Introduction

† John is not writing about something vague or far off, he is addressing a real transition that was about to be revealed to them (1 John 3:2)

† They were already God's children, but something about what they would be had not yet been fully manifested (1 John 3:1-2)

† That change was tied directly to Christ's appearing, not to physical death, not to the end of the world, but to his coming in their generation (Matthew 16:27-28)

† John already said they were in the last hour, placing this expectation firmly in their time, not ours (1 John 2:18)

† The New Testament consistently teaches that his appearing was near, about to happen, and not delayed for thousands of years (Revelation 1:1-3)

1 John 3:2

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

† Now are we children of God establishes their present identity, they were already in covenant relationship with him (Galatians 3:26)

† It is not yet made manifest what we shall be shows there was still an unfolding, something about their full state had not yet been revealed (Ephesians 4:13)

† That manifestation was not personal or individual, it was corporate, tied to the completion of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:13)

† If he shall be manifested refers to his appearing, which Jesus said would happen in that generation (Matthew 16:27-28)

† The New Testament repeatedly says that appearing was near, not distant, showing this was about to take place in their lifetime (James 5:8)

† The Judge was standing at the door, confirming immediacy, not delay (James 5:9)

† We shall be like him speaks of sharing in his resurrected life, not physical likeness, but spiritual conformity to his glorified state (1 Corinthians 15:44-46)

† This is the same transformation Paul describes, from natural to spiritual, from the first Adam to the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:47-49)

† Being like him means bearing his image in full, which was not complete until that appearing (Romans 8:29)

† For we shall see him even as he is is not about physical sight, but revelation, perception, and understanding (John 14:19-20)

† Jesus said the world would not see him, but his disciples would, proving this is not literal eyesight (John 14:22-23)

† Seeing is used throughout scripture for understanding, as Jesus said blessed are your eyes because they see (Matthew 13:16)

† Paul says we behold as in a mirror and are transformed, showing this is about revealed understanding, not physical vision (2 Corinthians 3:18)

† This was fulfilled when Christ was revealed in judgment and glory, completing the transition from the old covenant to the new (Hebrews 9:28)

Historical References

† Eusebius records that the early Christians recognized the destruction of Jerusalem as the fulfillment of Christ's coming and judgment (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 3.5)

† Josephus describes the events of AD 70, including signs and destruction consistent with prophetic judgment language (Josephus, Wars of the Jews 6.5.3)

† Tacitus confirms the historical destruction, showing the real world fulfillment of what Jesus and the apostles spoke (Tacitus, Histories 5.13)

How It Applies To Us Today

† We are not waiting to become something else, that transformation has already been revealed in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17)

† Being like him is not future, it is the reality of the fulfilled work that has already been completed (Colossians 2:10)

† We live in the fullness of that revealed identity, not in expectation of something unfinished (Ephesians 2:5-6)

† Understanding that we already share in his life changes how we live, we walk in confidence, not anticipation (Hebrews 12:28)

Q & A Appendix

Q: What does what we shall be refer to?
A: It refers to the fully revealed, completed state of the body of Christ at his appearing, when the transition reached maturity (Ephesians 4:13)

Q: What were they at the time John wrote this?
A: They were already God's children, but still in the transition period where the full manifestation had not yet been revealed (1 John 3:1-2)

Q: What changed at his appearing?
A: The full revelation of their identity was manifested, the body reached completion, and the old covenant system passed away (Hebrews 9:28)

Q: What does we shall be like him mean?
A: It means sharing in his resurrected, spiritual life and bearing his image fully, not physical likeness (1 Corinthians 15:44-49)

Q: What image are we conformed to?
A: The image of the last Adam, Christ, not the first Adam, meaning a spiritual, heavenly identity (1 Corinthians 15:47-49)

Q: Are we physically like him?
A: No, the resurrection body is defined as spiritual, not fleshly, so the likeness is not physical (1 Corinthians 15:44-46)

Q: What are we now?
A: We are complete in him, lacking nothing in our standing, fully brought into that revealed identity (Colossians 2:10)

Q: Are we still becoming something?
A: No, the transformation John spoke of has already been revealed and completed in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Q: What does it mean to see him as he is?
A: It means full revelation and understanding of his authority and glory, not physical sight (John 14:19-20)

Q: Did they physically see him?
A: No, Jesus said the world would not see him, but his disciples would, showing this is about perception and revelation (John 14:22-23)

Q: When did they see him as he is?
A: When he was manifested in judgment and glory in that generation, just as he promised (Matthew 24:30-34)

Q: Why does John say it had not yet been revealed?
A: Because at the time of writing, the appearing had not yet happened, but it was near and about to take place (Revelation 1:1-3)

Q: Are we still waiting for this today?
A: No, it was fulfilled in their generation, and we now live in that revealed reality (Matthew 16:27-28)

Q: What does completed state of the body mean?
A: It means the body of Christ reached full maturity and unity, no longer in partial revelation but in fullness (Ephesians 4:13)

Q: Was this individual or corporate?
A: It was corporate, referring to the entire body of believers, not individual transformation at death (Ephesians 4:13)

Q: Does this happen when we die?
A: No, this was tied to Christ's appearing in that generation, not to individual physical death (Hebrews 9:28)

Q: What covenant change took place?
A: The old covenant system passed away and the new covenant was fully established and revealed (Hebrews 8:13)

Q: Why do people still think this is future?
A: Because they ignore the clear time statements and remove the passage from its original audience (1 John 2:18)

Q: What is the biggest misunderstanding of this verse?
A: Treating what we shall be as personal future change instead of a corporate, fulfilled reality (Ephesians 2:5-6)

Q: What does it mean for us today?
A: We live in the fullness of that revealed identity, not waiting for something incomplete (Colossians 2:10)

† This is the fulfilled perspective we proclaim at Fulfilled Prophecies †
© Fulfilled Prophecies - Dan Maines.

Source Index

† 1 John 3:2; 1 John 3:1; 1 John 2:18; Matthew 16:27-28; Matthew 24:30-34; James 5:8-9; Revelation 1:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:44-49; John 14:19-23; Matthew 13:16; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Hebrews 9:28; Romans 8:29; Ephesians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 2:10; Ephesians 2:5-6; Hebrews 12:28; Galatians 3:26

† Josephus, Wars of the Jews 6.5.3; Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 3.5; Tacitus, Histories 5.13