Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin; for His seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God (1 John 3:9 ). Many have used this verse to prove that once we are saved, we don't need to be concerned with sinning. If you read this verse out of context and superficially, this may sound to you like we are not able to sin if we are born of God. However, upon closer scrutiny that is not what Paul is saying. Using the Interlinear Bible (a Bible Study tool that helps identify Greek and Hebrew words with their English translation) the word commit in Greek is poieo (pronounced poy-eh'o). This refers to the concept of practicing. Once you are born of God through repentance, baptism, and receive the Holy Spirit, you will no longer feel good about practicing sin as a life style. This is because God's Spirit is within you. This verse is actually saying that those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s seed, His life - His very essence - is in them.
The other part of this is that once God's Spirit dwells in us we know true love and pure joy. We also know through Him that sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4). The word translated “lawlessness” comes from the Greek word anomia, which means “an utter disregard for God and His laws.” Sin violates God's moral standard for human beings and as such is a transgression against Him because He created us in His own image (Genesis 1:27). There is made a distinction for us in God's Word between someone who sins, as we all do, (Romans 3:10, 23; 1 John 1:8-10), and someone who “practices lawlessness” (2 Timothy 3:1-5). A lawless person is one who has given himself or herself over completely to a sinful lifestyle. Lawless people either do not believe in God or refuse to acknowledge His right to rule their life (Psalm 14:1).
Even though a person is living a lawless lifestyle, he or she can find forgiveness if they turn from their sin and receive Christ’s righteousness and salvation (2 Corinthians 5:17, 21; John 3:16–18).Those who persist in lawlessness will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9–10; Galatians 5:20–21). Jesus warned that in the end times lawlessness will increase and “the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). When an attitude of lawlessness pervades the atmosphere, people stop wondering about right and wrong. They no longer know or care that absolute moral standards exist. Lawless people may consider themselves very religious and spiritual, but they have defined God as they wish Him to be, not as He is. Many who consider themselves to be righteous do not follow God's laws, only the ones they deem convenient in our current culture. But Jesus was clear that when it comes time for them to enter the kingdom of heaven, only they who do the will of the Father will be able to enter (Matthew 7:21-23). How do we know His Will? By living by His laws given to us in the Bible! A law is any instruction from God, such as a commandment or set of commandments, as in the "law of Moses" which God specifically says are His Laws (Genesis 26:5; Exodus 16:28; Ezekiel 44:24, 1 John 5:3, Hebrews 8:10 and 10:16). The first four commandments define specifically how man is to love God, and the remaining six define how man is to love his/her neighbor. Abraham kept them before Moses was born. Those who communed with God knew them and kept them because of their love for God. That is the yoke Jesus spoke of in Matthew 11:29, "Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls...
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