Beloved, now are we children of God, and what we shall be has not yet been manifested; we know that if it is manifested we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
John writes to people who already belong to God's family. Then he tells them that the best part has not appeared yet. The verse holds two things at once: a relationship settled today, and a change that waits for the day Christ appears.
Children Now, Not Later
John states a present fact, not a hope. One writer explains why John says "children" and not "sons":
John never speaks of "sons of God" in his message. In Paul's writings the Holy Spirit speaks of believers as "sons and heirs." But John unfolds the truth that believers are in the family of God by new birth. So he uses the word "children" to mark the shared nature of those born of God. As children of God we share in the divine nature... The Spirit of God gives the strongest assurance through the pen of John: "we are God's children now." There can be no doubt about it. It is our present and known position. We believed on Him, so we are born again and have eternal life.
Hidden From Sight, Not From Faith
The words "has not yet appeared" could sound as if the future were vague. But what is missing is public display, not information.
He adds something not yet manifested. It is not yet manifested what we shall be. What does he mean? That we shall be like Christ even in our bodies. He does not say or mean that it is not revealed to us, for it is set out in Scripture fully and simply. We would be wrong to think there is the smallest doubt about the result... his faith depends not on things that are seen, but on His assurance about things as yet unseen.
The Day of Display
One writer pictures the difference between what the world will see and what His own will see:
When He is manifested in His glory, we shall not only be with Him but like Him, for we are going to see Him as He is. The world will see Him in that day, dressed in His majesty and His might. They will see Him in His official glories. We shall see Him in His more intimate personal glories. The crowd sees the kings of this world in official dress on state occasions. Their own families see them in private, as they are.
Seeing and Becoming
Why does John give sight as the reason for likeness? One line of comment takes the sight itself as the transforming power:
So great is the gracious power of the Second man to make us like Himself, that for us to see Him is to be like Him. When we saw Him here on earth by faith, we were made spiritually like Him. When we see Him bodily one day, we shall be like Him even in our bodies.
Commentators differ here. Another writer reads it the other way round: likeness is what makes the sight possible:
The thought here is not that the sight of Him will transform us then. There is a precious transforming power even now in looking into His face (2 Corinthians 3:18). But we are promised that we shall behold His face in righteousness. It follows that we must be like Him. Only after being made like Him will it be possible to take in the beauty and glory of His Person, "as He is."
As He Is — Now, in Glory
"As He is" means what He is now, not what He will be. That glory is more than flesh could bear:
His glory is not yet manifested, but we shall be like Him, for "we shall see him as he is." That means not as He will be, but as He is now in heavenly glory at the right hand of God. The flesh could not see this and survive. Daniel fell as one dead, and John too, when it appeared. But we shall be like Him, and therefore able to see Him as He is.
The Timing of the Likeness
One writer ties the change to Christ's coming, and marks it off from dying:
When are we to be like Christ in the glory? When He comes. It is not when a person dies and the spirit goes to be with Christ. Then he is like Christ when Christ was in the grave. And I do not want to be like Christ when Christ was in the grave... I want to be like Him in the glory. When will that be? When He comes, He will change our lowly bodies and fashion them like His glorious body.
Summary
- Now — the relationship is settled and known today. Believers are children of God by new birth, not candidates waiting for a verdict.
- Not yet — what is missing is public display, not information. Scripture states the outcome, so there is no doubt about it.
- When — the change comes at His appearing, not at death. At His coming He will fashion our lowly bodies like His glorious body.
- Sight — "as He is" means as He is now at God's right hand. Flesh could not see that glory and survive. Commentators differ: does the sight make us like Him, or does likeness make the sight possible?
- Likeness — the world will see Him in official majesty. His own will see Him in personal glory, and will be like Him even in their bodies.