Does the Bible say we are already children of God or only hope to be?
Scripture declares that believers are now the sons or children of God, not merely hoping to become so. It says 'now we are' children of God, while also stating that what we shall be has not yet appeared; when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
Les explains that the verse says 'now we are' the sons or children of God—it does not say we hope to be or think we might be. He notes that while it does not yet appear what we shall be, this much we know: when the Lord Jesus Christ shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. The world does not know us because it did not know Him. Les also connects Christ's coming with the future peace of Jerusalem, saying there will be no peace on earth 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
Are we God's children now or only in the future?
"Beloved, now are we the sons/children of God" means believers are God's children right now, not merely hoping or thinking they might be.