What does 'it doth not yet appear what we shall be' mean?
It means the believer's future state in eternity is beyond present comprehension. Although we are now children of God, what we will become has not yet been visibly revealed. Scripture assures that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is.
Les explains that in verse 2 the believer is already now a son or child of God—not merely hoping or thinking he might be. The phrase 'it doth not yet appear what we shall be' means we cannot comprehend that eternal future. But this much we know: when the Lord Jesus Christ shall appear—and He is coming—we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. The surrounding context contrasts this with a world that thinks it will keep going forever and that human institutions will solve its problems, yet there will be no peace until the Prince of Peace comes.
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
More Questions
Does the Bible say we are already the children of God or only that we hope to be?
Scripture does not say we hope to be or think we might be the children of God; it says that right now we are the sons, or children, of God.