Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we will see him as he is.

1 John 3:2

What’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen?

Was it a flaming sunset over a pristine lake? Was it a painting by a master artist, with bold color and meticulous proportion and detail? Was it a newborn baby, delicate yet full of potential and innocence? I want you to recall that sight if you can. Treasure that moment, because it is going to be the point of reference for the surpassing beauty of what every Christian has in store. This verse you just read promises us that we will behold the resurrected, victorious Son of God in all of his glory and splendor. I cannot explain to you exactly what that experience will be like – but it will be truly beautiful. It will be so beautiful, in fact, that it is parody at best and image-making that risks idolatry at worst to try to describe it beyond the words of Scripture. But we can know this: we will behold the very image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, by whom all things were created and in whom the whole universe holds together. It will be unspeakably marvelous! It will be enough to occupy our tiny little attention spans for centuries of an endless eternity. Can you imagine something so captivating?

Perhaps you think we ought to bring ourselves back down to earth – after all, why be so heavenly-minded that we’re no earthly good? And who wants to stare at something for eternity? That kind of heaven sounds, well… boring if we’re honest! But John’s got practical help for us. In the very next verse, he says “and everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” He’s saying that we’ve been given this promise, and now we get to spend the rest of our lives preparing ourselves. That’s where it gets practical. Maybe a quick story can help us:

When I first drank coffee, I hated it. I had to work hard to not twist my face into a look of disgust as the scalding, bitter liquid hit my tongue. But through a combination of peer pressure (coffee is cool!) and the need to stay up late/wake up early to study, I kept drinking it. And over time, I started to like it. Now, I drink it black and strong and actually take time to appreciate the taste. Something that wasn’t appealing to me initially became more appealing as I devoted myself to it.

All analogies fall apart, and this one will too, but here’s the point. John tells us to go about the business of purifying ourselves because of the hope that one day God’s children will be made glorious, and we will see ultimate Glory. Sure, there may be lots of other things to do in the new Heavens and Earth, but the overwhelming presence of God will be main attraction. And, if you’re honest with yourself and don’t find that as appealing as you think you should, don’t be alarmed. Since we have corrupted natures, we don’t like what is ultimately good, beautiful, and true. Our desires are all out of wack! James says that each person is tempted to sin when he is “lured and enticed by his own desire.” We don’t want what we ought! 

Thankfully, we have the promise of adoption into God’s family through faith in Jesus. “We are God’s children now” John says – “and what we will be has not yet appeared.” Through faith in Christ, we’re adopted and made a part of the family. Our future is secure. So now, we get to spend the rest of our lives cultivating a taste for eternity. We learn to love what is ultimately good, beautiful, and true – Jesus Christ, the Son of God. So, we live like Jesus, we go to church, we study our Bibles, we sing hymns, we do good works, and we love one another. And in so doing, our desires change – instead of wincing at the idea of spiritual things, we start to savor them. And there will never be a sweeter taste.