By Rev. Dr. Dezo Schreiner

“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.”
– 1 John 3:1–3 (NRSV)

When I first sat with this passage, the very first question that came to my mind was simple, but it wouldn’t let me go:

Am I a child of God, or am I becoming a child of God?

That question matters, because the text itself was written to a community wrestling with identity, belonging, and division. Some people had left the fellowship, claiming they possessed a purer or more superior understanding of God. Others were left behind wondering who truly belonged. Who was “in,” and who was “out”?

Into that anxiety, the writer does something unexpected. He does not condemn. He does not redraw the boundaries of exclusion. He begins with love:

“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are.”

In other words, your identity–and mine–is not determined by who stayed or who left, by who claims to be more holy or more correct. Our identity is determined by God’s love. Period.

A Bold Identity in a Divided World

In the early church, to be called a “child of God” was not sentimental language. It was a bold declaration. It was a quiet but powerful protest against a world that labels, divides, and excludes.

To be named a child of God was to say: I belong to a different family.

In God’s family, everyone belongs. Every identity: gender, race, sexuality, culture, background, story–is seen through the eyes of love. Not erased. Not flattened. Loved.

Howard Thurman once wrote that awareness of being a child of God stabilizes the ego and gives a deep sense of belonging and significance. When we live from that awareness, we stop fighting for worth. We stop scrambling to prove ourselves. And we begin creating communities of welcome, places shaped by radical belonging rather than fear.

Our truest name has nothing to do with the labels this world gives us. Our truest name is given by love.

Love That Breaks Boxes

“See what love the Father has given us.”

The writer is saying, Pay attention. God’s love is a  force. A love that crosses boundaries. A love that tears down walls. A love that names every person, every color, every gender, every orientation, every story as beloved.

To live as God’s children is to embody a new kind of family. Not a family built on sameness or uniformity, because no real family looks like that–but a family built on grace, understanding, and unity.

The text says, “The world does not know us.” And maybe that’s because when people live out inclusive faith, when they practice radical belonging, the world doesn’t quite know what to do with that.'

We live in a culture that loves categories. This or that. Left or right. Progressive or conservative. Labels help us feel organized and safe.

But the love of God does not fit neatly into our boxes. God does not live in a bubble. And when we choose to see one another not as issues or sides, but as beloved siblings, we begin to live in a way the world cannot easily explain.

Becoming Who We Already Are

So I return to my question: Am I God’s child, or am I becoming God’s child?

The answer is both.

I am God’s child. And I am becoming God’s child every day, as my life slowly begins to resemble that truth more fully. We know what a child of God looks like–we’ve seen one. His name is Jesus. The closer I walk to Jesus, the closer I come to becoming who I already am.

That looks like walking alongside young people with hard questions. Making space for those trying to find God again after painful church experiences. Offering a place for honest conversation for people who believe differently–a safe and welcoming church, not a fixing church.

Becoming God’s children means practicing grace for people in process. Because all of us are in process.

Resembling the Family Name

“All who have this hope purify themselves.”

That’s not about perfection. It’s about alignment. It means our lives begin to resemble the love that claims us.

If we are God’s children, people should be able to see the resemblance.

Compassion that crosses barriers.
Justice that lifts the lowly.
Forgiveness that loosens resentment.
Joy that refuses despair.

The early church was known for one thing: “See how they love one another.” 

I wonder if that could be said about us. Could people look at this Beloved Community and say, Have you seen how they live with each other?

Imagine a place where everyone feels at home. A place where people can bring all that they are and find healing and hope. Not a place for perfect people–but for the becoming.

God keeps making room. God keeps adding space for the joyful and the weary, the immigrant and the local, the doubter and the devoted. For everyone who needs to hear the words: You belong here.

Living Like the Family Name Matters

This hope is not wishful thinking. It is rooted in a promise: love has the final word.

We may not yet know what we will be, but we know whose we are. And when we see Christ–love made visible–we will finally recognize ourselves and one another as siblings.

So here is my invitation–to you and to myself:

Let’s live as if the family name matters.

Let’s love so deeply and so fiercely that someone can look at us and say, “There goes one of God’s kids.”

Go live as God’s children.
Go find the rest of our siblings.

And bring them home, so we can gather around the table together.

Amen.

Summary: Questions & Answers

What does it mean to be a child of God?
It means our identity is rooted in God’s love, not in labels, achievements, or exclusion.

Are we already God’s children or still becoming them?
Both. We are God’s children now, and we continue becoming as our lives more closely resemble Christ.

Why is this message important today?
Because many people struggle with belonging, identity, and division, both in the church and in the wider world.

What kind of church does this vision call for?
An inclusive, grace-filled church shaped by radical belonging, honest conversation, and love for people in process.

What does spiritual growth look like here?
Not perfection, but alignment–living in ways that reflect compassion, justice, forgiveness, and joy.

What is the invitation of this message?
To live as God’s children, love like family, and help others discover that they belong.