The Great Privilege of those that are Born of God

Sermon 19
The Great Privilege of those that are Born of God
“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin.” 1 John 3:9.
1. It has been frequently supposed, that the being born of God was all one
with the being justified; that the new birth and justification were only
different expressions, denoting the same thing: It being certain, on the one
hand, that whoever is justified is also born of God; and, on the other, that
whoever is born of God is also justified; yea, that both these gifts of God
are given to every believer in one and the same moment. In one point of time
his sins are blotted out, and he is born again of God.
2. But though it be allowed, that justification and the new birth are, in
point of time, inseparable from each other, yet are they easily
distinguished, as being not the same, but things of a widely different
nature. Justification implies only a relative, the new birth a real, change.
God in justifying us does something for us; in begetting us again, he does
the work in us. The former changes our outward relation to God, so that of
enemies we become children; by the latter our inmost souls are changed, so
that of sinners we become saints. The one restores us to the favour, the
other to the image, of God. The one is the taking away the guilt, the other
the taking away the power, of sin: So that, although they are joined
together in point of time, yet are they of wholly distinct natures.
3. The not discerning this, the not observing the wide difference there is
between being justified and being born again, has occasioned exceeding great
confusion of thought in many who have treated on this subject; particularly
when they have attempted to explain this great privilege of the children of
God; to show how “whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin.”
4. In order to apprehend this clearly, it may be necessary, First, to
consider what is the proper meaning of that expression, “Whosoever is born
of God;” and, Secondly, to inquire, in what sense he “doth not commit
sin.”
I. 1. First, we are to consider, what is the proper meaning of that
expression, “Whosoever is born of God.” And, in general, from all the
passages of holy writ wherein this expression, “the being born of God,”
occurs, we may learn that it implies not barely the being baptized, or any
outward change whatever; but 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.
2. The ground and reason of the expression is easy to be understood. When we
undergo this great change, we may, with much propriety, be said to be born
again, because there is so near a resemblance between the circumstances of
the natural and of the spiritual birth; so that to consider the
circumstances of the natural birth, is the most easy way to understand the
spiritual.
3. The child which is not yet born subsists indeed by the air, as does
everything which has life; but feels it not, nor any thing else, unless in a
very dull and imperfect manner. It hears little, if at all; the organs of
hearing being as yet closed up. It sees nothing; having its eyes fast shut,
and being surrounded with utter darkness. There are, it may be, some faint
beginnings of life, when the time of its birth draws nigh, and some motion
consequent thereon, whereby it is distinguished from a mere mass of matter;
but it has no senses; all these avenues of the soul are hitherto quite shut
up. Of consequence, it has scarce any intercourse with this visible world;
nor any knowledge, conception, or idea, of the things that occur therein.
4. The reason why he that is not yet born is wholly a stranger to the
visible world, is, not because it is afar off; (it is very nigh; it
surrounds him on every side;) but, partly, because he has not those senses,
they are not yet opened in his soul, whereby alone it is possible to hold
commerce with the material world; and partly, because so thick a veil is
cast between, through which he can discern nothing.
5. But no sooner is the child born into the world, than he exists in a quite
different manner. He now feels the air with which he is surrounded, and
which pours into him from every side, as fast as he alternately breathes it
back, to sustain the flame of life: And hence springs a continual increase
of strength, of motion, and of sensation; all the bodily senses being now
awakened, and furnished with their proper objects.
His eyes are now opened to perceive the light, which, silently flowing in
upon them, discovers not only itself, but an infinite variety of things,
with which before he was wholly unacquainted. His ears are unclosed, and
sounds rush in with endless diversity. Every sense is employed upon such
objects as are peculiarly suitable to it; and by these inlets the soul,
having an open intercourse with the visible world, acquires more and more
knowledge of sensible things, of all the things which are under the sun.
6. So it is with him that is born of God. Before that great change is
wrought, although he subsists by Him, in whom all that have life “live, and
move, and have their being,” yet he is not sensible of God; he does not
feel, he has no inward consciousness of His presence. He does not perceive
that divine breath of life, without which he cannot subsist a moment: Nor is
he sensible of any of the things of God; they make no impression upon his
soul. God is continually calling to him from on high, but he heareth not;
his ears are shut, so that the “voice of the charmer” is lost to him, “charm
he never so wisely,” He seeth not the things of the Spirit of God; the eyes
of his understanding being closed, and utter darkness covering his whole
soul, surrounding him on every side. It is true he may have some faint
dawnings of life, some small beginnings of spiritual motion; but as yet he
has no spiritual senses capable of discerning spiritual objects;
consequently, he “discerneth not the things of the Spirit of God; he cannot
know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
7. Hence he has scarce any knowledge of the invisible world, as he has
scarce any intercourse with it. Not that it is afar off: No: He is in the
midst of it; it encompasses him round about. The other world, as we usually
term it, is not far from every one of us: It is above, and beneath, and on
every side. Only the natural man discerneth it not; partly, because he has
no spiritual senses, whereby alone we can discern the things of God; partly,
because so thick a veil is interposed as he knows not how to penetrate.
