A saint cannot sin

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. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: whosoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother (1John 3:9-10)

Whosoever has been born of God does not sin…

1. He who was born of God means
   1. One being born of the Spirit (John 3)
   2. One being authorised as a child of God (John 1:12)
2. Such a person has welcomed the Lord Jesus into his life
3. More importantly, the seed of God remains in such true believers
4. The seed of God in this context may refer to
   1. The Word implanted
   2. The new nature imputed
5. For this reason, such saints cannot sin

And he cannot sin, because he has been born of God

1. The sentence ‘he cannot sin’ means
   1. To sin is not his second nature
   2. He is not accustomed to sinning as a way of life
2. The reason is because he has been born of God
   1. With a new nature
   2. With a new inclination toward God’s will

In this the children of God and the children of the devil…

1. The sharp distinction between those of God and those of the devil is made
2. Those practicing righteousness is of God, whereas those denying righteousness is of the devil
3. Those loving their brethren is of God, whereas those hating their brethren is of the devil
4. In other words, the distinction zeros in on how we relate to one another as members of the family of God

Judah and Israel were warned of the judgment of God to be meted out on the basis of how they treated their fellow brethren:

Woe to you who put far off the day of doom,

Who cause the seat of violence to come near…

but are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph

Amos 6:3-6

Let us seek to live distinctively from those non-believers. One way to do so is to stop sinning a way of life as well as starting loving our brethren in Christ, as Christ Himself loves us to the very end.