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Answer
In his first epistle, the apostle John addresses the assurance of our salvation: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” «These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. », (1 John 5:13). Since he desires his readers to “know” they possess eternal life, John provides a test of faith that we can utilize to examine whether or not we are genuinely saved.
In 1 John, there are various descriptions of the authentic believer. If an individual knows Christ and is progressing in grace, he or she will typically exhibit the following characteristics:
1. The believer delights in fellowship with Christ and His redeemed people «that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. », (1 John 1:3).
2. The believer walks in the light, not in the darkness (1 John 1:6-7).
3. The believer acknowledges and confesses his sin «If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. », (1 John 1:8).
4. The believer obeys God’s Word (1 John 2:3-5).
5. The believer loves God rather than the world «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. », (1 John 2:29).
7. The believer seeks to maintain a pure life «And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. », (1 John 3:3).
8. The believer sees a decreasing pattern of sin in his life (1 John 3:5-6;5:18).
9. The believer demonstrates love for other Christians «We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. », (1 John 3:14).
10. The believer “walks the walk,” versus just “talking the talk” (1 John 3:18-19).
11. The believer maintains a clear conscience «Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. », (1 John 3:21).
12. The believer experiences victory in his Christian walk «For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. », (1 John 5:4).
Number 8 in the list above is that the believer will evince a decreasing pattern of sin in his or her life. Here is what John says:
“No one who lives in [Christ] keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him” «Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever
“Whoever abides in Him does not sin; whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.” (1 John 3:6), (1 John 3:6)
and
“We know that whoever is born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them.” “We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who is begotten of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.” , (1 John 5:18)
Some misinterpret these verses to imply that Christians can achieve sinless perfection. However, John is not teaching that. After all, John states that “no one who lives in Him sins” “Whoever abides in Him does not sin; whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.” , (1 John 3:6, NASB) and that “no one who is born of God sins” (5:18, NASB). According to these verses, some argue that sin should be a thing of the past. If you commit a sin, that is evidence that you are not saved, as Christians are without sin. However, that is not the message John is conveying.
When John mentions that believers do not persist in sin, he is not suggesting sinless perfection, as he clarifies elsewhere in the same letter. To believers, John affirms, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” , (1 John 1:8). Therefore, we are all sinners and continue to grapple with sin even after salvation. We will only experience a complete absence of sin when we are in the presence of the Lord in glory: “When Christ appears, we shall be like Him” “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” , (1 John 3:2).
If John is not referring to sinless perfection, what does he mean by stating that believers do not continue to sin? Simply put, he means that believers will not persist in practicing sin as a way of life. There will be a distinction between the previous life without Christ and the new life in Christ. The thief who was known for stealing is no longer a thief; he now lives differently. The adulterer who was characterized by immorality is no longer an adulterer; their behavior has changed. A child of God who used to steal may still battle with covetousness, but they no longer live a life of theft. Similarly, a child of God who used to commit adultery may still struggle with lust, but they have moved away from their former life of immorality. “Everyone who has this hope in [Christ] purifies themselves, just as he is pure” «And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. », (1 John 3:3).
The Amplified Bible clarifies John’s message:
“No one who abides in Him [who remains united in fellowship with Him—deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin. No one who habitually sins has seen Him or known Him” «Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. », (1 John 3:6, AMP)
and
“We know [with confidence] that anyone born of God does not habitually sin; but He (Jesus) who was born of God [carefully] keeps and protects him, and the evil one does not touch him” «We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. », (1 John 5:18, AMP)
The term habitually is crucial.
A believer will struggle with sin and sometimes give in, but yielding to sin is no longer the norm. As we progress in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord «But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.», (see 2 Peter 3:18), we are being sanctified. As we are led by the Spirit, we will walk more and more in obedience to the Word of God.
If a person claims to be a Christian but lives in defiance of God’s Word, then that person is showing the world that he or she is unsaved. No one who continues to live in willful sin truly knows God. Because persistent sin is inconsistent with new life in Christ, residing in unrepentant homosexuality, idolatry, or falsehood is evidence that no regenerative work of the Spirit has occurred in the heart, regardless of anyone’s claims to the contrary.
John gives us the reason why believers do not persist in sin: “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God” «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). A genuine Christian will not “deliberately, knowingly, and habitually” sin. It’s simply not part of their “spiritual DNA.”
