John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 6. Whosoever abideth in him , &c.] As the branch in the vine, deriving all light, life, grace, holiness, wisdom, strength, joy, peace, and comfort from Christ; or dwells in him by faith, enjoys communion with him as a fruit of union to him; and stands fast in him, being rooted and grounded in him, and abides by him, his truths and ordinances, takes up his rest, and places his security in him, and perseveres through him: sinneth not ; not that he has no sin in him, or lives without sin, but he does not live in sin, nor give up himself to a vicious course of life; for this would be inconsistent with his dwelling in Christ, and enjoying communion with him: whosoever sinneth ; which is not to be understood of a single action, but of a course of sinning: hath not seen him, neither known him ; that is, he has never seen Christ with an eye of faith; he has never truly and spiritually seen the glory, beauty, fulness, and suitableness of Christ, his need, and the worth of him; he has never seen him so as to enjoy him, and have communion with him; for what communion hath Christ with Belial, or light with darkness, or righteousness with unrighteousness? ( 2 Corinthians 6:14,15), nor has he ever savingly known him, or been experimentally acquainted with him; for though he may profess to know him in words, he denies him in works.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 3-10 - The sons of God know that their Lord is of purer eyes than to allow an thing unholy and impure to dwell with him. It is the hope of hypocrites, not of the sons of God, that makes allowance for gratifyin impure desires and lusts. May we be followers of him as his dea children, thus show our sense of his unspeakable mercy, and expres that obedient, grateful, humble mind which becomes us. Sin is the rejecting the Divine law. In him, that is, in Christ, was no sin. All the sinless weaknesses that were consequences of the fall, he took that is, all those infirmities of mind or body which subject man to suffering, and expose him to temptation. But our moral infirmities, ou proneness to sin, he had not. He that abides in Christ, continues no in the practice of sin. Renouncing sin is the great proof of spiritual union with, continuance in, and saving knowledge of the Lord Christ Beware of self-deceit. He that doeth righteousness is righteous, and to be a follower of Christ, shows an interest by faith in his obedienc and sufferings. But a man cannot act like the devil, and at the sam time be a disciple of Christ Jesus. Let us not serve or indulge what the Son of God came to destroy. To be born of God is to be inwardl renewed by the power of the Spirit of God. Renewing grace is an abidin principle. Religion is not an art, a matter of dexterity and skill, but a new nature. And the regenerate person cannot sin as he did before he was born of God, and as others do who are not born again. There is tha light in his mind, which shows him the evil and malignity of sin. Ther is that bias upon his heart, which disposes him to loathe and hate sin There is the spiritual principle that opposes sinful acts. And there is repentance for sin, if committed. It goes against him to sin with forethought. The children of God and the children of the devil have their distinct characters. The seed of the serpent are known by neglec of religion, and by their hating real Christians. He only is righteou before God, as a justified believer, who is taught and disposed to righteousness by the Holy Spirit. In this the children of God ar manifest, and the children of the devil. May all professors of the gospel lay these truths to heart, and try themselves by them.
Greek Textus Receptus
πας 3956 A-NSM ο 3588 T-NSM εν 1722 PREP αυτω 846 P-DSM μενων 3306 5723 V-PAP-NSM ουχ 3756 PRT-N αμαρτανει 264 5719 V-PAI-3S πας 3956 A-NSM ο 3588 T-NSM αμαρτανων 264 5723 V-PAP-NSM ουχ 3756 PRT-N εωρακεν 3708 5758 V-RAI-3S-ATT αυτον 846 P-ASM ουδε 3761 ADV εγνωκεν 1097 5758 V-RAI-3S αυτον 846 P-ASM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
6. Abideth. Compare John xv. 4-10. To abide in Christ is more than to be in Him, since it represents a condition maintained by communion with God and by the habitual doing of His will. See on ii. 6.Sinneth not. John does not teach that believers do not sin, but is speaking of a character, a habit. Throughout the Epistle he deals with the ideal reality of life in God, in which the love of God and sin exclude each other as light and darkness.
Seen - known. The vision of Christ and the appropriation of what is seen. Rev., correctly, knoweth.
