1 Giovanni 3:9

DISCOURSE: 2446
THE CHRISTIAN’S DELIVERANCE FROM SIN

1 Giovanni 3:9. 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.

MANY mistakes in religion arise from not considering sufficiently the style and manner in which the inspired writers are wont to express themselves. They speak strongly on all subjects; and never contemplate, for a moment, the niceties of criticism; or dream of their words being weighed in a balance, so as that there shall be the minutest possible precision in their weight and import. They are content with speaking in popular language, and with conveying their sentiments in terms which every candid mind shall fully apprehend.

St. Paul, speaking of the danger of persons who are once enlightened, falling away from the truth which they have received, says, “It is impossible to renew them again to repentance [Note: Ebrei 6:4.].” We are not to suppose, from this, that the restoration of such an apostate is a work which God is not able to effect; but only, that it is a work which we cannot reasonably hope to see effected by him.

The same kind of interpretation must be given to the words which we have just read: we are not to suppose that a regenerate person is brought into such a state, that there is an absolute and physical impossibility for him to commit any the minutest sin: such an impossibility as that did not exist even in Paradise, when man was absolutely perfect; no, nor does it exist in heaven itself; since millions of once holy angels actually did fall, and were cast out of heaven for their transgression. Not intending his words to be strained to such an extent as that, the Apostle declares,

I. The state of the regenerate man—

To consider the Apostle as saying only that a regenerate man ought not to commit sin, would be to make him speak what is altogether foreign to the context; the whole of which evidently shews his meaning to be, that the regenerate man does not commit sin.

But, in what sense are we to understand this assertion?
[If taken in its utmost latitude, this assertion would contradict the whole Scriptures. “There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not [Note: Ecclesiaste 7:20 and 1 Re 8:46.

].” “In many things we all offend [Note: Giacomo 3:2.].” St. John himself declares, that “if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us [Note: 1 Giovanni 1:8.];” and then, intimating that the scope of his observations was to deter men from sin, he adds, “But if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, who is also the propitiation for our sins [Note: 1 Giovanni 2:1.].”

It is evident, therefore, that we cannot so construe his words, as to infer from them that a regenerate man has attained a state of sinless perfection. Nor, in reality, do his words properly admit of that sense: for the word which we translate “commit sin” must, of necessity, imply a continued act. In ver. 7, he says, “Let no man deceive you. He that doeth righteous-ness [Note: ὁ ποιῶν.

See the same word used by St. John in his Gospel. Giovanni 8:34.] (it is the same word as is used in our text) is righteous, even as Christ is righteous.” This can never mean, that the person who performs one righteous act must necessarily “walk in all things as Christ walked:” it must import a habit, and not a mere insulated act: and that is its proper meaning in the text; ‘Whosoever is born of God, does not wilfully and habitually commit sin.

’ The whole scope of the context, from the third verse, sanctions, and indeed requires, this interpretation. It is said, in ver. 3, that the person who has a scriptural hope of his adoption into God’s family, will “purify himself, even as Christ is pure:” and the person who does not labour to attain this purity, is declared, in ver. 8, to belong to a very different family, even that of Satan: “He that committeth sin, is of the devil.

” And in the verse after the text, this contrast is brought to a point: “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not (ὁ μὴ ποιῶν) righteousness, is not of God.”]

The assertion, thus explained, is verified in every regenerate man—
[A man “born of God” does not commit sin in the way that he was wont to do in his unregenerate state. Previous to his conversion, sin was the element in which he lived. He might, in respect to an external conformity to the law, be blameless, even as the Apostle Paul was, before his heart was changed: but he never truly gave himself up to God, or took his perfect law as the rule of his conduct: he never lived for God, or made it the one object of his life to glorify God: self was the source and end of all his actions.

But from the instant of his conversion, his one inquiry is, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do [Note: Atti degli Apostoli 9:6.]?” Not that he then becomes perfect: for to his latest hour he will find, as the Apostle did, that “there is a law in his members warring against the law of his mind, and occasionally bringing him into captivity to the law of sin, which is in his members:” yes, to his latest hour, there are things done by him which he would not, and things left undone by him, which he would gladly do: so that he is often constrained to cry, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me [Note: Romani 7:15; Romani 7:19; Romani 7:23.

]?” But though, through the influence of his indwelling corruption, he may have occasion to mourn over many deviations from the perfect path of duty, he never does, nor ever will, return to the love and practice of sin: if he offend in any thing, he will lament it, and implore forgiveness for it, and labour with renewed diligence and circumspection to “stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”]

If such be the state of the regenerate man, it will be profitable to inquire into,

II.

