gratitude

    What is the hope that John is talking about? Saint Paul in second Corinthians has told us that as we behold the Lord we are changed into his image even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Now John is saying when Jesus appears we will be like him for we shall see him as he is. It should be the hope of every Christian to be like Jesus in his love and compassion, in his power and glory. I can remember when I first read the gospels how I marveled at Jesus, how I was in awe of him. I could say I was almost jealous knowing who I was, weak and sinful, and this Jesus who was so great and marvelous. I could say that I gave my heart to the Lord because I wanted to be as the Master. I wanted to be like Jesus. Yet the problem remains. How do I behold or see him as he is?

   The word of God is the wonderful presentation of the Lord. It is God-breathed and living and powerful. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal truth and Jesus is the truth. The appearing of Jesus is not just relegated to the Rapture. We can see Jesus at any time as the Holy Spirit reveals him yet many do not see Jesus as He is. Why is this? Why do not more people behold the Lord? Why is it that the born again, spirit-filled Christian is not the mirror image of the Lord? John gives us the answer. He says that everyone who has this hope purifies himself as he is pure. First we need to have this hope. St. Peter in his epistle calls it a lively hope. Many of us instead of looking at Jesus look only to our short comings. We do not believe what the bible tells us: that we can be like Jesus and do the works he called us to do. Secondly, we as Christians who should have this hope don’t purify ourselves. Matthew chapter five tells us that the pure in heart see God. To see God we must be free from sin. To be free from sin our actions must spring from the Spirit and not from the flesh. We must dissolve the flesh in order to live and walk in the Spirit. If we are pure, we will see God. If we see God, we will be like him for we shall see him as he is. If we are like him, the works that he did we will do also, and greater works we will do because we will be like him.

   The church is weak and anemic because it lacks the hope and vision of God. We must not look at our own weakness but unto the Lord. We must allow the Holy Spirit to convict of sin, and righteousness, and judgment so that we may become pure. We must have a lively hope so that we can become sons and daughters of God with power and compassion, holiness and boldness. Both Paul and John have the same vision. They see the church as spotless and pure, full of mercy and good works. The question is, do you?

   The answer to the question, “how do we behold the Lord?” is answered by the scripture itself. We will behold the Lord when we become determined to live the gospel as Jesus told us to do. When we do this, we will be changed. Amen