Gospel Reflections #850: Realizing who we really are

1 John 3:3 "Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure."

"This hope" refers to becoming like the Son in our hearts, and "having this hope in the Son" means believing that the Son will make us like Him.

We cannot become pure by our own efforts.

"Becoming pure" means beholding the Lord's great standard of righteousness, His heart, God's holy law, and realizing our sinfulness by the light of that law and His love.

Truth is received in the heart, people are cleansed, and sin is removed through faith in Jesus Christ.

Merely confessing "I believe" has no value.

A "Christian" is one who "abides in Christ," and unless God's thoughts become human thoughts, all efforts to purify oneself are in vain.

For it is impossible to exalt a person without the knowledge that comes from knowing God.

We must choose God not merely with our lips, but with all our heart, all our mind, and all our spirit.

Since we cannot do this by our own strength, we must seek God and follow His guidance to remain on His side.

And that choice leads to peace and joy.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.