At the very end of the last days of the Age of the Law (probably close to writing The Revelation of Jesus Christ) John said, “Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, when He shall be manifested, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”
This statement has been both the receptacle of various interpretations and an assumed bulwark of futurism. It gets this treatment because it is seemingly enigmatic and is not explained by John. It is simply stated per se. I think that we can rightly conclude that John’s letter recipients understood what He meant. They had the environment of his letters. We have these as snapshots of their ancient situation.
To properly interpret this statement is to understand the presence of God in Jesus in us today. It also goes a long way to clear out its crass interpretations that have overtaken the churches.
Jesus said, “Do not let your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling-places. And if not, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will receive you to Myself, so that where I am, you also will be.”
When asked about the nature of the resurrection body, Paul said, “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So also it is written: ‘The first man, Adam, became a living soul.’ The last Adam a life-giving Spirit. However, the spiritual was not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, made of dust; the second Man from heaven. As the one made of dust, so also are those of the earth; and as the heavenly One, so also are those of heaven. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.” In this deep and illuminating statement, I am focusing on the highlighted words.
The author of Hebrews said, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the proof of things not seen.”
To see Jesus as He now is, is to see Him in His manifested heavenly image. It is to see Him in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. It is to see Him in full glory. It is to see Him as the immortal, incorruptible, glorious, and powerful life-giving Spirit!
To be like Him today in God’s Kingdom is to be in unity with Him in full-measure. It is to abide and abound in the fullness of His Holy Spirit, in fullness of His fruits and gifts. It is to walk in the fullness of His glory. It is to abide and abound in all immortality, incorruptibility, power, and might!
We are the spiritual body of Christ! We are living stones in the eternal House of God! We are His kingdom of priests offering up the fullness of spiritual sacrifices! We are sons of Light in full inheritance!
Accordingly,
God is All in all! Glory to God in the Highest! Hallelujah! Amen!