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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: One born of God cannot sin? |
Bible Note: Hank, I imagine that I didn't make myself very clear. Of course - no one can come close to living a life completely free from sin. Obviously, looking at 1:6-10 and 2:1,2, John expected that his readers would have to deal with sin. I agree with what you've said here, BTW. The penalty for our sin has already been paid - once for all. The purpose of "confession" is not to get sins forgiven that otherwise would result in hell-fire. That's been dealt with once-for-all. 1 John 1:3 what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may have fellowship along with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. This is what I believe to be the thematic verse for 1st John. 1st John is all about how to have fellowship with God (and other believers). Now I imagine that no one on this board really thinks that John is saying here that a true believer does not sin AT ALL - EVER. So then, just why did John express it in 1 John 3:6-9 like this? Was he trying to confuse us? Obviously not. It only makes sense IMO in view of the Cerenthus heresy which was rampant at the time. Remember that John did start out this letter in a similar manner to his gospel with "That which was from the/a beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have beheld and handled with our hands, concerning the Word of Life." This is a clear reference to Jesus in the flesh - they saw and touched Him. And John's reference to "beginning" here negates Cerenthus' claim that the man Jesus had a beginning separate from the Son of God. You see, at the time of the writing of this letter, John faced a serious heretical teaching. His chief opponent was Cerenthus. (Cerenthus taught that when the man Jesus was baptized that at that point that the Son of God entered into Him. Then, when He gave up His spirit on the cross, the Son of God left the man Jesus. He did not believe in a literal resurrection.) What developed form this heretical teaching was a "docetist" claim that when we sinned it was merely our body, our flesh, and hence didn't matter. Of course, this isn't true. Whenever we sin such sinning does not proceed from God... ever. And that, IMO, was what John meant by saying that one "born again" does not sin. IMO the key to understanding 1 John is just that - the absoluteness... When we use expressions instead of "continue in sin" or "keep on sinning" we miss John's point. 1 John 1:5 - Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him. 1 John 1:6 - If we say, "We have fellowship with Him," and walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing/doing the truth. 1 John 1:8 - If we say, "We have no sin," we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:10 - If we say, "We have not sinned," we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 1 John 2:2 - He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world. 1 John 2:4 - The one who says, "I have come to know Him," without keeping His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John 2:9 - The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother is in the darkness until now. 1 John 2:11 - But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and doesn't know where he's going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 1 John 2:15, 16 - Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. Because everything that belongs to the world ... is not from the Father, but is from the world. 1 John 2:22, 23 - Who is the liar, if not the one who denies that Jesus is the Messiah? He is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son can have the Father; he who confesses the Son has the Father as well. 1 John 2:25, 26 - And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life. I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 1 John 2:29 - If you know that He is righteous, you know this as well: everyone who does what is right has been born of Him. 1 John 3:4 - Everyone who commits sin also breaks the law; sin is the breaking of law. 1 John 3:5 - You know that He was revealed so that He might take away sins, and there is no sin in Him. 1 John 3:6 - Everyone who remains (abides) in Him does not sin; everyone who sins has not seen Him or known Him. OK, gotta stop here - post getting too long. BD |