The means by which he has attained to it—

“He that is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him.”

Let us distinctly mark,

1. What seed this is—

[Many imagine that the “seed” here spoken of, is an imperishable spark of grace, which not all the floods of persecution or corruption can ever quench [Note: In this sense many understand Giovanni 4:14; as though the water given by our Lord must necessarily issue in everlasting life. But our Lord speaks, not of its issue, but its tendency.

]. But it is not of grace that the Apostle speaks, but of the word of God. The word is that “seed” of which we are born: and that is incorruptible, as St. Peter has said: “We are born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, of the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever [Note: 1 Pietro 1:23.].”]

2. How it operates to its destined end—

[This seed “abides” in those who are born of God. Its operation, in the first instance, was to humble, quicken, and sanctify the soul. Being once implanted in the soul, it grows there, and continues to produce the very same effects which it put forth in the first instance. Did it come with power to convince of sin? it enlightens the mind progressively, and gives juster views to the conscience, and augmented sensibility to the soul.

Did it lead to the Saviour, and inspire with a desire to serve and glorify him? it continues to give brighter discoveries of his love, and to impress the soul with a more fixed determination to live to his glory: and in this way it keeps the believer from ever returning to his former paths.

That this is the true import of the words, is manifest from what is spoken by St. John in the preceding chapter: “I have written unto you, young men; because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one [Note: 1 Giovanni 2:14.].” Here the same “seed” of which they were born, namely, the word of God, abideth in them; and, in consequence of that, their victories over sin and Satan are carried forward with increasing energy and effect.

Such, at least, were David’s views of this matter; and therefore to all young men he gave this direction: “Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way? even by taking heed thereto, according to thy word [Note: Salmi 119:9.].” And what he recommended to them, he practised also himself; as he himself immediately declares: “Thy word have I hid within my heart, that I might not sin against thee [Note: Salmi 119:11.].”

Thus then it is that the regenerate person is kept from committing sin, as he was wont to do in his unregenerate state: “The word of truth abideth in him,” both as an authoritative director, and an unerring rule; and “by it he is made free [Note: Giovanni 8:32.],” and “sanctified [Note: Giovanni 17:17.].”]

The blessedness of the believer’s state will yet further appear, whilst we consider,

III.

His security for the continuance of it—

“He cannot sin, because he is born of God.” Now it is well known, that many identify the new birth with baptism, at least so far as to maintain, that if they be not actually the same thing, they are always simultaneous and inseparable. But let this sentiment be brought to the test: let it be seen, whether it can be said of every one that is baptized, that he does not commit sin, yea, and that he cannot commit sin, because he is baptized.

I would ask, Is there a man in the universe that dares to make such an assertion as this? or, if there were, would not the experience of the whole world flatly contradict him? I will not say that God may not convert a person at the time of his baptism, as well as at any other time. God may make use of any rite, or any ordinance, or any occurrence whatever, to effect his own purposes: but to say that he always creates a man anew, in the way, and to the extent, that my text speaks of, under the ordinance of baptism, is as contrary to truth as any assertion that ever proceeded from the lips of man.

And as long as these words remain in the Bible, that a man “cannot sin, because he is born of God,” so long it must be obvious to every dispassionate mind that there is a new birth perfectly distinct from baptism, and totally independent of it.

As for the idea, that sin, when committed by a regenerate person, is not sin, it is too wild, and too impious, to deserve a thought.
But it is a great and glorious truth, that a person truly born of God cannot sin, as he did before he experienced that change. If it be asked, Why he connot sin? I answer,

1. Because God has engaged he shall not—

[God has said, that “sin shall not have dominion over his people, because they are not under the law, but under grace [Note: Romani 6:14.].” And his faithfulness is pledged to “cleanse them from all unrighteousness [Note: 1 Giovanni 2:9.

]”. È una parte del suo patto; ogni briciolo di cui sicuramente soddisferà. Questo, tuttavia, non deve essere inteso così, come se Dio non permettesse mai al suo popolo di sbagliare in alcun modo: poiché i migliori degli uomini hanno sbagliato, e anche gravemente, sotto l'influenza di forti tentazioni e delle restanti corruzioni dei propri cuori. Ma Dio, in tali circostanze, li castigherà, finché non ritorneranno a Lui con profonda umiliazione e contrizione, e finché non rinnoveranno la loro applicazione al sangue di quel grande Sacrificio che toglie i peccati del mondo. “Non è sua volontà che uno dei suoi piccoli muoia”; “né permetterà a nessuno di strapparglieli dalle mani”.]

