In 1 John 3, John contemplated the redemptive work of God through Jesus Christ. In Verse 1, John proclaimed that Christians are loved of God, children of God and strangers to the world. In Verse 2, he gave Christians a glimpse into what they shall become in the future; namely, they will become like Jesus Christ at His return. Beginning in Verse 3, John expounded upon what Christians should be.
In Verse 3, John set forth a universal truth, “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself.” The biblical definition of hope is “desire with the expectation to receive.” It is much more than a wish because it is rooted in the belief that you will actually receive what is desired. The belief Christians have is not based on a “leap in the dark,” but instead, it is based on a solid foundation of evidence in the Word of God (Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:1). A Christian’s hope to become “like him” and to “see him as he is” on the Judgment Day resides “in Him.” The resurrection of Jesus Christ gives Christians hope that they will likewise be resurrected unto life eternal (1 Corinthians 15:17-22).
The hope that Christians have in Jesus is contingent upon their “purification.” The word translated “purifieth” means to be void of defilement and looks very similar to the word translated “holy.” The process of purification is a continuous and lifelong pursuit. The pursuit of purification begins at immersion (“baptism”) when one is born again (John 3:3-5) and has his or her past sins washed away (Acts 22:16). It is then imperative to exercise self-control to avoid sinning and defiling oneself before God (1 Corinthians 9:27; James 1:13-15). When sin does occur after baptism, and it most certainly will (1 John 1:10), repentance and confession brings one back into contact with the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ (1 John 7-9; Acts 8:22). It is sad that many fail to understand or accept personal responsibility for their own salvation. They live almost exclusively to feed their unlawful desires (1 John 2:15-17) and sin habitually before God (1 John 3:6-8), but yet they expect to receive the inheritance of God. Any hope they have, according to the inspired writer, is a vain hope. Their desire may be real, but their expectation is not based on the truth of the Gospel.
Finally, John provided Christians with the perfect example of purity, Jesus Christ. He instructed Christians to purify themselves “even as He is pure.” It is notable that John did not instruct Christians to purify themselves as Christ purified Himself. Jesus never sinned, and therefore, He never needed purification (1 John 3:5; Hebrews 4:15). However, it should be Christians’ goal to be like the God they serve (1 Peter 1:15-16).
Are you what you should be? If not, take the opportunity you have now to make yourself right with God and enjoy the hope of heaven.
