Today at 02:33 AM Ratioann said this in Post #21 (http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?postid=664471#post664471)
Aha!
I found the verse no one wanted me to find (perhaps):
1 John 3:9
Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
Note that it says "does not" and "cannot sin".
Now I think if in the heat of the moment, you slip up, thats no big thing. Just be sure you pray about it. However, if you've been tempted to do something and give in to it... You have some trouble in your hands. For that you may want to look closely at your walk with God for safetys sake.
But these are my own opinions.
I wonder why you would think no one wanted you to find this verse. This is a good verse and I am glad you found it. This is a very comforting verse when read and understood in context.
This text clearly speaks of our TWO natures. When people are Born Again, they are born spiritually, and not physically. And the Bible teaches that we then have a new nature. Old things are passed away and all things have become new. The new nature does not sin, because it is of the seed of God, a Holy, righteous, sinless God. Therefore, the new nature or the child of God cannot sin, because it is the product of the seed of a Sinless God.
But even though we have a new nature, as human beings, we still retain our old nature as long as we live this life on earth. And that nature can sin any time you allow it. That is our flesh. We are told that we must keep that old nature under control, or as Paul says we must crucify that flesh daily, or it will sin. We keep our old nature under control by making a choice. A choice to keep our focus, and not yield to our fleshly desires, or weaknesses.
So when we are born again, we have two natures, the old and the new, and which one we are walking in, or living/acting in, becomes evident by our actions.
I rarely do this, but for those intersted look at what Henry says about this and how he expresses it.
"1Jo 3:3-10 - The sons of God know that their Lord is of purer eyes than to allow any thing unholy and impure to dwell with him. It is the hope of hypocrites, not of the sons of God, that makes allowance for gratifying impure desires and lusts. May we be followers of him as his dear children, thus show our sense of his unspeakable mercy, and express that obedient, grateful, humble mind which becomes us. Sin is the rejecting the Divine law. In him, that is, in Christ, was no sin. All the sinless weaknesses that were consequences of the fall, he took; that is, all those infirmities of mind or body which subject man to suffering, and expose him to temptation. But our moral infirmities, our proneness to sin, he had not. He that abides in Christ, continues not in the practice of sin. Renouncing sin is the great proof of spiritual union with, continuance in, and saving knowledge of the Lord Christ. Beware of self-deceit. He that doeth righteousness is righteous, and to be a follower of Christ, shows an interest by faith in his obedience and sufferings. But a man cannot act like the devil, and at the same time be a disciple of Christ Jesus. Let us not serve or indulge what the Son of God came to destroy. To be born of God is to be inwardly renewed by the power of the Spirit of God. Renewing grace is an abiding principle. Religion is not an art, a matter of dexterity and skill, but a new nature. And the regenerate person cannot sin as he did before he was born of God, and as others do who are not born again. There is that light in his mind, which shows him the evil and malignity of sin. There is that bias upon his heart, which disposes him to loathe and hate sin. There is the spiritual principle that opposes sinful acts. And there is repentance for sin, if committed. It goes against him to sin with forethought. The children of God and the children of the devil have their distinct characters. The seed of the serpent are known by neglect of religion, and by their hating real Christians. He only is righteous before God, as a justified believer, who is taught and disposed to righteousness by the Holy Spirit. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. May all professors of the gospel lay these truths to heart, and try themselves by them."
