1 John 3:1 1See what kind of love the Father has given to us, in order that we should be called children of God, and we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
John begins to unpack the positive way of walking in the light. This verse begins with a Johannine way of referring to God’s grace. What kind (potapēn) expresses more of an exclamation than a question and shows the amazing quality of God’s love for us. We do not deserve to be loved because of our rejection and rebellion against God, but God’s love (agapēn) is unconditional. God defines what love is, which is a topic John develops in chapter 4. The shift from 2:29 to 3:1 shows the needed human response to God’s love of righteous living. Theologians describe this balance as “synergism,” the working together of God’s grace and human response of faith and obedience.
God’s goal in showing his love towards us by sending his one and only Incarnated Son is expressed in a purpose clause. God’s love is the source of enabling us to be called God’s children. Being adopted into God’s family is an open invitation to whosoever believes (John 3:16). We have a new identity when we have accepted the Light of the world shining upon our darkened hearts, when we have confessed our sins, opened ourselves to the cleansing light, and followed in his footsteps through obedience. People claim that all humans are children of God, which is true in a general sense of God as Creator. However, only those who can call God Father through the Son are adopted into God’s family and receive eternal life. God’s love is the very first move that enables us to have the privilege of adoption into God’s family.
The rest of humanity, the world, cannot understand this because they are still walking in the darkness. They are blinded by the lies and false promises offered by the world and the devil. John continues these ideas throughout this chapter. Jesus warned that the world would hate those who follow him (John 15:18–19). The darkness fights against the light because the light threatens the existence of the darkness. When light appears, darkness goes away. We should be prepared for rejection when we walk in the light. If our focus is on the light, we can be assured of our adoption as God’s children. This verse offers us the fundamental choice of life: adoption as God’s children, or acceptance by the world.