Here’s the passage on my mind this morning. “Whoever has been born of God does not sin.”
Many years ago, I was speaking with an ecumenical group of believers. When I talked about sin, one man said, “I don’t sin,” and he cited this passage, 1 John 3:9, quoted above from the New King James Bible. “I don’t sin.” That threw me for a loop. Talk about sin is predictable in many Christian churches, and what’s also predictable, at least among us Lutherans, is the follow-up, “It’s OK. God forgives you for Jesus’ sake.”
Scripture is filled with many passages that should stop us, whoa! I don’t sin? How can I explain this away? Pastor, tell me that there’s some deeper theological thing here that let’s me go on with my life. Or maybe I won’t even ask. Or maybe when I read my Bible – if I read my Bible – I just keep skimming on. We’re so rushed. Can’t let Scripture hit me between the eyes.
I can give you a “deeper theological thing” about this verse. What was translated “does not sin” is in the original Greek a present active infinitive. “Uh, what,” you say? Never mind the technicality; the point is this. A more accurate translation is “No one who is born of God lives for the sake of sin.” That comes from Greek scholar Dr. Bruce Schuchard in his commentary from Concordia Publishing House. Newer translations agree. For example, the ESV: “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning.”
That actually turns the screws tighter. It’s not merely whether you say or do sinful things, or don’t. It’s Whom you’re living for. That section in John repeatedly says there’s a reason for the way you act. You live for God and Christ or your life is dominated by the devil. “Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, just as he (Jesus) is righteous” (1 John 3:7; ESV). Is your daily life, my life out of church, Christ-centered?