8. But when he is born of God, born of the Spirit, how is the manner of his
existence changed! His whole soul is now sensible of God, and he can say, by
sure experience, “Thou art about my bed, and about my path;” I feel thee in
all my ways: “Thou besettest me behind and before, and layest thy hand upon
me.” The Spirit or breath of God is immediately inspired, breathed into the
new-born soul; and the same breath which comes from, returns to, God: As it
is continually received by faith, so it is continually rendered back by
love, by prayer, and praise, and thanksgiving; love and praise, and prayer
being the breath of every soul which is truly born of God. And by this new
kind of spiritual respiration, spiritual life is not only sustained, but
increased day by day, together with spiritual strength, and motion, and
sensation; all the senses of the soul being now awake, and capable of
discerning spiritual good and evil.
9. “The eyes of his understanding” are now “open,” and he “seeth Him that is
invisible.” He sees what is “the exceeding greatness of his power” and of
his love toward them that believe. He sees that God is merciful to him a
sinner, that he is reconciled through the Son of his love. He clearly
perceives both the pardoning love of God, and all his “exceeding great and
precious promises.” “God, who commanded the light to shine out of the
darkness, hath shined,” and doth shine, “in his heart,” to enlighten him
with “the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” All
the darkness is now passed away, and he abides in the light of God's
countenance.
10. His ears are now opened, and the voice of God no longer calls in vain.
He hears and obeys the heavenly calling: He knows the voice of his Shepherd.
All his spiritual senses being now awakened, he has a clear intercourse with
the invisible world; and hence he knows more and more of the things which
before it could not “enter into his heart to conceive.” He now knows what
the peace of God is; what is joy in the Holy Ghost; what the love of God
which is shed abroad in the heart of them that believe in him through Christ
Jesus. Thus the veil being removed which before interrupted the light and
voice, the knowledge and love of God, he who is born of the Spirit, dwelling
in love, “dwelleth in God, and God in him.”
II. 1. Having considered the meaning of that expression, “whosoever is born
of God,” it remains, in the Second place, to inquire, in what sense he “doth
not commit sin.”
Now one who is so born of God, as hath been above described, who continually
receives into his soul the breath of life from God, the gracious influence
of his Spirit, and continually renders it back; one who thus believes and
loves, who by faith perceives the continual actings of God upon his spirit,
and by a kind of spiritual re-action returns the grace he receives, in
unceasing love, and praise, and prayer; not only doth not commit sin, while
he thus keepeth himself, but so long as this “seed remaineth in him, he
cannot sin, because he is born of God.”
2. By sin, I here understand outward sin, according to the plain, common
acceptation of the word; an actual, voluntary transgression of the law; of
the revealed, written law of God; of any commandment of God, acknowledged to
be such at the time that it is transgressed. But “whosoever is born of
God,” while he abideth in faith and love, and in the spirit of prayer and
thanksgiving, not only doth not, but cannot, thus commit sin. So long as he
thus believeth in God through Christ, and loves him, and is pouring out his
heart before him, he cannot voluntarily transgress any command of God,
either by speaking or acting what he knows God hath forbidden: So long that
seed which remaineth in him, that loving, praying, thankful faith, compels
him to refrain from whatsoever he knows to be an abomination in the sight of
God.
3. But here a difficulty will immediately occur, and one that to many has
appeared insuperable, and induced them to deny the plain assertion of the
Apostle, and give up the privilege of the children of God.
It is plain, in fact, that those whom we cannot deny to have been truly born
of God, (the Spirit of God having given us in his word this infallible
testimony concerning them,) nevertheless, not only could, but did, commit
sin, even gross, outward sin. They did transgress the plain, known laws of
God, speaking or acting what they knew he had forbidden.
4. Thus David was unquestionably born of God or ever he was anointed king
over Israel. He knew in whom he had believed; “he was strong in faith,
giving glory to God.” “The Lord,” saith he, “is my Shepherd; therefore can I
lack nothing. He shall feed me in green pastures, and lead me forth beside
the waters of comfort. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow
of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me.” (Psalm 23:1.) He was
filled with love; such as often constrained him to cry out, “I will love
thee, O Lord, my strength: The Lord is my stony rock, and my defence; the
horn also of my salvation, and my refuge.” (Psalm 28:1.) He was a man of
prayer; pouring out his soul before God in all circumstances of life; and
abundant in praises and thanksgiving. “Thy praise,” saith he, “shall be ever
in my mouth:” (Psalm 34:1:) “Thou art my God, and I will thank thee; thou
art my God, and I will praise thee.” (Psalm 118:28.) And yet such a child of
God could and did commit sin; yea, the horrid sins of adultery and murder.
