What is the meaning of 1 John 3:9? Anyone born of God • To be “born of God” is to have experienced the new birth Jesus spoke of (John 3:3–8). • This is a divine work, not human effort (John 1:12-13). • The new birth brings a new identity: child of God, no longer child of wrath (Ephesians 2:3-5). refuses to practice sin • “Practice” points to a settled pattern, a habitual lifestyle. • John is not claiming sinless perfection; he has already acknowledged believers still stumble (1 John 1:8-10). • Instead, the regenerate heart now resists sin’s rule (Romans 6:12-14). • A true believer cannot be comfortable living in ongoing rebellion. because God’s seed abides in him • “Seed” pictures God’s own life implanted within (1 Peter 1:23). • The indwelling Spirit produces new desires that oppose the flesh (Galatians 5:16-17). • Transformation flows from this inner life, not external pressure (2 Corinthians 5:17). he cannot go on sinning • The word “cannot” stresses moral impossibility: the new nature makes continuous sin incompatible. • When a believer does fall, conviction and discipline follow (Hebrews 12:6-8). • Persistent, unrepentant sin exposes a counterfeit profession (Matthew 7:21-23). because he has been born of God • John circles back to the source: new birth produces new behavior. • Root (regeneration) and fruit (righteous living) are inseparable (John 15:5). • Assurance grows as we see this fruit, yet our confidence rests in God’s work, not our performance (1 John 5:18-20). summary 1 John 3:9 declares that genuine believers, who have been supernaturally born of God, no longer live in habitual sin. God’s own life, implanted by the Spirit, reshapes desires and conduct so thoroughly that a lifestyle of sin becomes impossible to sustain. While believers still battle and sometimes stumble, the overall direction of their lives moves toward righteousness, giving visible evidence of the inward miracle of the new birth. |
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