No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
1 John 3:9
Earlier, John marveled at the Father’s love, stating that we are called God’s children, “and so we are.” We need to understand what this means. We have received life from our Father. Something new has taken place within us. God’s “seed abides in us.” God is our source of strength. We are not left to manufacture the life He calls us to live.
This is why John speaks about sin contradicting the life we have received. On this side of eternity, we need confession and forgiveness, as John has already taught us. Yet we can no longer treat rebellion as normal.
When we say, “That is just who we are,” we are forgetting whose children we have become. An old habit may be deeply rooted, but it has no uncontested claim on us. God’s life remains in us, giving us reason to repent and strength to obey.
“God’s seed abiding” in us reaches beyond our struggles. The Father who gave us life continues to call us to obedience. We cooperate through confession, prayer, and obedience.
We can face today’s struggle with more than a promise to try harder. We can depend on the God who has made us His children.
Father, we confess how easily we forget what You have done within us. Thank You for making us Your children and giving us new life. Teach us to depend on You as we obey. We surrender our familiar excuses and place our growth in Your hands.
Living as His Children,
eep
The life our Father gives begins to show in the way we live.
