What do 1 John 3:6 and 1 John 5:18 mean when they say believers will not continue to sin?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

First John 3:6 says: "No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him." Similarly, 1 John 5:18 says: "We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him." Some people read these verses and mistakenly think that it means true believers will not or cannot sin; however, this is an impossible feat for anyone but Jesus, as John also points out: "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). Although the believer continues to sin after salvation, they sin less as they are transformed into new creatures and live for God. Becoming sinless is impossible, but sinning less and not continuing in habitual sin is what all Christians should desire.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The psalmist expressed his desire to not sin against his God: "With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you" (Psalm 119:10–11).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• John’s first letter gives us these characteristics of a true follower of Jesus, a believer:
• Believers keep fellowship with Christ and other believers (1 John 1:3) This gives us accountability. When we fail to keep strong believers in our lives we have a desire to stray from the Lord.
• Believers walk in the light and confess their sins (1 John 1:6–9). If we don’t acknowledge our sins and confess them, we will keep committing the same sins. We have to agree with God that we sin.
• Believers are obedient to God's Word (1 John 2:3–6). When we know what to do, we need to obey. In order to know what God asks of us, we have to read and study God’s Word.
• Believers live pure lives (1 John 3:3). One of the most difficult things of all is to stay away from those who lead us in the direction that goes against God’s Word.
• Believers see a decrease in habitual sin (1 John 3:5–6; 1 John 5:18). Even though the steps may be small, people will see a positive change in our lives because the Holy Spirit lives in us and produces good fruit in our lives (Romans 8; Philippians 2:12–13).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

John clearly indicates that we cannot be perfect and without sin, even after being saved. The key to understanding 1 John 3:6 and 1 John 5:18 lies in the phrase "keep on sinning," which occurs in each of them. This indicates that while believers still sin, true believers will not maintain a pattern of habitual sin once they have been saved. Persisting in a lifestyle of sin without a sense of conviction or desire to repent indicates that the Holy Spirit has not truly been allowed to enter and transform a professing believer's life. When we accept Christ, we are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is through the Holy Spirit that we have the power to forsake old sinful patterns and establish new godly patterns (Philippians 2:12–13; Galatians 3:3; 5:16–26). People should be able to see a difference in the way we acted before Christ to the way we act after receiving His salvation. As we mature in our faith, we should continually grow in our love for God and in living out His ways (Romans 12:1–2; Ephesians 3:14–21). As we submit sinful urges to God over and over, He replaces them with desires that line up with His will. The Christian walk is one of progressive sanctification and purification, motivated by the desire to live according to God's Word.

UNDERSTAND

• True believers sin, but they will not persist in a lifestyle of unrepentant sin.
• The Holy Spirit transforms believers, leading to less frequent sin and new godly desires.
• Genuine faith is shown by a decrease in habitual sin and increased obedience to God.

REFLECT

• How does recognizing that you are still prone to sin influence your daily walk with Christ?
• How has God’s specific intervention in your life helped you to overcome or to sin less with specific sins in your life?
• How can you ensure that you are actively cooperating with the Holy Spirit to overcome specific patterns of sin in your life?

ENGAGE

• What is the difference between habitual sin and sin that is not in the life of a believer?
• What role does accountability to other believers play in reducing patterns of sin? How can we support one another in this?
• How can we use Scripture and prayer to support our ongoing transformation and decrease in habitual sin?