| I John 3:9
| Every one that is born of God, doth not commit sin: for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
| Doth not commit sin. That is, as long as he keepeth in himself this seed of grace, and this divine generation, by which he is born of God. But then he may fall from this happy state by the abuse of his free-will, as appears from Romans 11:20, 21, 22.; 1 Corinthians 9:27.; 1 Corinthians 10:12.; Philippians 2:12.; Apocalypse 3:11. (Challoner) --- He cannot sin, because he is born of God. The meaning of this can be no more, than that he cannot sin as long as the seed of grace remaineth in him, and as long as he is the adoptive son of God. But it is evident he may fall from this happy condition, and from the grace of God, otherwise St. John would not so often in this epistle have exhorted them not to sin. (Witham)
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