The Strand Study Bible

I JOHN I JOHN body for all eternity future. Knowing that our future is tied into our resurrection (our new resurrected bodies are going to reflect how we lived here on earth – Dan 12: 1- 3b and I Cor 15:39-42) helps keep us focused on the eternal perspective (Lk 14:13-14 and I Cor 15:41-42). 2. Dwelling on our own personal resurrection assures us of our own salvation (I Jn 5:13) According to I John 5:13, assurance of salvation is directly connected to our dwelling on the deity of CHRIST . And the deity of CHRIST , according to Romans 1:4, is proven by His resurrection. Thus, to dwell on our own resurrection (which is due to the resurrection of Jesus) assures us of our salvation. NOTE – There are three reasons why Christians doubt their salvation: *They fail to keep God’s commandments ( I Jn 2:3 ) *They fail to love the brethren (I Jn 3:14 & Gal 6:10) *They fail to dwell on the deity of Jesus Christ (I Jn 5:13 & Lk 24:13-27) 3. Dwelling on our own personal resurrection gives us hope for the future (Job 14:14-15 & 19:25-27) Knowing that our own personal resurrection points to a better tomorrow helps to keep us focused on the fact that our new future bodies will be free of sin, pain, suffering, and death (I Cor 15:16-18,26,43-44,51-57). 3:9 a Unfortunately, some have tried to use this Scripture to prove the doctrine of sinless perfection. Notice, however, the term “ is born .” This term ( is born ) is a Greek participle that is perfect in tense. The perfect tense of this Greek verb means that when one is “born again” he is a part of a past action with continuing present results (i.e., has been and remains born). Eternal security is the thought that is being emphasized here, not sinless perfection. NOTE – Interestingly enough, within the original Greek there is another Greek word right after the phrase “ is born ” and before the prepositional phrase “ of God ” that is not normally translated into our modern day English translations. It is the Greek preposition ek (meaning “ out ”). I John 3:9 should have been translated: Whosoever has been born out of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. Just as we are born “out” of the physical womb, never to return to an unborn status, so once we are born “out” of the spiritual womb (born again - Jn 3:3), we can never return to an unborn (unsaved) status. Meaning: Once we are born again, we cannot lose our salvation ( Jn 1:13 , Eph 2:8-9 and Heb 6:1 c ). Again, eternal security (not sinless perfection) is emphasized here. 3:9 b This word ( commit ) is the Greek word SοLHL ( poiei ). Poiei is in the present tense and means “ cannot continue to practice sin as a way of life .” While it is true that every believer will sin from time to time (I Jn 1:8-10), no one who claims to be truly saved can continue to practice sin habitually ( II Pet 2:20 ). Why? Because the new divine nature (created by the Word of God) within every believer prevents that believer from enjoying his sin (II Pet 2:6-8). Tony Evans in The Fire that Ignites notes: A Christian is capable of committing any sin a non-Christian commits–a Christian just can’t do it without tension and conflict, and without initially feeling guilt as a result 1 Adrian Rogers in God’s Wisdom Is Better Than Gold agrees. He notes: One of the basic differences between a child of God and a child of the devil is: When the child of God sins, he feels dirty. An unsaved man leaps into sin and loves it. A saved man lapses into sin and loathes it. You see, sin grieves the blessed Holy Spirit within the life of a believer. If you can sin without feeling dirty and unclean, it is a sign the Holy Spirit does not dwell within you. 2 Those who claim to have been saved, but are never convicted of sin, should evaluate their salvation experience to see if they really understood the Gospel when they “supposedly” got saved. 3:9 c This word ( remaineth ) is the Greek word PHQHL ( menei ). Menei is in the present tense and means “ to abide continually .” The reason that a believer cannot enjoy his sin on a continual basis is because the seed (new divine nature created by the Word of God - Jn 1:13 & I Pet 1:23) abides continually within the believer. 3:9 d Unlike the unsaved person, who has but one nature, every born-again believer has two natures ( Gal 5:16-17 ): 1. The nature he was born with (the old man or “Adam nature” - Eph 4:22 and Gen 2:17 ) 2. The nature he was born again with, via the Word of God (the new man or “God-nature” (Eph 4:24 and Jn 3:7,10 ) NOTE - The new divine nature, aided by the HOLY SPIRIT within the believer (II Cor 5:17 and Eph 1:13 & 4:30), cannot sin . Any sin that comes from the life of a believer must be charged to the ‘Adam nature,’ for the ‘God nature’ within us cannot sin . Christians, by way of their old nature, can and will sin (Rom 7:15-25, Gal 5:16-17 and I Jn 1:8 & 5:18 ). Again, the Bible does not teach sinless perfection ( Mt 5:48 ). 3:12 This word ( slew ) is the Greek word Hσ\D[HQ ( esphaxen ) and means “ to slaughter, to butcher, to murder. ” The ordinary word in Greek which means “to kill” is apothnesko . However, John goes out of his way to use a specialized word ( esphaxen ), which is the word used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament of the priest slashing the throat of the sacrificial animal. Meaning: Cain killed Abel by severing his jugular vein; he slew him and mocked his brother’s beliefs by slaying him like you would an animal. 2118

1 Evans, Tony. The Fire that Ignites . Sisters, OR: Multnomah Pub. 2003. Print. 2 Rodgers, Adrian. God’s Wisdom Is Better Than Gold , Memphis, TN, Love Worth Finding, 2001. Print