5. And even after the Holy Ghost was more largely given, after “life and
immortality were brought to light by the gospel” we want not instances of
the same melancholy kind, which were also doubtless written for our
instruction. Thus he who (probably from his selling all that he had, and
bringing the price for the relief of his poor brethren) was by the apostles
themselves surnamed Barnabas, that is, the son of consolation; (Acts 4:36,
37; ) who was so honoured at Antioch, as to be selected with Saul out of all
the disciples, to carry their relief unto the brethren in Judea; (Acts
11:29, 30; ) this Barnabas, who, at his return from Judea, was, by the
peculiar direction of the Holy Ghost, solemnly “separated from the other
Prophets and Teachers, for the work whereunto God had called him,” (Acts
13:1–4, ) even to accompany the great Apostle among the Gentiles, and to be
his fellow-labourer in every place; — nevertheless, was afterward so sharp,
(Acts 15:35, 39, ) in his contention with St. Paul, (because he “thought it
not good to take with them John,” in his visiting the brethren a second
time, “who had departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to
the work,”) that he himself also departed from the work; that he “took John,
and sailed unto Cyprus;” (Acts 15:39; ) forsaking him to whom he had been in
so immediate a manner joined by the Holy Ghost.
6. An instance more astonishing than both these is given by St. Paul in his
Epistle to the Galatians. When Peter, the aged, the zealous, the first of
the apostles, one of the three most highly favoured by his Lord, “was come
to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For
before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles” — the
Heathens converted to the Christian faith, as having been peculiarly taught
of God, that he “should not call any man common or unclean.” (Acts 10:28.)
“But, when they were come, he separated himself, fearing them which were of
the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch
that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw
that they walked not uprightly, according to the truth of the gospel, I said
unto Peter, before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner
of the Gentiles,” — not regarding the ceremonial law of Moses, — “why
compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?” (Gal. 2:11.) Here is
also plain, undeniable sin committed by one who was undoubtedly born of God.
But how can this be reconciled with the assertion of St. John, if taken in
the obvious literal meaning, that “whosoever is born of God, doth not commit
sin?”
7. 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.
It is easy therefore to understand, how any of these children of God might
be moved from his own steadfastness, and yet the great truth of God,
declared by the Apostle, remain steadfast and unshaken. He did not “keep
himself,” by that grace of God which was sufficient for him. He fell, step
by step, First, into negative, inward sin, not “stirring up the gift of God
which was in him,” not “watching unto prayer,” not “pressing on to the mark
of the prize of his high calling:” Then, into positive inward sin, inclining
to wickedness with his heart, giving way to some evil desire or temper:
Next, he lost his faith, his sight of a pardoning God, and consequently his
love of God; and, being then weak and like another man, he was capable of
committing even outward sin.
8. To explain this by a particular instance: David was born of God, and saw
God by faith. He loved God in sincerity. He could truly say, “Whom have I in
heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth,” neither person nor thing,
“that I desire in comparison of thee.” But still there remained in his heart
that corruption of nature, which is the seed of all evil.
“He was walking upon the roof of his house,” (2 Sam. 11:2, ) probably
praising the God whom his soul loved, when he looked down, and saw
Bathsheba. He felt a temptation; a thought which tended to evil. The Spirit
of God did not fail to convince him of this. He doubtless heard and knew the
warning voice; but he yielded in some measure to the thought, and the
temptation began to prevail over him. Hereby his spirit was sullied; he saw
God still; but it was more dimly than before. He loved God still; but not in
the same degree; not with the same strength and ardour of affection. Yet God
checked him again, though his spirit was grieved; and his voice, though
fainter and fainter, still whispered, “Sin lieth at the door; look unto me,
and be thou saved.” But he would not hear: He looked again, not unto God,
but unto the forbidden object, till nature was superior to grace, and
kindled lust in his soul.
The eye of his mind was now closed again, and God vanished out of his sight.
Faith, the divine, supernatural intercourse with God, and the love of God,
ceased together: He then rushed on as a horse into the battle, and knowingly
committed the outward sin.
9. You see the unquestionable progress from grace to sin: Thus it goes on,
from step to step. (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, till faith and
love vanish away: He is then capable of committing outward sin, the power of
the Lord being departed from him.
