Practicing Sin

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. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil; whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. 

1 John 3:9-10

______________________________________

Humbling. Anyone who is born of God cannot keep on sinning. I know a lot of times this becomes confusing, because we are still human and we still have human tendencies. But read that in context. It's saying, "no one born of God makes a PRACTICE of sinning". For example, no man who really truly wants to lose weight will perpetually go to McDonalds, order a Big Mac, Large Fries, a Large Sweet Tea, and two Apple Pies. He cannot keep on eating like that because he has a fire to lose weight. It's like a motivation kind of thing. I like this next quote. I think it sums it up pretty well...

"Every one of us who hears the barbarian call of Christ and chooses to follow will become a foreigner and perhaps even an outcast in the time and place in which we live. [...] All who belong to the barbarian tribe are like Moses, who stepped toward the fire and heard the voice of God. For them, the whole earth is holy ground. They do not separate between sacred and secular or real life and spiritual life. All of life is sacred; every action is spiritual. God is everywhere for them and in all things at all times." -Erwin Ralph McManus The Barbarian Way (pp. 94)

We don't WANT to sin. Once we become a child of God, we don't want to sin anymore. Not because of obligation. Like McManus says,

"There is no obligation fueling the actions of His people. They are passionate about the very things that are on the heart of God. Their motivation is not external, but intrinsic. They are moved from the inside out." (pp. 92)

It's a passion that lies deep in your heart that makes you want to love him enough to please him. You don't just say, "oh, well, I can't murder someone because I know I'll feel guilty afterwards. People will judge me. I'll be punished." When you become His child, it's like you realize, "Wow. Jesus Christ loved me so very much that He died on a cross for me. How can I ever repay him my love? If I could do anything in the world that could repay Him, I would!" It's a love that stirs everything. It's deeper than the bond of a husband and wife. It's stronger than even the bond between a parent and a child. We should be so very much in love with Jesus, that there is NOTHING we can do, but to utterly and completely give Him our lives.