THERE are few texts that have been the subject of more anxious inquiry than 1 John 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." This is made much of by the self-styled “holiness" people, who use it to bolster up their own claims to perfection. They seem to take it for granted that they are specially referred to in the text, and think that all one has to do to be beyond the reach of sin is to profess to be born again.

There are few texts that have been the subject of more anxious inquiry than 1 John 3:9: “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” --E. J. Waggoner

"Born of God" | 1888 Essential Reading

THERE are few texts that have been the subject of more anxious inquiry than 1 John 3:9: “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.”

To be born of God is to receive our life from Him, just as we receive life through birth from our earthly parents. But the new birth is a continuous process, and thus something that is ever present.