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The sermon teaches that the future hope of believers is not an abstract spiritual awareness but actual, personal sight of the same Jesus who suffered for them, now glorified as God-man. This hope rests on God’s free grace: sinners who believe are forgiven, counted righteous through Christ, adopted as God’s children, preserved by grace, and ultimately made like Christ. Spurgeon sharply distinguishes those who belong to Christ from those who remain unchanged and warns hearers to believe before judgment. Abiding in Christ does not mean sinless perfection, but it does produce a life no longer characterized by deliberate, habitual sin.
Theological center: The gospel unites sinners to the incarnate, crucified, risen, and exalted Christ so that they are adopted as God’s children, kept by grace, transformed into His likeness, and finally behold Him face to face.
Applications: Believe in the Lord Jesus · Abide in Christ · Examine your spiritual condition · Long for Christ’s presence
Primary texts: 1 John 3:1-10 · 1 John 3:2 · Psalm 17:15
“We shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2 IT is one of the most natural desires in all the world that when we hear of a great and a good man, we should wish to see his person. When we read the works of any eminent author, we are accustomed to turn to the frontispiece to look for his portrait. When we hear of any wondrous deed of daring, we will crowd our windows to see the warrior ride through the streets. When we know of any man who is holy and who is eminently devoted to his work, we will not mind tarrying anywhere if we may but have a glimpse of him whom God has so highly blessed. This feeling becomes doubly powerful when we have any connection with the man, when we feel, not only that he is great, but that he is great for us—not simply that he is good, but that he is good to us—not only that he is benevolent, but that he has been a benefactor to us as individuals. Then the wish to see him rises to a craving desire, and the desire is insatiable until it can satisfy itself in seeing that unknown, and hitherto unseen donor, who has done such wondrously good deeds for us. I am sure, my brethren, you will all confess that this strong desire has arisen in your minds concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. We owe to none so much. We talk of none so much, we hope, and we think of none so much. At any rate, no one so constantly thinks of us. We have I believe, all of us who love His name, a most insatiable wish to behold His person. The thing for which I would pray above all others, would be forever to behold His face, forever to lay my head upon His breast, forever to know that I am His, forever to dwell with Him. Ay, one short glimpse, one transitory vision of His glory, one brief glance at His marred, but now exalted and beaming countenance, would repay almost a world of trouble. We have a strong desire to see Him. Nor do I think that that desire is wrong. Moses himself asked that he might see God. Had it been a wrong wish arising out of vain curiosity, it would not have been granted, but God granted Moses his desire. He put him in the cleft of the rock, shaded him with His hands, bade him look at the skirts of His garments, because His face could not be seen. Yea, more, the earnest desire of the very best of men has been in the same direction. Job said, “I know that my Redeemer liveth, and though worms devour this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” That was his desire. The holy psalmist said, “I shall be satisfied when I awake in thy likeness.” “I shall behold thy face in righteousness.” And most saints, on their deathbeds, have expressed their fondest, dea…