This article is found in the book: “Difficult Texts of the New Testament Explained” edited by Wendell Winkler pages 380-382.
In this passage asserting that one begotten of God is incapable of a single act of sin? If it is, then it is in direct conflict with other plain passages in this very epistle. (Note 1 John 1:1-10). One basic rule of hermeneutics is that one can never correctly interpret one passage of scripture in such a way as to cause it to contradict another passage of scripture. To interpret 1 John 3:9 to mean that a Christian is incapable of a single act of sin is to interpret it in such a way as for it to contradict many other passages. Hence, we conclude that such an interpretation of 1 John 3:9 is an incorrect interpretation!
1 John 3:9 connects with 1 John 3:6 which says, “Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither knoweth him.” In both verses it is necessary to keep in mind the tenses of the verbs. In these verses the tense is present active which indicated continuous action as opposed to the aortist tense which denotes a single act. Thus, John is saying that one who continues to abide in Christ does not continue to sin (verse 6), and the one who has been begotten of God cannot continue to sin because his seed continues to remain in him. The “seed” is the word of God or gospel by which one is begotten of God (Lk. 8:11; Jas. 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23). As long as this “seed” which brought one to spiritual life continues to abide in him, in the sense that the word has made its home as it were in the heart of the individual, one cannot sin as a persistent and habitual way of life. Paul asked, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein” (Rom. 6:1-2)? Later he urged, “let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof” (Rom. 6:12).
The Baptist use this passage in an attempt to bolster their doctrine of “once saved, always saved.” They emphasize that the “born again child of God cannot so sin as to be eternally lost! But, observe why the person begotten of God does not continue to habitually live a life of sin. It is because his seed, the word of God, continues to abide in him. Can the word of God be removed from his heart? Most assuredly! Jesus said, “When anyone heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the evil one, and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the wayside” (Matt. 13:19). To certain Jews that had believed on him Jesus said, “If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples” (John 8:31). The KJV says, “If ye continue in my word.” Still further, James wrote to the Christians, “But he that looketh into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and so continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing” (James 1:25). (Again, compare the KJV rendering). These, along with a host of other passages, show clearly that the word of God can be snatched from a person’s heart if he is not on guard, and that one must make the effort to abide or continue in Christ’s word, otherwise one will sin.
On the beautiful and positive side of this matter in the truth that, with the word of God continuing to abide in the one begotten of God, there is the comfort and assurance that one is completely acceptable to the Lord. By continuing to walk in the light (a symbol of truth – God’s word, John 17:17) one has the blessed assurance of the continuous cleansing of his sins and therefore of his full acceptance before God (1 John 1:7).
Yes, there is a difference between committing a single, isolated act of sin which we all do through weakness, ignorance, error, and inadvertence, and continuing as an established practice and habit a life of sin. The Bible teaches that a child of God often does the former, but it equally asserts that one begotten of God, in whom his “seed” (word) continues to abide, does not engage in the latter!
