Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God
The usurper deposed and the conqueror vanquished
I. The important doctrine here asserted. “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin.”
1. This doctrine is implied in all the precepts of the law of God, whether they relate to evils prohibited or to duties enjoined.
2. This doctrine is implied in all the injunctions of the New Testament, which are expressly enjoined on those who profess the religion of Christ.
3. This doctrine is implied in all those Scriptures which speak of holiness as the privilege of the people of God, and as indispensable to all men.
4. This doctrine is, if possible, still more plain from a consideration of what the Scriptures say concerning those who live in the practice of sin.
II. The argument by which this doctrine is established. “For his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin: because he is born of God.”
1. The practice of sin is contrary to the nature of the man who is born of God.
2. The practice of sin is contrary to the impulse of that Divine principle which is deposited in the heart of the man who is born of God.
From this subject we learn--
1. What is the nature of the true religion.
2. What is the unfailing conduct of all those who are truly religions.
3. What is the lamentable condition of all who live in the practice of sin. (W. Lupton.)
Sonship exclusive of sin
I. The change, or the work of grace in the sinner.
1. “Born of God.” (See John 1:12-13) As water cannot rise above its fountain, so can no change in man be better or greater than its cause. If it come from the flesh it must be like it, earthly and sinful. When it comes from the Spirit, then it must be like Him, spiritual, holy, and heavenly.
2. “His seed remaineth in him.” It is immaterial whether “his” seed be understood of God or of the believer. It is that seed which God has sown in his heart. It is God’s as the author of it. It is the believer’s as the subject of it. How is this figure calculated to supplement and illustrate the former one. First, the sinner is born of God by means of the truth. He is left no longer ignorant of sin, but is taught to know its vileness and evil consequences. He is no longer ignorant of himself, but has been enlightened to see the depravity of his heart. Second, it is in the same way the life of faith and holiness thus begun is maintained in him. The idea is specially noticed in the text, “His seed remaineth in Him.” It is in its own nature imperishable. The truth ever abides the same. The believer ever sees sin as he saw it at the first, vile and ruinous. He ever sees himself as he did at the beginning, exposed to ruin if he indulges it. He ever sees the Saviour as gracious and glorious as He appeared at the first. His claims do not diminish in his view, nor does he ever find reason to change his conclusions respecting this world and the next, time and eternity.
II. The effects that are declared to result from it. “He doth not commit sin, and he cannot sin.” As two figures were used to describe the change, so are there two assertions to declare the results. The one is the assertion of a fact, and the other is an argument to explain and confirm it.
1. The fact--“He doth not commit sin.” Let it be observed this is said of every converted man. “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin.” He does not sin knowingly, wilfully, and habitually. We say of a man versed in literature, he is learned, although he is ignorant of many things. In like manner we speak of men, and say they are strong, although in some respects they may be weak. We judge of them by that which is prominent and paramount in them.
2. The second expression, explanatory and confirmatory of this fact, is still stronger, “He cannot sin, because tie is born of God.” To live in sin is contrary to the new nature of which he has been made a partaker. The nature cannot and does not sin. Had he no other nature he would never sin. And there are many reasons why he cannot.
(1) It is contrary to his views. He sees sin to be the greatest of all evils, and holiness to be the highest of all good.
(2) It is contrary to his tastes; he dislikes sin and he loves holiness.
(3) It is contrary to his most determined purposes. The language of David is not strange to him (Psalms 17:3). It were unreasonable to suppose such a man could live in sin.
(4) It is contrary to his habits. He has served God and found His service to be liberty.
(5) It is contrary to his interests. He knows that “godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to conic.” He is not the fool to “sin against his own soul.” (J. Morgan, D. D.)
Sins of the regenerate
Various expositions are given of this.
1. He ought not to sire Cannot indeed is sometimes taken for ought not (Acts 4:20). But this is not the meaning of cannot here, ought not; for an unrenewed man ought not to sin any more than a regenerate man. But the apostle attributes here something peculiar to the regenerate, addling the reason, “because he is born of God.”
2. He cannot sin so easily. He may sin easily in respect of the frailty of the flesh, but not so easily in regard of the abiding of the seed in him, which helps him to bewarere of sin. Grace being a Divine habit, hath the nature of a habit, which is to incline the person to acts proper to that habit, and facilitate those acts, as a man that hath the habit of an art or trade can with more ease work in it than any other.
3. He cannot sin, as he is regenerate. A gracious man, as a gracious man, cannot sin; for grace, being a good habit, is not capable of producing acts contrary to its nature. Sin in a regenerate man proceeds not from his grace, but from his corruption.
4. He cannot sin as long as he is regenerate, as long as the seed remains in him, as long as he follows the motions of the Spirit “rod grace, which are able to overcome the motions of concupiscence, but he may give up the grace: as an impregnable tower cannot be taken as long as it is defended by those within, but they may fling away their arms and deliver it up.