2. Perché gli darà la grazia, affinché non...

[Anche questo fa parte dell'alleanza di Dio che ha fatto con noi nel Figlio del suo amore. Se questo patto fosse tenuto nascosto, ci sono due cose che potremmo giustamente comprendere: l'una è che Dio si allontanerebbe da noi; l'altro è che dovremmo allontanarci da lui. Ma da entrambe le parti Dio ha intrapreso per il suo popolo. Dice: «Farò con loro un'alleanza eterna, perché non mi allontanerò da loro per far loro del bene; e metterò il mio timore nei loro cuori, che non si allontanino da me [Nota: Geremia 32:40 .

]”. Non è stato per un semplice atto della sua potenza che li ha convertiti dapprima: ha illuminato la loro intelligenza, ha rinnovato il loro cuore e "li ha resi disponibili nel giorno della sua potenza". Così fino alla fine li tratterà come esseri razionali e "li attirerà con le corde di un uomo". “Egli li custodirà, anzi, di sua propria forza [Nota: 1 Pietro 1:5 .

]:” ma avverrà attraverso la strumentalità dei propri sforzi. Li manterrà; ma dovranno anche “ mantenersi; affinché il malvagio non li tocchi [Nota: 1 Giovanni 2:14 . prima citata.]”. Così assicurati dall'impegno di Dio per loro, da un lato, e dall'opera potente della sua potenza in loro, dall'altro, si può veramente dire di loro: "Non possono peccare, perché sono nati da Dio". ]

Tuttavia permettetemi di migliorare questo argomento,
1.

In una parola di cautela per il sicuro-

[La dottrina della perseveranza finale, se mantenuta in modo non scritturale, produrrà le conseguenze più fatali per l'anima. Può qualcuno dire: 'Sono nato da Dio: e quindi non perirò mai, anche se vivo nel peccato?' Dica piuttosto: 'I peccati che commetto dimostrano che non sono nato da Dio. Potrei essere stato parzialmente colpito dalla parola, come gli ascoltatori di pietraie; e ho prodotto una specie di frutto, come il terreno spinoso: ma, poiché «non porto frutto alla perfezione», sono in questo stesso momento un figlio di Satana, e un erede della perdizione.

Avresti una prova che sei nato da Dio? Chiedi se sei liberato dall'amore e dal potere del peccato e segui la santità universale. Questi sono i segni con cui solo voi potete formare un buon giudizio: e se vi giudicherete con questa prova, toglierete dalla dottrina della perseveranza finale l'obiezione principale che le è rivolta; e lo renderà una benedizione, invece di una maledizione, per le vostre anime.]

2. In una parola di incoraggiamento a coloro che scrivono cose amare contro se stessi:

[Alcuni, sentendo in se stessi delle infermità residue, concluderanno che non possono essere nati da Dio. Ma non dobbiamo interpretare il testo in modo tale da immaginare che il popolo di Dio debba essere assolutamente perfetto. Se solo i perfetti nati da Dio, dove dovremmo trovare un figlio di Dio sulla terra? È l'abitudine volontaria e deliberata di peccare, e non una semplice infermità, che viene dichiarata incompatibile con uno stato di grazia: e quindi un senso di debolezza e di infermità non faccia scoraggiare nessuno.

Eppure, d'altra parte, sarà bene nutrire una santa gelosia su noi stessi; e per evitare un lassismo troppo grande nell'interpretazione di questo passo, oltre che un rigore troppo grande: perché se c'è in noi, ciò che si trova in troppi professori di religione, un predominio abituale di umore malvagio o di disposizioni di qualsiasi tipo, non siamo certo nati da Dio, ma siamo figli del diavolo. Allo stesso tempo, si ricordi che la parola d'ispirazione è quel grande strumento con cui Dio opera i suoi propositi sulle anime degli uomini.

Con ciò inizia, continua e perfeziona la sua opera dentro di noi. Che, quindi, sia prezioso per noi, sì, “più prezioso di migliaia di oro e argento”; e «che abiti riccamente in noi, in ogni sapienza»: così sperimenteremo che è «la verga della forza di Dio» e «ogni pensiero del nostro cuore sarà condotto in cattività all'obbedienza di Cristo».]