"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."
To try and explain how a person can be a sinner yet not be charged with sin, today's lesson is an extension of yesterday's in that we will discuss further what sin truly is and how sin is accounted and to whom and what it is accounted.
"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." Therefore, the reborn SPIRIT of a child of God cannot sin. (1 John 3:9)
Make note that becoming eternally saved by the rebirth of a lost soul only applies to the spiritual inner being, not the outer carnal flesh; "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" We must understand that the flesh of mankind is doomed in sin from the fall of Adam and will not be cleansed of that sin until his/her body is glorified at the resurrection.
The part of a person that is cleansed of ALL sin upon rebirth is the spiritual being; "that which is born of the Spirit is spirit".
To establish what is being discussed here, and to also establish its truth we refer to what Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3-7; "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."
When Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again, He most certainly was NOT referring to a physical rebirth. Being "born again" as Jesus so clearly implied, is simply a rebirth of the spiritual, or inner, man/woman. As Jesus said herein, we must first be born of "water" (the flesh) and then be reborn in the spirit. We all commit sins of the flesh on a daily basis. However, once we have given our spiritual selves to Jesus Christ, through faith in Him, our sins are forever JUSTIFIED" and our souls are kept safe by the Holy Spirit until, "the day of redemption".
NOTE: This very important discussion will continue in tomorrows lesson. ~
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