Sin may be considered in two ways, viz., as to--
1. The act of sin. Thus a believer sins.
2. The habit of sin, or custom in it, when a man runs to sin freely, willingly, and is not displeased with it.
Thus a believer does not commit sin. Being God’s son, he cannot be sin’s servant; he cannot sin in such a manner and so absolutely as one of the devil’s children, one born of the devil. Doctrine: There is a mighty difference between the sinning of a regenerate and a natural man. A regenerate man doth not, neither can, commit sin in the same manner as an unregenerate man doth. The sense of this “cannot” I shall lay down in several propositions.
1. It is not meant exclusively of lesser sins, or sins of infirmity.
2. A regenerate man cannot live in the customary practice of any known sin, either of omission or commission.
(1) Not in a constant omission of known duties.
(2) Not in a customary commission of any known sin.
I shall confirm this by some reasons, because upon this proposition depend all the following.
1. Regeneration gives not a man a dispensation from the law of God.
2. It is not for the honour of God to suffer a custom and course of sin in a renewed man.
3. It is against the nature of the covenant. In the covenant we are to take God for our God, i.e., for our chief good and last end.
4. It is against the nature of our first repentance and conversion to God. True repentance is “a breaking off iniquity by righteousness” (Daniel 4:27).
5. It is against the nature of habitual grace, which is the principle and form of our regeneration.
6. A regenerate man cannot have a fixed resolution to walk in such a way of sin, were the impediments to it removed.
7. A regenerate man cannot walk in a way doubtful to him, without inquiries whether it be a way of sin or a way of duty, and without admitting of reproofs and admonitions, according to his circumstances.
8. A regenerate man cannot have a settled, deliberate love to any one act of sin, though he may fall into it.
9. A regenerate man cannot commit any sin with a full consent and bent of will. (S. Charnock.)
The sins of the regenerate
The apostle having exhorted the saints to whom he writes in the former chapter to abide in Christ and to do righteousness (verses 28, 29), follows on this exhortation with several arguments that a true Christian is not only bound to do so, but that he indeed doth so.
1. From that hope which hath eternal happiness for its object (1 John 3:2-3). Where this hope is truly founded it will inflame us with a desire after holiness.
2. From the contrariety of sin to the law of God. A Christian who is guided by this law will not transgress it.
3. From the end of Christ’s coming, which was to take away sin (1 John 3:5).
4. From the communion they have with Christ; abiding in Him.
5. From the first author of sin, the devil; he that sins hath a communion with the devil (1 John 3:8), as he that doth righteousness hath a communion with Christ.
6. From the new nature of a Christian, which hinders him from sin (1 John 3:9). (Bp. Hackett.)
“Cannot sin”
He cannot sin any more than a good mother can kill her child. She might be able in a thousand ways to kill the child, but her heart would forbid it and make the impossibility absolute. (J. B. Figgis, M. A.)
“Cannot sin”
The ideas of Divine sonship and sin are mutually exclusive. As long as the relationship with God is real, sinful acts are but accidents; they do not touch the essence of the man’s being. The impossibility of sinning in such a case lies in the moral nature of things. (Bp. Westcott.)
“Cannot”
Some of you are men in business. I go into your shop or warehouse, and I ask you the price of a certain article. You say it is so much. I offer you one half or two thirds of what you have said is the price. You say, “I cannot take it.” Now, why cannot you take what I offer you? It is not the want of freedom in your will to decide on accepting my proposal; nor is it the want of physical power in your arm to accept my offer. You have both the one and the other, and yet you repeat your former statement, “I cannot take it”; and you speak truly. You cannot take it, because it would be unjust, because it would tend to bring ruin on your business, and to reduce yourself and family to beggary. You cannot take it consistent with your safety and happiness. Just so he that is born of God cannot commit sin consistent with his well-being. It would be rebellion against God, and would bring injury, if not ruin, upon his soul. (J. Seymour.)
The failings of Christians
With true insight into the case, quaint Thomas Fuller alleges that “the failings of Christians be rather in the branches and leaves than in the roots of their performances.”
Sin natural to the regenerate nature
“It would,” says Thomas Manton, “be monstrous for the eggs of one creature to bring forth a brood of another kind, for a crow or a kite to come from the egg of a hen. It is as unnatural a production for a new creature to sin.” Each creature brings forth after its own kind. Out of a dove’s nest we expect only doves to fly. The heavenly life breeds birds of paradise, such as holy thoughts, desires, and acts; and it cannot bring forth such unclean birds as lust, and envy, and malice. The life of God infused in regeneration is as pure as the Lord by whom it was begotten, and can never be otherwise. (C. H. Spurgeon.)