Scripture Read:1 Jn 3:6 No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.
Application: This is the kind of scripture that really shakes a person up. None of us are perfect, yet we know that the scriptures make a point many times that an evidence of our salvation is a new relationship to sin. Is it possible that we can reach a place where no sin takes place in our life anymore? The key here is … found in the context of “abide” and “sins”. In the original it is easier to see but if you place this verse in context of all teaching on this from the Word it is still clear. A clear explanation is given by an old commentary and so I will share it rather than me trying to use my own words:
The words “abideth” and “sinneth” are used here to designate a certain class of individual. Character is shown by one’s habitual actions, not the extraordinary ones. The tense of the verbs is present, the kind of action, continuous, habitual. Thus, “every one who habitually is abiding in Him,” is a saved person, and, “every one who habitually is sinning,” an unsaved person. A Christian as a habit of life is abiding in fellowship with the Lord Jesus. Sin may at times enter his life. But sin is the exception, not the rule. The unsaved person as a habit of life sins continually. “Sinneth” is present in tense, continuous action being indicated. The person who is abiding in Christ is not habitually sinning. The child of God as a habit of life, does righteousness, and sin is not a habit with him. John is not teaching sinless perfection here. Vincent says: “John does not teach that believers do not sin, but is speaking of a character, a habit. Throughout the Epistle, he deals with the ideal reality of life in God, in which the love of God and sin exclude each other as light and darkness.” He does not deny that a Christian sins at times. Indeed he admits the possibility of sin in the Christian’s life in 1:9, and forbids sin in 2:1. What John denies here is that a Christian sins habitually. He denies that the life of a Christian is wholly turned towards sin as is that of the unsaved person.
He asserts however that “Everyone who keeps on continually sinning, has not seen Him neither known Him.” This is an unsaved person. The verbs “seen” and “known” are in the perfect tense, implying that he has neither seen nor known God in times past, with the present result that He is still invisible and unknown to him. The particular word for “see” here means “to see with discernment.”
Translation. Everyone who in Him is constantly abiding is not habitually sinning. Everyone who is constantly sinning has not with discernment seen Him, nor has he known Him, with the result that that condition is true of him at present.[1]
If a believer looks at the majority of their day is it typified by sin or by fellowship with the Lord. While I am working are my thoughts full of sin or am I fellowshipping with the Lord. It is clear that humans will always fall so short of God – many of our sins are not even conscious – God is perfect, we are far from that. Our sin nature and the way we live will be with us until we are with Him. Most believers I know have certain weaknesses that follow throughout their walk with God. Some are more apparent than others – so from the external view their sin may be minor or not at all to others – but in reality they have the same battle as every human – just at another level. When I look at the lives of many of the great church leaders – real sin was in there – so are only a handful saved? It is clear from scripture that this has to do with the overall essence of one’s life. Which would still allow for certain sins to be a constant thorn in one’s life. In other words – the constant sin that John is talking about is that most of our 24 hours each day is filled with things that are against God – versus – the fact that a particular sin keeps resurfacing in a person’s life. Let’s take profanity – you may never completely kick that but your whole life is mostly about doing what You want Father – this is not a person in continual sin – even though there is a habitual one in his life. Every time a child of God sees a victory over a habitual sin some other will surface. The difference is the sins become less intense, further apart, and more private. Drunkenness is replaced with gossip. Profanity is replaced with critical spirit. We also do not sin consciously as much. In other word we don’t plan to do what is wrong – we find yourself more tripping into sin than running eyes wide open into it.
* Meditation Questions: How much of my day is spent in sin? In Repenting? Do I enjoy my life with Christ and is it a burden? Do I have vice sins in my life – the same sin day after day? What am I doing about it? Am I open to God leading me to victory? At what cost?
[1] Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest's word studies from the Greek New Testament : For the English reader (1 Jn 3:4–6). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
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