. Let it fill your heart with joy.
This, to be called the sons of God, is a special act of God's
mercy and His grace. And it manifests, again, His
great love for His people. His great love for His people.
Ephesians 2, verses 4-7. But God, who is rich in mercy,
and we who are the people of God, we've tasted how merciful
our God is. For His great love wherewith
He loved us. We've looked at that love tonight.
Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us.
Eternal love, beloved. For His great love, it's immeasurable. Where has He loved us? He's loved
us for maternity. Even when we were dead in sins.
hath quickened us together, were born again with Christ, by grace
ye are saved, and hath raised us up together, taken us out
of the dunghill of sin, raised us up, beloved, taken us out
of the pit that we were in, that we could never get out of, raised
us up, beloved, raised us up together, and made us sit together
in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. that in the ages to come
He might show the exceeding riches of His grace. It's all about
what He's done. His grace in His kindness toward
us. How? Through Christ Jesus. Always through Christ and Christ
alone. Marvel, marvel at this wondrous
adopting love which flows from the great and glorious God of
the universe. who is far above us and who does
not need us at all. Who does not need us at all.
He needs nothing. He needs no one or nothing. And
marvel, though, at we who are adopted, we who were miserable
sinners, adopted, we who have broken His holy law, adopted,
we who have sinned against His holy justice, adopted, called
the sons of God, all by the grace and mercy of Christ and Christ
alone. What wondrous love is this? Oh, my soul. What wondrous love
has then been bestowed upon us that we should be called the
sons of God. And we know that this love only
comes to us in and through Christ, the Great Substitute. Behold
and marvel at this eternal love. The foundation of it was laid
in the election of God and the foundation of it is the Lord
Jesus Christ, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
And it is He who we are chosen in. And this is a manifestation
of the free grace of God, as Hosea writes, he says, I will
heal their black side. I will love them freely for my
anger is turned away from him, turned away from us, beloved,
because his wrath and justice fell upon Christ in our place. Behold, what manner of love the
father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the
sons of God. This is a special love not common
to the world. And yet this love was bestowed
upon us, and it was a costly love, beloved. It's a costly
love, as Christ the God-man gave His life, shedding His precious
blood to redeem His bride, to redeem those spoken of in our
text as the sons of God. He purchased us with his own
blood and thinking upon this great love of God towards his
people will give us great joy in the midst of trials and troubles
which come and afflictions which come in this world. Though we
are God's children, yet the world knows us not. The scripture declared
tonight because it knew him not. It knew him not. Never forget. Never forget this, that the world
cannot hate us as much as God loves us. The world cannot hate
us as much as God loves us. His love is an everlasting, eternal,
debtless love. And it's unchanging. And again,
we are the permanent objects of His love. The permanent objects
of His love. Though we are God's children,
yet the world knows us not again. It knows us not because it knew
Him not. Salvation is of the Lord from beginning to end. Regeneration is God's work. Salvation
is all the work of God. Justification is God's work.
Sanctification is God's work. And we can never make ourselves
sons of God. We can never make ourselves sons
of God. This is a work of God and God alone. It's a work of
God and God alone. And we are made the sons of God
in and through Christ and Christ alone. And again, this just reinforces
what the scripture says, that salvation is of the Lord. Glory
to his name. Glory to his name. Heavenly Father,
we thank you for allowing us to gather together and look at
this scripture tonight and be in awe at the manner of love
which has been bestowed upon your people, that we should be
called the sons of God. And we know, Father, that this
is all by your doing and your work and your choice, and it's
all by the work of the Son. What he's done on Calvary's cross
for us was planned and purposed by thee and executed by the Son.
And we are just marvel, we marvel, we who are your people. We who
are sinners are called the sons of God in and through Christ
Jesus our Lord. Glory to your name. May this
bless us this week as we leave here. May we contemplate this
wondrous truth this week in Jesus' name. Amen.