1 John 3:9 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Whosoever is born of God, &c.— "Whoever he be that is a partaker of the divine nature by the regenerating Spirit,is no longer a doer or practiser of iniquity; for that divine principle of grace, which is infused into him, has an abiding root and residence in him, to rule and govern him; and he has such a thorough hatred of all iniquity, that he cannot love or live in sin; because he, as a child of God, and born of the Spirit, has received a principle of grace, which wills and works in direct opposition to all sin: much less can he sin, upon the score, or by virtue of his being born of God, as though his new birth were a licence for it, or had any tendency towards it." The phrase, He cannot sin, because he is born of God, cannot signify an impossibility to sin: for, in that case, St. John, and the other apostles, needed not to have taken so much pains to guard real Christians against sinning; to have condemned, forbidden, and threatened; or to have exhorted, commanded, and promised. These things plainly suppose not only the possibility, but the danger there was of true Christians falling away: by cannot, therefore, we may here understand, that he will not, he does not choose to live wickedly; it is contrary to his principles and the settled bent and habit of his temper and life. So we say, "A wise man cannot do such a foolish thing; a good man cannot act such a base and wicked part." Certain it is, that the words must be taken in same qualifiedsense, or they would prove the impeccability of every child of God, or the impossibility of his sinning; which scarcely any have been wild enough to assert. It is evident that there are many passages of scripture, in which the word cannot must be taken in such a latitude; see Luke 13:33.Hebrews 9:5.Nehemiah 6:3.Numbers 22:18. And this phraseology is also used by the best classic writers.