“Christians do not have to sin, since the new birth has given you a new heart you have the discernment and inner resolve to expose and resist sin’s ugly outcomes.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – October 2, 2023
You must be born again. John 3:7 …Whoever has been born of God does not sin. 1 John 3:9
People who have been born from above, having experienced God’s grace do not experience a pattern of sin as they live below in a fallen world. Followers of Jesus focus on what brings great joy to their Savior. Old ways of doing life my way have passed away replaced by new ways of doing life the Lord’s way. Sin still poses a threat ever lurking to lure a child of light back into the darkness of sin. But sin no longer defines a God lover, rather the righteousness of Christ reigns in those submitted to Him. Surrender to the Lord brings freedom in the Lord. Freedom from sin! Though we are in the world, Christ has overcome the world, and He has commissioned us in the power of the Holy Spirit to freely make disciples and not be encumbered by the shackles of sin.
Oswald Chambers describes the power of the new birth to overcome sin, “The new birth gives me a new power of vision by which I begin to discern God’s control. His sovereignty was there all the time, but with God being true to His nature, I could not see it until I received His very nature myself. ‘Whoever has been born of God does not sin …’ (1 John 3:9). Am I seeking to stop sinning or have I actually stopped? To be born of God means that I have His supernatural power to stop sinning. The Bible never asks, ‘Should a Christian sin?’ The Bible emphatically states that a Christian must not sin. The work of the new birth is being effective in us when we do not commit sin. It is not merely that we have the power not to sin, but that we have actually stopped sinning. Yet 1 John 3:9 does not mean that we cannot sin— it simply means that if we will obey the life of God in us, that we do not have to sin.” Sin is not a have to for Jesus’ lovers!
Indeed, Christians do not have to sin, since the new birth has given you a new heart, you have the discernment and inner resolve to expose and resist sin’s ugly outcomes. A heart hardened by sin has been replaced by a heart full of forgiveness and love. The prophet Ezekiel describes the process of God giving a believer a heart of flesh, “And I will give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26). The human will is hardened by self-reliance and selfish desires, while a heart of flesh is like moist clay molded by divine hands of love. A heart of flesh is a heart tender to even the thought of sinning against Almighty God or to harm another human being. There is embedded in a new heart a Spirit-led sensitivity to discern when someone’s influence is not of the Lord or a potential opportunity is not God’s best or when the temptation to chase money is unmasked as an unhealthy, exhausting pursuit. A new heart means new, wise ways to navigate through life.
Jesus went on to explain to Nicodemus the role of the Spirit in the lives of those who experience the new birth, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8, NASB). Like a sailboat, hoist the mainsail of your life and trust the Spirit to fill your faith with winds of love and grace that move you along in God’s will. Some days sunny with blue skies, other days cloudy feeling somewhat blue, and on occasion fierce winds, feeling on edge, even close to sinking, but resting assured heaven is at the helm. A life filled with the Spirit has no room for sin, only the capacity to love and abide in Christ. Yes, we will sin and when we do, by God’s grace we will confess, repent and rest in Love’s sweet forgiveness.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NASB).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for freeing me from being a slave to fear, sin and shame through Christ’s love, and in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Application
What besetting sin do you need to ask the Lord to give you the grace to confess and repent of so you can experience freedom from guilt and live in the power of the Holy Spirit? After coming clean with God, go to others, humble yourself and ask for forgiveness.
Related Reading
Psalm 119:45; Romans 6:22, 8:1-4; 2 Corinthians 3:17; 1 Peter 2:16
Worship Resource
Zach Williams: No Longer Slaves (Live from Harding Prison)
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