“Whosoever is born of God…cannot sin.” A casual reading of 1 John shows Christians can, and do, sin. Is this then a contradiction? No, for the Bible does not contradict itself. For the answer to this seemingly problematic text (as in all such cases), we must allow the Scriptures to interpret themselves. “Cannot” does not essentially mean impossible, though it can (cp. Titus 1:2 & Heb.6:18).
It seems it’s general meaning is “improbable” (unlikely). There are many Scriptures that prove this to be so. But to save space, I’ll cite just two. In Luke 11, the friend says, “I cannot rise and give thee.” But he does. Likewise, Matthew 7 says “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit.” That is, it would be contrary to its nature to do so. But sometimes it does. So, when a Christian sins, he does something wholly contrary to his new nature. All of the first Adam’s descendents sin. It’s characteristic. But those related to the last Adam, are not likely to dabble in it. A sheep can fall into a mud hole, but he doesn’t wallow in it, like the hog.
We are not sinless, but each of us ought to long to sin less. Darling David tells us the secret of how to accomplish this. “Stand in awe and sin not.” Evidently, his fall came as a result of his no longer being awestruck by God.
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