1 John 3:3 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

That hath this hope— The phrase Ο εχων, signifies, he that keepeth, holdeth, or retaineth: he purifies himself; consequently he is not like a stone, or like a machine, which is entirely passive: God, it is true, gives him all the power by imparting his grace unto him; and this is the use which he is obliged to make of it. It is not said that he purifies himself, as Jesus Christ purifies himself; Jesus Christ was never polluted with any immorality, he therefore has no occasion to purify himself: he is absolutely pure, without spot or blemish, the standard of all moral excellence and perfection; and they who would see him, and be like him in immortal glory and felicity hereafter, must be like him in holiness here. This purifying ourselves, even as Jesus Christ is pure, denotes not an absolute equality to his purity, for that no man can attain unto, but a likeness or resemblance. We may finally observe, that the sacred scriptures do not propose to us a Mahometan paradise of sensual enjoyments as our eternal portion, (the very prospect of which is enough to encourage men in debauchery and sensuality;) but the seeing Christ, and being like that pure and infinitely holy personage: that is, the purest, most spiritual, and most refined enjoyments are proposed to us, as our everlasting reward. The hope of such things, which grace alone can bestow, has the most direct tendency to excite us to purity and holiness; and, in this view, how excellent must that religion be, which promises the promoting of holiness and the spiritual enjoyment of God, as its grand and ultimate reward!