- Mar 9, 2020
- 8,129
- 3,211
- Country
- United States
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Celibate
1 John 3:9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed abides in him;
and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
They do not sin because they cannot sin, because His seed abides in him.
John is not introducing new information here. What can we say of
someone who has been born of God, and ceased from sinning by abiding in Him?
1 John 2:6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk
just as He walked.
1 John 2:10 He who loves his brother abides in the Light,
and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
1 John 2:14 I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the wicked one.
The young men did not know Christ from the beginning, but placed their faith in Him, based on the testimony received from the elders, and the word of God abides in them.
By abiding in the Word of God, or His seed, they have overcome the wicked one.
(Overcoming by abiding).
1 John 2:17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but whoever does
the will of God abides forever.
Wait for it. Here comes the IF.
1 John 2:24 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning.
If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide
in the Son and in the Father.
So, can someone be a true teacher who does not comprehend the need to abide?
The question is becoming "are you abiding", not "are you born again".
Here comes more abiding.
1 John 2:
26 These things I have written to you concerning those who deceive you.
27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you,
and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing
teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just
as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
What good comes from someone who claims to be a teacher of real truth
and real faith, who then says that if you are born again you cannot sin.
How can we easily explain an apparent contradiction? An apparent contradiction,
of course, is no contradiction, but a teaching coming from a lack of comprehension.
Is there any more information available directly from this source that helps clarify
what John is teaching?
1 John 2:
28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have
confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices
righteousness is born of Him.
Okay, that's useful. We have been born again to practice righteousness.
This is the opposite side of the coin for someone who has ceased from sin.
It is so that now they can practice righteousness.
In fact, Paul says in Romans 6, that the saints are slaves to righteousness.
John says "cease from sin", Paul says, "no longer a slave to sin". Witness?
Now we have painted a much clearer picture and context for this one verse: 1 John 3:9
6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin.
Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness
is righteous, just as He is righteous. [could this be the fruit of righteousness?]
8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose
the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, because His seed abides in him;
and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
So is there really a conflict for John within himself? In the context of this one letter,
he fully elaborates on what it means to abide. For what reason?
1 John 1:
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
The Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth. He convicts the heart of sin, judgment and righteousness.
If you abide in that Spirit, you can overcome the enemy by heeding the Voice of the Spirit.
The testimony of the Spirit to our spirit for conviction of sin and the keeping of a clean
conscience allows a mature Christian to be "kept by the power of God" from sinning.
Not by their own sufficiency, but disciplined to abide in the Spirit we have been given as gift,
given to all who are of faith AND are willing to abide in Him.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
So the Holy Spirit has convicted you of sin what must you do? Confess to your brethren.
Then what happens? Not just forgiven, oh no! He cleanses us from all righteousness.
Now, in a mature relationship, you can practice righteousness. So here is the misconception.
People say that if a believer sins, it means they are not born again. This is FALSE!
A believer who sins has failed to abide in the Spirit they have been given.
If with a contrite heart they confess, they can be forgiven, and cleansed from
the cause of that sin.
This is what it means to "come to the light" that your deeds may be made known.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and
His word is not in us. = His seed is not abiding in them, therefore they still stumble,
but they do not fall if they continue (another way of translating meno=abide) in the
promises, for He has told you that He will be a Father to you, and you will be His child.
He will discipline you, correct you, so that you can continue on His Way that you are walking.
Now, to review:
1 John 2:6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
1 John 2:10 He who loves his brother abides in the Light,
and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
Every spiritual battle is won over the carnal nature by continuing in His Spirit.
and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
They do not sin because they cannot sin, because His seed abides in him.
John is not introducing new information here. What can we say of
someone who has been born of God, and ceased from sinning by abiding in Him?
1 John 2:6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk
just as He walked.
1 John 2:10 He who loves his brother abides in the Light,
and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
1 John 2:14 I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the wicked one.
The young men did not know Christ from the beginning, but placed their faith in Him, based on the testimony received from the elders, and the word of God abides in them.
By abiding in the Word of God, or His seed, they have overcome the wicked one.
(Overcoming by abiding).
1 John 2:17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but whoever does
the will of God abides forever.
Wait for it. Here comes the IF.
1 John 2:24 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning.
If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide
in the Son and in the Father.
So, can someone be a true teacher who does not comprehend the need to abide?
The question is becoming "are you abiding", not "are you born again".
Here comes more abiding.
1 John 2:
26 These things I have written to you concerning those who deceive you.
27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you,
and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing
teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just
as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
What good comes from someone who claims to be a teacher of real truth
and real faith, who then says that if you are born again you cannot sin.
How can we easily explain an apparent contradiction? An apparent contradiction,
of course, is no contradiction, but a teaching coming from a lack of comprehension.
Is there any more information available directly from this source that helps clarify
what John is teaching?
1 John 2:
28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have
confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices
righteousness is born of Him.
Okay, that's useful. We have been born again to practice righteousness.
This is the opposite side of the coin for someone who has ceased from sin.
It is so that now they can practice righteousness.
In fact, Paul says in Romans 6, that the saints are slaves to righteousness.
John says "cease from sin", Paul says, "no longer a slave to sin". Witness?
Now we have painted a much clearer picture and context for this one verse: 1 John 3:9
6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin.
Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness
is righteous, just as He is righteous. [could this be the fruit of righteousness?]
8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose
the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, because His seed abides in him;
and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
So is there really a conflict for John within himself? In the context of this one letter,
he fully elaborates on what it means to abide. For what reason?
1 John 1:
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
The Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth. He convicts the heart of sin, judgment and righteousness.
If you abide in that Spirit, you can overcome the enemy by heeding the Voice of the Spirit.
The testimony of the Spirit to our spirit for conviction of sin and the keeping of a clean
conscience allows a mature Christian to be "kept by the power of God" from sinning.
Not by their own sufficiency, but disciplined to abide in the Spirit we have been given as gift,
given to all who are of faith AND are willing to abide in Him.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
So the Holy Spirit has convicted you of sin what must you do? Confess to your brethren.
Then what happens? Not just forgiven, oh no! He cleanses us from all righteousness.
Now, in a mature relationship, you can practice righteousness. So here is the misconception.
People say that if a believer sins, it means they are not born again. This is FALSE!
A believer who sins has failed to abide in the Spirit they have been given.
If with a contrite heart they confess, they can be forgiven, and cleansed from
the cause of that sin.
This is what it means to "come to the light" that your deeds may be made known.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and
His word is not in us. = His seed is not abiding in them, therefore they still stumble,
but they do not fall if they continue (another way of translating meno=abide) in the
promises, for He has told you that He will be a Father to you, and you will be His child.
He will discipline you, correct you, so that you can continue on His Way that you are walking.
Now, to review:
1 John 2:6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
1 John 2:10 He who loves his brother abides in the Light,
and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
Every spiritual battle is won over the carnal nature by continuing in His Spirit.
Last edited: