(Photo by Raimond Klavins on Unsplash. Berean Standard Bible.)
Welcome to the Hope Bible School verse-by-verse Bible study of 1 John. This is Jeff M Newman. Get a new lesson every other week on Mondays at 12:00 PM Pacific.
In Lesson 92, we are going to study the third part of 1 John 3:9.
Let’s read this part of the verse:
1 John 3:9...they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.
Let’s go over the definitions of the words.
They cannot (3756. ou, ouk, ouch) (1410. dunamai) — means they absolutely are not able or do not have the power to. It refers to ability, not merely a decision or permission.
Go on sinning (264. hamartanó) — means to sin, to miss God’s mark, to violate His will, or act contrary to His righteous standard. The present tense indicates continual or habitual action, referring to an ongoing pattern or practice of sin rather than an isolated act.
Because (3754. hoti) — introduces the reason or explanation for what has just been stated.
They have been born (1080. gennaó) of (1537. ek or ex) God (2316. theos) — means to have been spiritually born or brought forth by God. The perfect tense describes a completed act with continuing results. It refers to the new birth God has accomplished in the believer, resulting in a new nature and an ongoing relationship with Him as a child of God.
In other words, those who have been born of God are absolutely unable to continue living in an ongoing pattern or practice of sin because they have been spiritually born of God, receiving a new nature and entering into an ongoing relationship with Him.
In this part of the verse, John is not saying that if you are a believer, you will never commit another sin. Rather, he is teaching that you cannot continue living in a habitual pattern of sin. This is because the new birth has fundamentally changed who you are.
John is not teaching sinless perfection. Earlier in the letter he makes it clear that, as a believer, you will still sin (1 John 1:8)(Lesson 17), you must confess your sins (1 John 1:9)(Lesson 18), and Jesus Christ is your Advocate when you do sin (1 John 2:1)(Lesson 20).
There is no contradiction. John is distinguishing between occasional acts of sin and a life characterized by the continual practice of sin.
When you place your faith in Jesus Christ, God gives you new spiritual life. Instead of living a life characterized by sin, you now live as one whose identity is rooted in being a child of God. Your relationship to sin has fundamentally changed because your relationship to God has fundamentally changed.
Being born of God is a permanent work with continuing results. The new birth permanently changes who you are. Your old life no longer defines you. You now belong to God as His child. God has given you spiritual life, and His life remains in you forever.
Because you have been born of God, you cannot be content to continue living in an ongoing pattern of sin. Instead, your life is increasingly characterized by righteousness as God continues His transforming work in you.
In John 3:6 Jesus says, "Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit." When you were physically born, you received physical life from your parents. But when you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you were spiritually born of God through the work of the Holy Spirit. God gave you new spiritual life, fundamentally changing who you are.
Because you have been born of the Spirit, you now have a new nature that produces a new way of living. This is why you cannot continue living in a habitual pattern of sin. Your new life in Christ is no longer characterized by sin but by your identity as a child of God.
John 3:6 Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17, we learn that when you are in Christ, you are a new creation. God has not just improved your old life, He has given you a new identity. The old person you were before Christ is gone, and you now have a new life in Him.
Because you are no longer the same person, you cannot continue living the way you once did. God is changing your desires, your actions, and your heart to reflect your new identity in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
In Romans 6:1-2, we read that when you died to sin through Christ, sin is no longer your master. You cannot continue living in the same way because God has given you a new life through His grace.
Romans 6:1-2 What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?
In conclusion, John is not simply teaching that you will sin less. His main point is that sin becomes foreign to who you are, because you are born of God. Just like a fish cannot live outside of water because it goes against its nature, a child of God cannot comfortably remain in a life of habitual sin because it contradicts the new life God has placed within you.
Be encouraged, God knows you will still struggle with sin. But because of His work in your life, you will continually be drawn back to Him. The fact that you grieve over sin and desire to walk in obedience is evidence that God’s Spirit is at work within you.
When you sin, confess it to Him immediately. Ask God for strength to resist sin and walk in victory. He promises to forgive you and restore your fellowship with Him. God is not expecting sinless perfection, but He is transforming you to become more like Christ. Trust the work He is doing in you.
Here’s a prayer to help you to respond to today’s lesson:
Lord, thank You for making me a new creation in Christ. Help me turn away from sin and walk in obedience to You. When I fall, remind me of Your grace and lead me back to You. Strengthen me by Your Spirit to resist sin and live a life that honors You. Amen.
Let’s read this part of the verse one more time:
1 John 3:9...they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.
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Listen to these lessons over and over again.
Meditate on God’s Word throughout the day. Pray continually. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
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Thank you and God bless you.
Jeff M Newman
