UASV’s Daily Devotional All Things Bible, Saturday, April 05, 2025

Please Support the Bible Translation Work of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

$5.00

What Does It Mean That We Are Called Children of God in 1 John 3:1?

The Privilege of Divine Adoption Through Obedience and Faithfulness

In 1 John 3:1, the apostle writes with both wonder and theological depth: “See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children—and we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him.” This declaration is not rooted in vague sentiment or mystical spiritualism but in the real, covenantal relationship formed through faith, obedience, and ongoing righteousness. The Greek term for “children” is τέκνα (tekna), which signifies those born of or belonging to a parent. It emphasizes relational closeness, not mere legal standing. This verse points to the transformative love of Jehovah, who makes it possible for human beings—once alienated by sin—to be regarded as His children when they submit to His will.

The verse begins with a call to behold or “see,” using the Greek word ἴδετε (idete), which calls attention not to something casual, but to something astonishing. The idea is that God’s love is so profound and unexpected that it demands deep reflection. This love is not arbitrary, and it is not universal in the sense of automatic inclusion. John does not say that all people are automatically children of God. He is writing to faithful Christians who have entered into covenant with Jehovah through faith in Jesus Christ and active submission to the gospel message.

The context of 1 John makes this clear. Just a few verses later, in 1 John 3:7, he writes, “Let no one deceive you: The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.” This shows that being called a child of God is not based on mere confession or identity claims but is proven through righteous behavior. Verse 10 draws the line with unmistakable clarity: “This is how God’s children and the devil’s children become obvious: Whoever does not do what is right is not of God, especially the one who does not love his brother or sister.” This distinction reveals that being called a child of God is not a title of sentiment, but a description of lifestyle—those who live righteously and practice obedience are truly His children.

The Cost of Being Identified with God in a World That Rejects Him

1 John 3:1 also affirms that the world does not recognize or accept those who are truly God’s children. “The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him.” The term “know” here, ἔγνω (egnō), refers not simply to intellectual awareness but to intimate relational acknowledgment. Because the world is estranged from Jehovah—by choice and rebellion—it cannot comprehend the people who walk in His truth. This echoes Jesus’ words in John 15:18-19: “If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world… the world hates you.“

Being called a child of God means bearing the opposition and rejection that Jesus himself endured. The faithful are not to expect acceptance from a world that rejects divine truth. This reality deepens the meaning of John’s statement in 1 John 3:1—Jehovah’s love is not measured by worldly status or approval but by the eternal relationship He establishes with those who walk in His commands.

This rejection also reflects a spiritual distinction. The world does not know God’s children because the world does not know God. Those who are of the world—those living in sin, rebellion, or apathy—are spiritually blind and cannot recognize the value or identity of those who live in obedience to divine law. 1 Corinthians 2:14 explains this principle: “But the person without the Spirit does not receive what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated spiritually.” Again, this passage must be interpreted correctly—the “Spirit” here refers to the Spirit-inspired Word of God, not an indwelling. Understanding spiritual truth requires engagement with the Scriptures, not emotional feeling or mystical experience.

The Father’s Love Is Demonstrated in the Transformative Change of Identity

The love that Jehovah has shown, according to 1 John 3:1, is not passive or abstract. It actively redefines the believer’s identity. Those who once were estranged from God—alienated by sin and dead in their transgressions (Ephesians 2:1-3)—are now called His children, not through human merit but through divine initiative and the believer’s willing submission. This transformation is grounded in obedience. As 1 John 2:3 states, “This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commands.” Love for God and recognition as His child are directly tied to action.

This is further confirmed in Romans 8:14: “For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons.” Being “led by the Spirit” does not mean direct supernatural influence or internal indwelling. It means being guided by the teachings of the Spirit as preserved in the written Word. The Spirit does not operate independently of Scripture, and no passage teaches that the Spirit indwells believers today. Rather, Scripture serves as the tool of transformation, teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Those who allow their lives to be shaped by the Word demonstrate themselves to be sons and daughters of God.

That transformation is also linked to baptism and obedience to the gospel message. Galatians 3:26-27 affirms, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.” The identity of being a child of God is not assumed—it is entered through obedient faith, culminating in baptism, where the believer is symbolically and covenantally joined to Christ. Those who have not submitted to this process cannot claim the title “child of God” as John uses it.

The honor of being called God’s child carries with it responsibilities and expectations. This is not a license to sin or to assume a permanent status regardless of behavior. 1 John 3:6 says, “Everyone who remains in him does not sin; everyone who sins has not seen him or known him.” The present tense in Greek here refers to continuous action—John is not speaking of occasional failings but of a lifestyle of sin. Such a life is incompatible with being a child of God.

The Promise of Future Glory and Present Sanctification

While 1 John 3:1 emphasizes the present reality of being God’s children, the following verses point toward a future fulfillment of this identity. 1 John 3:2 says, “Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him as he is.” This verse points to the eschatological hope tied to faithful living—the final transformation at the resurrection. But even that hope is rooted in purity and obedience. Verse 3 continues: “And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure.“

Therefore, to be a child of God is not merely a status; it is a calling to purity, a life patterned after Christ, and a future hope grounded in present obedience. The believer does not presume upon grace but works out salvation with reverence (Philippians 2:12), maintaining a walk consistent with their new identity.

This dynamic relationship between present status and future hope reinforces the message of John 17:3, where Jesus defined eternal life as knowing Jehovah and Jesus Christ. That knowledge is always active, relational, and obedient. It never permits complacency or passivity.

Conclusion: A High Calling, Not a Cheap Title

1 John 3:1 reveals a profound truth about Jehovah’s love—it is a love that transforms and calls people into His family. But this love must be received through obedience, and the title “child of God” is never detached from righteous living. The world may not recognize the identity of God’s children, but their lives will be marked by obedience to truth, purity of conduct, and separation from sin.

To be called a child of God is the highest privilege—and the greatest responsibility. It calls for submission, commitment, and a life shaped by the Spirit-inspired Word of God. Let us then reflect on the love Jehovah has shown and live as faithful children—distinct from the world, devoted to truth, and committed to righteousness in all things.

You May Also Benefit From

How Can Faithfulness in Small Things Reflect a Life Devoted to God?

About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).