1John 9:

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Can anyone unpack “No one who is begotten by God commits sin,because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot sin because he is begotten by God” especially in light of 1John 1:10 ’ If we say “We have not sinned ,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
 
lenseekstruth said:
Can anyone unpack “No one who is begotten by God commits sin,because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot sin because he is begotten by God” especially in light of 1John 1:10 ’ If we say “We have not sinned ,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
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I believe that by sin is meant habitual sinning. This is because John also tells us that if we way we do not sin we lie. He further says that if we sin we have an Advocate in Jesus. So it does not mean we cannot commit sins but we cannot be a slave to sin as we were before.
 
I have heard Catholic commentators suggest that this is linked to 1 John 5:15-16, where John distinguishes between mortal and non-mortal sin.

The sin of 1 John:9 in this view would be mortal sin so grave that the person either does not see it, or if he sees it,he does not repent.

But nobody is ever free from the taint (Latin technical term: fomes) of our sinful nature. Baptism enables us to live in Christ but does not guarantee that our life will be unscarred.

John is the same guy who records the transmission of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles for the forgiveness of sins. I don’t think that is a coincidence.
 
SyCarl said:
I believe that by sin is meant habitual sinning. This is because John also tells us that if we way we do not sin we lie. He further says that if we sin we have an Advocate in Jesus. So did not does mean we cannot commit sins but we cannot be a slave to sin as we were before.
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Nice point.
 
lenseekstruth said:
Can anyone unpack “No one who is begotten by God commits sin,because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot sin because he is begotten by God” especially in light of 1John 1:10 ’ If we say “We have not sinned ,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
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This is exactly why everything needs to be read in context. What chapter 3 verse 9 speaks of is the guarantee and strength we have been given to overcome sin. This strength comes from God as opposed to ourselves. John understood that all men sin as he states throughout the book.
 
Commentary from the Geo Haydock Bible haydock1859.tripod.com/

Ver. 9. Doth not commit sin. That is, as long as he keepeth in himself this seed of grace, and this divine generation, by which he is born of God. But then he may fall from this happy state by the abuse of his free-will, as appears from Romans xi. 20. 21. 22.; 1 Corinthians ix. 27. and x. 12.; Philippians ii. 12.; Apocalypse iii. 11. (Challoner) — He cannot sin, because he is born of God. The meaning of this can be no more, than that he cannot sin as long as the seed of grace remaineth in him, and as long as he is the adoptive son of God. But it is evident he may fall from this happy condition, and from the grace of God, otherwise St. John would not so often in this epistle have exhorted them not to sin. (Witham)

Nita
 
This is exactly the conclusion I had arrived to with the help of the other comments! I had it all along in my mind but could not word it. The Italian Jerusalem Bible also helped because it states "Anyone born of God doesn’t sin, because a Divine seed (a sprout, actually ) resides in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God).
Thank you all, this will make our next Bible class very fruitful.
God’s blessings. :0)
 
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