This sentence in 1 John stood out to me during my Scripture reading this morning: “Everyone who has this hope purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). I have preached these verses a number of times and this always convicts me.
One of John’s constant emphases in his first epistle is righteousness. He begins with his authoritative eyewitness message in chapter 1 that brings us into fellowship with the Father and Son (1:1-4). Those who believe the gospel message and come to know the Father will from that moment on be marked by righteous living. He describes this with a metaphor: light. First, he sets forth this proposition: “God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1:5). He immediately follows up by saying that all who claim to know God must walk in the light, and anyone who does not is demonstrably a liar. Since God is holy and righteous, so must we be. If anyone hears about God’s righteous character and concludes that they do not sin (or even worse, have never sinned), then they show that they do not understand the gospel. For those who conclude that they have never sinned, he says that they make God out to be a liar.
He continues this theme of righteous living as a characteristic of true Christians throughout the epistle. It is impossible for a believer to read 1 John and walk away without strong conviction of sin. A regular reading of this epistle will soften our hearts and keep us aware of the danger that constantly looms. The worst danger of all is that we would become apathetic to sin. It is to lower our defenses and let down our guard. It is to give in to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life (2:15-17). It is to blindly trust others who make confident assertions about God and the Bible (2:18-27; 4:1-6). It is to bow down before the idols of our hearts (5:21). I am convinced that this last command of the book is a laser-focused summary of the entire epistle: “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (5:21).
So, how do we purify ourselves from day to day? There are many answers we could list: prayer, Scripture reading and memory, accountability partners, Christian books, Christian counseling, etc. Those are all wonderful tools in sanctification. But there is something that will motivate us to unceasing self-purification. What does John say it is? Our hope!
What hope is this? First, let me say that biblical hope is not some wish concerning the outcome of a probability. It’s not, “I hope it’s a sunny day tomorrow,” or, “I hope my team wins tonight.” It is a confident expectation of a certain thing. What is the confident, expectant hope that John tells us to fix on Him? Christ’s glorious return and our outward transformation. “We know that when He appears we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is” (3:2).
Beloved, do you yearn for His Coming? Do you earnestly hope for this every day? Or is His coming in the clouds something you let slip your mind for days or weeks at a time? Do you pray, “Lord, hasten the day!” (2 Pet 3:12)? If you do not daily set your mind there (Col 3:1-4), may I suggest that this is part of the reason you struggle with holiness?
Let me end with a personal anecdote. I had a dream one night in April (only a few months ago) where I heard a voice say that Jesus would be coming the next day. I woke up with this statement strongly on my mind. I didn’t know what to make of it. Was it just a dream expressing my own desires? Or was it God? I decided that, either way, I would soon know. Obviously it wasn’t a prophecy. However, it has served as an illustration for me ever since, because I have never experienced such an intense anticipation and expectancy concerning His Coming. My prayers that day were filled with more longing, confession, and petition than ever before. My speech and actions had an increased holiness. My interactions with others was more purposeful and urgent. I’m not bragging. If anything, I am shaming myself because of my comparative coolness before and after this day.
O that we would all be diligent to watch and wait daily for Him! May we look up more. May we be heaven-focused. Fight sin with hope. Biblical hope. Study up on the future. Brush up on your mental image of heaven. Even more, seek the Lord daily and abide with Him. Know Him. Love Him. Walk with Him.
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