10. To explain this by another instance: The Apostle Peter was full of faith
and of the Holy Ghost; and hereby keeping himself, he had a conscience void
of offence toward God and toward man.
Walking thus in simplicity and godly sincerity, “before that certain came
from James, he did eat with the Gentiles,” knowing that what God had
cleansed was not common or unclean.
But “when they were come,” a temptation arose in his heart, “to fear those
of the circumcision,” (the Jewish converts, who were zealous for
circumcision and the other rites of the Mosaic law,) and regard the favour
and praise of these men, more than the praise of God.
He was warned by the Spirit that sin was near: Nevertheless, he yielded to
it in some degree, even to sinful fear of man, and his faith and love were
proportionably weakened.
God reproved him again for giving place to the devil. Yet he would not
hearken to the voice of his Shepherd; but gave himself up to that slavish
fear, and thereby quenched the Spirit.
Then God disappeared, and, faith and love being extinct, he committed the
outward sin: Walking not uprightly, not “according to the truth of the
gospel,” he “separated himself” from his Christian brethren, and by his evil
example, if not advice also, “compelled even the Gentiles to live after the
manner of the Jews;” to entangle themselves again with that “yoke of
bondage,” from which “Christ had set them free.”
Thus it is unquestionably true, that he who is born of God, keeping himself,
doth not, cannot commit sin; and yet, if he keepeth not himself, he may
commit all manner of sin with greediness.
III. 1. From the preceding considerations we may learn, first, To give a
clear and incontestable answer to a question which has frequently perplexed
many who were sincere of heart. “Does sin precede or follow the loss of
faith?” Does a child of God first commit sin, and thereby lose his faith? Or
does he lose his faith first, before he can commit sin?”
I answer, Some sin of omission, at least, must necessarily precede the loss
of faith; some inward sin: But the loss of faith must precede the committing
outward sin.
The more any believer examines his own heart, the more will he be convinced
of this: That faith working by love excludes both inward and outward sin
from a soul watching unto prayer; that nevertheless we are even then liable
to temptation, particularly to the sin that did easily beset us; that if the
loving eye of the soul be steadily fixed on God, the temptation soon
vanishes away: But if not, if we are exelkomenoi, (as the Apostle James
speaks, James 1:14, ) drawn out of God by our own desire, and deleazomenoi,
caught by the bait of present or promised pleasure; then that desire,
conceived in us, brings forth sin; and, having by that inward sin destroyed
our faith, it casts us headlong into the snare of the devil, so that we may
commit any outward sin whatever.
2. From what has been said, we may learn, Secondly, what the life of God in
the soul of a believer is; wherein it properly consists; and what is
immediately and necessarily implied therein. It immediately and necessarily
implies the continual inspiration of God's Holy Spirit; God's breathing into
the soul, and the soul's breathing back what it first receives from God; a
continual action of God upon the soul, and a re-action of the soul upon God;
an unceasing presence of God, the loving, pardoning God, manifested to the
heart, and perceived by faith; and an unceasing return of love, praise, and
prayer, offering up all the thoughts of our hearts, all the words of our
tongues, all the works of our hands, all our body, soul, and spirit, to be a
holy sacrifice, acceptable unto God in Christ Jesus.
3. And hence we may, Thirdly, infer the absolute necessity of this re-action
of the soul, (whatsoever it be called,) in order to the continuance of the
divine life therein. For it plainly appears, God does not continue to act
upon the soul, unless the soul re-acts upon God. He prevents us indeed with
the blessings of his goodness. He first loves us, and manifests himself unto
us. While we are yet afar off, he calls us to himself, and shines upon our
hearts. But if we do not then love him who first loved us; if we will not
hearken to his voice; if we turn our eye away from him, and will not attend
to the light which he pours upon us; his Spirit will not always strive: He
will gradually withdraw, and leave us to the darkness of our own hearts. He
will not continue to breathe into our soul, unless our soul breathes toward
him again; unless our love, and prayer, and thanksgiving return to him, a
sacrifice wherewith he is well pleased.
4. Let us learn, Lastly, to follow that direction of the great Apostle, “Be
not high-minded, but fear.” Let us fear sin, more than death or hell. Let us
have a jealous (though not painful) fear, lest we should lean to our own
deceitful hearts. “Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall.” Even he
who now standeth fast in the grace of God, in the faith that overcometh the
world, may nevertheless fall into inward sin, and thereby “make shipwreck of
his faith.” And how easily then will outward sin regain its dominion over
him! Thou, therefore, O man of God! watch always; that thou mayest always
hear the voice of God! Watch, that thou mayest pray without ceasing, at all
times, and in all places, pouring out thy heart before him! So shalt thou
always believe, and always love, and never commit sin.
Category:Christianity