Doesn’t the Bible teach that Christians don’t sin?

One Minute Ministry | A Biblical Worldview Daily Devotional | Christian Questions on the Bible, Theology, and Apologetics

[su_audio url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/oneminuteministry/OMM013.mp3"][/su_audio] [ommtop] [su_spoiler title="Click for transcription..." style="default" open="no"]This is the conclusion some come to when they read 1 John 3:9, “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” But does it mean the Christian doesn’t sin? Well, if it does, then John must have been very confused, because he says earlier in his letter in 2:1, “These things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” He is addressing Christians saying, I’m writing this to help keep you from sin, BUT if you do sin, we have an Advocate i.e. one who pleads our cause. So he plainly teaches that Christians do sin. So when we get to 1 John 3:9 the idea is that Christians who are born of God, who have become partakers of the divine nature, do not continue in habitual sin. They can’t do that anymore. So while Christians can and do sin, if you are living in habitual, continual sin, this would be some evidence against your claim to be a Christian.[/su_spoiler]