Bible Questions Answered:
“...so I don't think I can be
perfect, so I haven't made any commitment...”
Cresly/ San Antonio, Texas
Bible Answer:
Bible Text:
I John 3:9 KJV
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.
Some labor under the misinterpretation
of I John 3:9 KJV, thinking that once a person becomes a
Christian, he will never sin. This is not a proper interpretation of
I John 3:9 at all, and must be explained by the rest of John's
writings.
Better renderings:
I John 3:9 NLT
Those who have been born into God’s
family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in
them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of
God.
I John 3:9 ESV
No one born of God makes a practice
of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on
sinning because he has been born of God.
One may “never,”
take a sole verse from the Bible and make a doctrine. To be sure that
the NLT and the ESV more accurately explain this verse. John is
speaking of making sin a habit or habitually sinning. Now to be very
sure, let us ask John, himself!
I John 1:8-10
KJV
8 If we say that we have no sin, we
deceive ourselves, and The Truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is
Faithful and Just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not
sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us.
“Oh, pastor, this saying of John refers to someone before they come to the
Lord!)
Well, we can settle
that questions once and for all, when Jesus spoke to His followers He
told them to pray as follows....
Matthew 6:9-13
KJV Jesus said ….
9 After this manner
therefore pray ye:
Our Father which
art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom
come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day
our daily bread.
12 And
forgive us our debts (sins), as we forgive our debtors (those
who sin against us).
13 And lead us not
into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Selah
Living for and serving The Lord Jesus means living a life pleasing to
Him.
Matthew 7:21 KJV
Not every one
that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.
Galatians 5:24
NLT
Those who belong to Christ Jesus
have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His
cross and crucified them there.
Romans 8:12-14
NLT
12 Therefore, dear brothers and
sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges
you to do.
13 For if you live by its dictates,
you will die. But if through the power of The Spirit you put to death
the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.
14 For all who are led by The Spirit
Of God are children of God.
As Christians, in
this life we are being changed.....
II Corinthians
3:18 KJV
But we all, with open face beholding
as in a glass the glory of The Lord, are changed into the same image
from glory to glory, even as by The Spirit Of The Lord.
I Corinthians
15:49 KJV
And as we have borne the image of
the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
Are there any fully sanctified
individuals in this world? No, there have been to date, only one, and
He is presently sitting at the right of The Father in heaven.
When will
Christians be sanctified (without sin)? Let us ask John!
I John 3:2 KJV
Beloved, now are we the sons of God,
and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when
He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall
see Him as He is.
Amen
