Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | 1 John 3:9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 John 3:9 No one who is born of God [deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin, because God's seed [His principle of life, the essence of His righteous character] remains [permanently] in him [who is born again--who is reborn from above--spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose]; and he [who is born again] cannot habitually [live a life characterized by] sin, because he is born of God and longs to please Him. |
Subject: Who makes the rules? |
Bible Note: I believe your answer is found by considering what John means by "practicing sin". 1 John 3:9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. Cannot sin does not mean that christians are incapable of sinning. It means that they are incapable of sinning in the same way as the children of the Devil. They make a practice of sinning. They love their sins and never experience godly repentence or shame that arises from the failure to glorify Christ. John says it is obvious to us when, a professor of Christ, leads a sin filled life. But he does not say at what point it becomes obvious to us. When, or at one point, does church discipine need to be exercised in the life of a church member? Usually when his sinning begins to bring reproach upon the chuch and upon our Lord's good name. It then behooves the leadership to call the offending person and confront him with the situation. If he remains unrepentant and refuses the counsel from the key holders, ex-communication may be unavoidable. Your fat friend may be digging his own grave with his teeth, but this behaviour is hardly an obvious proof that he is a child of Satan. John 1 John 3:10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. |