Passage
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.
1 John 3:2 (KJV)
Nearby Context
1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1 John 3:2 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.
1 John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Study Lenses
The verse centers on "beloved", "sons", "doth", "appear", and "shall". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "beloved" and "sons", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.
The nearby context moves from verse 1's "Behold what manner of love the Father..." into verse 3's "And every man that hath this hope...", so "beloved" and "sons" belong inside that flow. In 1 John context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.
A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "beloved" and "sons" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.