God's Seed

Sometimes, for me, the meaning of a verse hangs on the meaning of a word. For example, when John writes (1 John 3:9) "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God," my first reaction is this: Well, I sin so I must not be born of God. I think that because I default to a meaning of the word "continue" that means "if I ever do it again."

Not to continue to sin, though, doesn't mean never sinning. It can mean that if I sin I don't remain there, I feel guilt and return to the foot of the cross. Sin is intermittent, rather than constant. And John is saying here that once God's seed has been planted in me, that precious word of the Gospel, the faith in Jesus' blood that alone can save me, then it's not possible for me to be comfortable with sin. I might do it, but I won't continue in it. And I find that to be true. I don't remember who said it, but it resonates: "Going to church ruined me for proper sinning." 

That's why John can be so definite in the next verse, verse 10: "This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister." John isn't talking about the work of the person here, it's the work of God. It's not that I have become so good, it's that the very nature of God and the salvation He so graciously gives has this effect. 

God's seed has been planted, and it cannot fail to grow. What a comfort!