What motivates us to do the right things? Some say fear of reprisal or shame works best. If we just frighten people enough or make them feel awful about their past mistakes, won’t that bring out the best in them? Call me unconvinced.
In his Gospel and in this letter, the Apostle John wants his readers to walk with Jesus and do the right things. What is his strategy? Love. “See what great love the Father has lavished on us . . . that we should be called children of God!” God has loved us into his family. When we look at newborn babies, we don’t know who they will be or what their appearance will be. But we can imagine that they will be like their parents. Just so, when Jesus returns we will be like him. The transformation which began at the moment of salvation will finally be complete as we are completely identified with our Savior.
For John, who knew personally that Jesus loved him, the question of life was never, “Does God really love me?” Instead he wondered, “Do we love God enough to become like him?” Our final salvation is secure and our ultimate sanctification and conformity to Christ is certain. Since God loves us so much, we can begin to be like Christ today. As Paul wrote to the Romans, “His kindness leads us to repentance” (Romans 2:5) and again, “Those God foreknew he predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Romans 8:29). Because God loves us, transformation will happen. We will be changed. Why not start now?
