Charles Spurgeon Commentary 1 John 3

Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1)

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does 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. (1 John 3:2)

Behold, –

If you never used your eyes to good purpose before, do so now:

What manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:

Let the truth of our adoption amaze us — the adoption of such unworthy ones as we were to so high a relationship that we should be called the sons of God.

Therefore the world knoweth not, because it knew him not.

There is no need to say to whom this last sentence refers; the pronoun "Him" is quite sufficient to indicate our Lord Jesus whom the world knew not. Every living, loving heart must at once have thought of "Him" who is the chief, the firstborn, the only-begotten Son of God.

Behold, –

For there is no greater wonder from heaven than this: "Behold," –

What manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world does not know it, because it did not know him.

As we are called the sons of God, we are to be made like his only-begotten Son; and here is the beginning of the likeness, that, as the world did not know him, and therefore crucified him, so it does not know the other sons of God, and therefore spends its malice upon them whenever it can. Yet what a marvelous thing is this — what a wonder of divine condescension, that we who were the slaves of Satan, the children of disobedience, the heirs of wrath, should be called the sons of God! We can well accept the consequence of such a position without any very great sorrow: Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know him.

Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: (1 John 3:1)

Behold it, wonder at it, and never cease to admire it. Is it not one of the greatest marvels that even God himself has ever performed, that we should be called the sons of God?

Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

It does not know the Father, then how should it know the children? It did not know the elder Brother—the firstborn among many brothers—and as it did not know him, how should it know us?

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 that vision will be transforming and transfiguring. The pure in heart see God, and they are pure because they see God. There is both action and reaction: when God has purified us, we will see Christ, and when we see Christ as he is, our purification will be complete. When will that day arrive? Oh, for the blessed vision!

Meanwhile, let us be content to look at him by faith, and to be ever growing more and more prepared for that brighter vision which is yet to be ours.