"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his
seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is
born of God."
The Center of SIN
Is "I"
"Whosoever is born of God" ~ this is the new birth we
have been given when we receive Christ into our lives.
This is what the Lord Jesus spoke of when He said to a
religious ruler, "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye
must be born again" (John 3:7).
Now, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin" ~
unfortunately, this gives a wrong impression here. The
idea is not just one act of sin. The idea is not that he
does not live in sin. John said, "If any man sin, we
have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous" (1John 2:1). The believer will sin! However,
John makes it quite clear that it is God's will that we
live without sin: "My little children, these things
write I unto you, that ye sin not." Sin is anything
contrary to the will of God, but when sin comes into our
lives, John tells us that we have an advocate with the
Father, and "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness" (1John 1:9). Again, John is talking to
believers, and he is saying that believers will sin.
Therefore, when John says, "Whosoever is born of God
doth not commit sin," he is saying, that new nature will
not continue to live in a pigpen ~ never, under any
circumstances will it do that!
Let us take a look at the Prodigal Son. The reason that
he could not stay in the pigpen is that he was not a
pig! He was a son of the Father, and he longed for the
Father's house. A prodigal son ought not to be in a
pigpen, and he will not live there! He is going to get
out! The day will come when he will say, "I will arise
and go to my Father." And believe me, his Father is not
anywhere near that pigpen ~ He is far from it as He can
possibly be!
When we read this verse, many misunderstand its meaning.
Many see it as though they cannot and do not commit sin
whatsoever in their Christian walk. However, this is not
so. We are all guilty of sin each day in our lives. From
the simplest of things like when someone asks you how
you are feeling and you say, "good!" but you really do
not feel "good." That's just one "little" sin. But it is
a sin no doubt! "If we say we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1John 1:8). And
how about, "If we say that we have not sinned, we make
him a liar, and his word is not in us" (verse 10).
Pretty strong Scripture my friend! And if you want to
read this verse to suit you, I would have to say that
you are making the Bible sound contradicting. And I
don't believe God's Word contradicts itself!
Whosoever is born of God does not practice sin. He does
not go on in sin purposely! But he will still sin. When
we received a new nature, we did not lose our old nature
~ that is the problem! No wonder Paul cried out, "O
wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the
body of this death?" (Romans 7:24). Only the Spirit of
God can deliver you! If you recognize that you are
helpless and hopeless, if some sin binds you down,
spoils your life, robs you of your joy, and makes you
miserable, then may I say to you that He can and He will
deliver you ~ if you want to be delivered. If you want
to get rid of that sin, if you really want to serve Him,
if you mean business with Him, He means business with
you! "For his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin,
because he is born of God."
"He cannot sin" means that true believer's do not make a
practice of sinning, nor do they become indifferent to
God's moral law. All believer's still sin, but they work
to gain victory over sin. We are "born of God" when the
Holy Spirit lives in us and gives us Jesus' new life.
The Holy Spirit gives us a new mind and heart, lives in
us, and begins helping us to become like Christ. Our
perspective changes also, because we have a mind that is
now renewed day by day by the Holy Spirit: "And be not
conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that
good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans
12:2). To achieve victory over prevailing sin, may I
suggest reading Ephesians 4:21-24 "If so be that ye have
heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is
in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former
conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to
the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of
your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after
God is created in righteousness and true holiness."
May we always be mindful . . .
the
center of SIN is "I"!
"Lord Dictated Them"
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