John 3:2 "Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed..."

"Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when it is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is" (1 John 3:2).

Question:

Some people are of the opinion that it is referring to a time when Jesus "physically" returns to earth and others are of the opinion that it is referring to the "afterlife", when we don radiant bodies.

Comment:

If "we are God's children now," then we are spiritual beings, eternally alive—as God is. So the idea of an 'afterlife' makes no sense; we are a part of eternal life right now. The question this passage seems to address is, How will we, as God's children, next express? What is the next stage in our spiritual unfoldment?   The author seems to somewhat contradict himself. He first says that the next stage "has not yet been revealed." But it has been revealed—in the person and example of Jesus Christ. We are to express ourselves as the Christ, as Jesus did, by embracing his understanding and following his example. When we express our own Christ nature "we will be like him" and we will fully understand the infinite power and possibility of that Christ nature, which at first we can only grasp dimly but appreciating the example of Jesus.   None of this, it seems to me, is about Jesus "physically returning to earth." Nor is it about waiting for something to happen in an “afterlife.” The second coming of the Christ will happen when we choose to accept Jesus' invitation to follow him into Christ consciousness ourselves. It isn't easy—there are many fears and distractions to be lovingly dissolved. But it is our spiritual purpose—and it is, indeed, "what we will be."   Blessings!

Rev. Ed