Bible Reading: Ezekiel 47, 48; 1 John 3.
Memory Verse: “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.” 1 John 3:9 (KJV)
Some preachers say that once you are saved, you cannot sin any more because you are forever saved and they often rely on our memory verse of today in 1 John 3:9 (KJV) which says “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.” However they also forget that Our Lord Jesus tells us in Matthew 25:1-12 of ten virgins, five of whom could not see the bridegroom because of their foolishness. They were virgins, believers who were expecting the Lord but missed their salvation because their oil dried up. The Lord was categorical in his statement in Matthew 7:21-23 (KJV), “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. [22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? [23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
What then does Apostle John mean when he wrote that whosoever is born of God does not commit sin? It is as it says; if you are truly a child of God, you will abhor sin and live a life of holiness because you will detest sin in all ramifications and anything that will cause you to sin, you will run away from it. The question then is how does this play with 1 John 1:8 where the same Apostle writes, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
Yes that is correct for everyone who is not walking with Jesus as the Apostle himself state in the earlier verse in 1 John 1:7 (KJV), “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
Once you are cleansed, you become holy unless you allow your body to fall into sin again. This is why we need the Holy Spirit to guide us all the time to ensure we live a life pleasing unto God knowing that you cannot see God without Holiness as stated in Hebrews 12:14 (KJV), “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Knowing the nature of man, God has made room for his children that fall into sin to quickly repent and ask for forgiveness with a decision not to fall into such a sin again. And the sin shall be forgiven as stated in Proverbs 28:13.
Prayer point
Father, give me the grace to live a life of holiness for the rest of my life in Jesus name.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero