"No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God."
Sounds radical, doesnt it? When we first read that, our first reaction might be (and mine was), "I believe myself to be 'born of God' and I know that I still sin."
Well, the statement in question is actually a bit of Scripture (1 John 3:9) that Wesley addressed in a sermon in 1748.
He breaks it down into two parts - first addressing what it means to be "born of God" and secondly addressing what it means not to sin thereafter.
Born of God
Wesley describes this process as "a vast inward change; a change wrought in the soul by the operation of the Holy Ghost, a change in the whole manner of our existence; for from the moment we are 'born of God' we live in quite another manner than we did before; we are, as it were, in another world."
To flesh this description out some, he compares being born of God to the process of the natural birth we are all familiar with. He explains that before we are born of God, we exist in a similar state to that of an unborn child. We live, to be sure, but our senses are dulled and we know not what exists just beyond the womb. But the process of being born of God is just as drastic a happenstance as that of being born naturally. Senses are heightened and strengthened and it is unfair to make a comparison between that life and the one experienced in the womb; that simply is not an apples to apples comparison.
For Wesley, being born of God means that where we were once unable to see, we now are capable of seeing "Him that is invisible." Where once we were unable to hear, we are now "know the voice of [our] shepherd." Where once our senses were incapable of experiencing or imagining the world on the other side of the womb we now know "more and more of the things which before "could not enter into [our] hearts to conceive."
Put simply: We become distinctly aware of and connected to God.
Cannot go on Sinning
Wesley is careful to address what our hang-up with this phrase most certainly is: that those born of God most certainly do go on committing sins. He explains the discrepancy in this way:
"I answer, what has been long observed is this: so long as 'he that is born of God keepeth himself' (which he is able to do, by the grace of God) 'the wicked one toucheth him not.' But if he keepeth not himself, if he abide not in the faith, he may commit sin even as another man."
He gives a nine step digression from grace to sin (The following quoted directly but with the omission of quotation marks):
1) The divine seed of loving, conquering faith remains in him that is 'born of God.' 'He keepeth himself,' by the grace of God, and 'cannot commit' sin.
2) A temptation arises, whether from the world, the flesh, or the devil, it matters not.
3) The Spirit of God gives him warning that sin is near, and bids him more abundantly watch unto prayer.
4) He gives way in some degree to the temptation, which now begins to grow pleasing to him.
5) The Holy Spirit is grieved; his faith is weakened, and his love of God grows cold.
6) The Spirit reproves him more sharply, and saith, 'This is the way; walk thou in it.'
7) He turns away from the painful voice of God and listens to the pleasing voice of the tempter.
8) Evil desire begins and spreads in his soul, til faith and love vanish away.
9) He is then capable of committing outward sin, the power of the Lord being departed from him.
So it comes down to this:
Once being born of God, we are capable of committing sin. Our free will is not removed from us during the birthing process. And so it is with our will that we sin. Conversely, though, it is with our will that we can avoid falling into temptation. The phrase Wesley uses to describe this utilization of our will is "keeping" ourselves to God. It is when we choose to turn our attention to God and His desires for us that we necessarily turn away from other desires and, therefore, away from potential temptation and sin. And it is in those moments that we are sinless, if only for a moment.
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