As the church calendar year normally has it, the Sunday after Reformation is All Saints Day with the following three readings: Revelation 7:2-17 (The five angels); 1 John 3:1-3 (We are children of God) and Matthew 5:1-12 (Beatitudes). The text for preaching is 1 John 3:2, “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be.”

At first reading it appears that we have a contradiction while on the one hand the text says “we are children of God” but then it says “it has not yet been revealed what we shall be.” Is it that in time we will no longer be children? No, that isn’t the case for Christians will always be children of God. However, there are two kinds of children. The first are those who are begotten. But we are not begotten children of God since there is only One Who is the only-begotten of God and His name is Jesus.

Instead, we are adopted children. We are living in a society that finds its purpose and meaning by our works. For many, including every other religion except Christianity, the goal is to become right with God which translates to do right things for God. As at the time of the Reformation, many today are deluded into thinking that becoming right with God means that we have to do right things for God!

That is why a far better Biblical analogy for the concept of salvation is being a member of the family. And that occurs through adoption. Adopted children do not become more or less adopted depending upon their behavior. The relationship is not based on works but on whether the parents truly adopted the child.

So also with the holy Trinity Who through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ brought us into the Family as children of God. When Christ spoke the words, “It is finished” it meant that what really separated us from God; namely, the curse of the Law, has been paid. No longer does sin result in damnation. The new paradigm under the new covenant is whether one has faith. Sinners who are unbelievers go to hell; sinners who are believers go to heaven.

Yes, we will always remain children of God but we will soon be transformed at the coming of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ Who will change our vile body to be like His without spot or sin. Then, we will not just be declared righteous but become righteous by grace in the heavenlies forever and ever.