No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.

                                                                                                                 1 John 3:9-10 

“No one who is born of God practices sin” This is the overarching truth that John is conveying to us in this passage. The key to correctly interpreting this passage is the word “practice.” To practice sin is to have a lifestyle that invites opportunities to sin. It is to live with no apparent concern for the ways of God. It is to fall headlong into a sinful lifestyle, having no regrets or remorse for the decisions being made. Contrast that to the Christian life. While believers are not perfect, there is a desire is to live in the power of the Spirit, rendering us capable of living a righteous, wholesome, and God-pleasing life.

I believe that we should continue to understand that no one, apart from Christ, has ever walked this earth in perfection and that includes those who have been converted. Christians will fail. We will make mistakes. John has already covered the reality that when we confess our sin to God, that He is faithful and just to forgive us. He also reminds us of the fact that when we sin, that we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ. So to suggest that converted believers do not ever sin is unrealistic and a misinterpretation of what John is saying in this passage.

So what about John’s statement that the believer, “cannot sin?” I believe John is saying that if we have the presence of God living in us, then we are not driven by the lusts of the world rather we are drawn to the wonders of God. Born again believers prefer the things of God over the things of the world. We have been equipped with everything that we need to conquer sin in our lives (Galatians 5:16, 1 Corinthians 10:13). All of these things are magnificently true. However, I do not believe that this means that believers will always think the right thoughts, say the right words, and do the right things. To do so would be to live in perfection. Rather, I believe that John is saying that believers cannot sin comfortably. In other words, for the believer, sin bothers us. Unlike the world, that boldly pursues sin in all of its forms, the Christian will feel remorse and experience a desire to change when failure occurs.

So John is speaking in general terms, pointing to the reality that a changed life in Christ will be obvious as it should stand out among those of unbelievers. In other words, it should be obvious who is on which side. The children of God (believers) and the children of the devil (unbelievers) have nothing spiritually in common. Redeemed mankind will always appear “strange” to the rest of the world. I believe this is what Jesus meant when He spoke the following words:

You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thornbushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.

                                                                                                     Matthew 7:16-20 

And then there is the issue of persecution. When we are obviously living apart from the ways of the world, persecution is sure to follow. This harassment and mistreatment should never come from other believers rather it is the natural byproduct of living a changed life in front of those who have rejected the gospel. Consider the words of Peter:

For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign (insult) you…  

                                                                                                                 1 Peter 4:3-4 

All of us have, at one time or another, pursued the things of the world. But when we are changed by the power of the gospel, we begin to see the superiority of godly things and the empty pursuits that used to tug at our hearts are now exposed for what they truly are…empty. When this spiritual transformation happens and we begin to change our behavior, others around us may be surprised that we are no longer running after the things of the world alongside them. The insults we experience may be overt or they may come in a more subtle fashion, such as not being invited to the latest social event. Jesus referred to this reality when He spoke the following: 

If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 

                                                                                                                   John 15:18-19 

A changed heart and life, one that desires to honor God and one that is Christ-centered, will endure persecution from the rest of the world.

What does your life look like? Would people identify you with those who belong to Christ or would you be considered “of the world?” When it comes to recognizing on which side you belong, remember, it should be obvious!