"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 ONE THAT HATH THIS HOPE IN HIM PURIFIETH HIMSELF, EVEN AS HE

IS PURE." -- I John iii. 2, 3.

"Every one that hath this hope," and only such as have it. For this hope is the peculiar possession of the

Sons of God, who know something of "what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon them."

Then, observe, that this hope, though it is the blessed possession of "the Sons of God," is not centred in

themselves, but it is fixed upon another. The words "in Him" mean literally "upon Him," i.e., upon Christ.

Hence the R.V. translates it "Every one that hath this hope set on Him." It is not who hopeth, for that would

refer to the act of hoping, whereas he who has this hope, has it as a permanent possession, and fixed on

Christ as the glorious object. Then, its action is ever present; it "purifieth." When we "see Him," " we shall

be like Him," therefore if we want to be like Him now, we must behold Him, and be occupied with Him. "He IS

pure." Purity belongs to Him, and our purity is secured by occupation with Him in the glory. "We,

beholding, are changed into the same image from glory to glory." Here is no restless effort, no anxious

toiling. It is simply "we beholding -- beholding -- are changed." Here is the divine prescription for

conformity to the image of Christ: here is that which will transfigure us and make us "like Him."

Now our text lays down this great principle, that the coming of Christ in glory is not a mere doctrine t o be

preached; not a mere theory to be held; not a mere dogma to be believed, but it is the mighty motive for all

true Christian service. It is a hope that is bound up inseparably with all doctrines, all ordinances, all

precepts, and all practice.

For example, we desire to "walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called": we desire to "walk worthy

of the Lord unto all pleasing"; to be "fruitful in every good work"; diligent in all service. Then the question

is, How shall we accomplish this? "What must we do" in order to attain this desired end?

Man, of course (even the spiritual man), is ready with his various rules for holy living! for he is by nature a

Pharisee, and is always ready "to do" something. Even when he confesses that he has been "justified by

grace" he would like to be sanctified by works! He forgets that God has "made Him (Jesus) to be unto us,

justification and sanctification," and that we are not justified in Christ by grace without an effort, and then

left to be sanctified in ourselves by our own effort.

Truly, in this -- in the highest things as well as in the lowest -- in this, as in all beside, God's thought are

not man's thoughts, nor his ways our ways (Is. lv. 8). Man says that faith is that which will produce holiness

of living; God says it is hope. Man says it is faith in Christ's power to keep me if I can only keep my own

faith! but God says it is "hope" in Christ's coming for me, that will purify me, and this blessed hope He has

given me as my permanent possession.

At the very b est, all this is only man's substitute for God's divine prescription. It shuts out the true way and

gives a false way; it shuts out the only efficacious means, and presents powerless means; it shuts out the

substance, and gives a shadow.

God's way of making our walk correspond with our "holy calling," is to fill us with the blessed hope of

Christ's coming, and to occupy us with His glory, so that "we beholding... are changed." Man's way is to

occupy us with ourselves: with our spiritual life, which is to b e deepened; with our faith, which is to be

increased; with our walk, that is to be perfected. God's way is to point us to Christ's glory in heaven; man's

way is to point us to Christ's power in us. God says the hope of coming glory will purify us; man says it is

the power of present faith that will do it.