1 John 3:9

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 John 3:4-10

The apostle, having alleged the believer's obligation to purity from his hope of heaven, and of communion with Christ in glory at the day of his appearance, now proceeds to fill his own mouth and the believer's mind with multiplied arguments against sin, and all communion with the impure unfruitful works of darkness. And so he reasons and argues, I. From the nature of sin and the intrinsic evil of it. It is a contrariety to the divine law: Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also (or even)... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 3:9

3:9 Anyone who has been born of God does not commit sin, because his seed abides in him; and he cannot be a consistent and deliberate sinner, because he has been born of God. This verse bristles with difficulties, and yet it is obviously of the first importance to find out what it means. First, what does John mean by the phrase: "Because his seed abides in him"? There are three possibilities. (i) Frequently the Bible uses the word seed to mean a man's family and descendants. Abraham... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 3:9

Second, this verse presents us with the problem of relating it with certain other things which John has already said about sin. Let us set the verse down, as it is in the Revised Standard Version: No one born of God commits sin; for God's nature abides in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God. Taken at its face value this means that it is impossible for the man who is born of God to sin. Now John has already said, "if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 3:9

Whosoever is born of God ,.... In a figurative and spiritual sense; who are regenerated, or born from above; who are quickened by the grace of God, and have Christ formed in them; who are made partakers of the divine nature, and new creatures in Christ; which spiritual birth is not owing to men, to the power and will of men, but to the grace of God; and is sometimes ascribed to the Father, who of his own will and abundant mercy begets souls again to a lively hope, and saves them by the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 3:9

Whosoever is born of God - Γεγεννημενος , Begotten of God, doth not commit sin: "that is," say some, "as he used to do, he does not sin habitually as he formerly did." This is bringing the influence and privileges of the heavenly birth very low indeed. We have the most indubitable evidence that many of the heathen philosophers had acquired, by mental discipline and cultivation, an entire ascendency over all their wonted vicious habits. Perhaps my reader will recollect the story of the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 3:9

Verse 9 He says that they sin not who are born of God. Now, we must consider, whether God wholly regenerates us at once, or whether the remains of the old man continue in us until death. If regeneration is not as yet full and complete, it does not exempt us from the bondage of sin except in proportion to its own extent. It hence appears that it cannot be but that the children of God are not free from sins, and that they daily sin, that is, as far as they have still some remnants of their old... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 3:1-12

Righteousness and sin in relation to children of God. I. RIGHTEOUSNESS INSEPARABLE FROM BEING CHILDREN OF GOD . 1 . -Present inner nature. 2 . Future glory. 3 . Action in view of the future. "And every one that hath this hope set on him purifieth himself, even as he [that One] is pure." The future glory is a matter of hope to us, arising out of our present consciousness of sonship, our present experience of assimilation to God. It is a hope that rests for... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 3:1-24

(1) The evidence of sonship. Righteousness. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 3:4-12

Sin is absolutely incompatible with Christ's work of redemption and our union with him ( 1 John 3:4-8 ), and also with being born of God, as is shown by the presence or absence of brotherly love ( 1 John 3:9-12 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 3:4-12

Sinning in every way incompatible with the Christian life. Connecting link: The apostle had just said that every one with the Christian hope would purify himself" as Christ the Lord is pure." As if to guard this absolutely universal statement, "every one," against the possibility of question, he goes on to illustrate the varied aspects of sin—in its bearing on law; as regards the Person and work of Christ; as related to the new life of the children of God; and with reference to the... read more

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