Q4. God's Seed and Habitual Sin

[Reuben]

Q4. (1 John 3:6, 9) How does the presence of God's seed in us keep us from habitual lawlessness and sin? How does the Holy Spirit sanctify us and make us like Jesus?

Being anointed with the Holy Spirit gives every born again Christian the Spiritual resistance , and conviction of their actions if it is lawless, and deliberate sin. It will also keep reminding you when you are in the wrong and that you need to stop whatever transgressions you are doing deliberately. We are children of God so we naturally also want to please our Father in heaven, just as we did when we were little children wanting to please our parents.

The Holy Spirit dwells in us and continues to salt us in the ways of God, and making us grow closer to and more like Jesus. This is done daily as we allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us when we read the Bible, do these Bible studies, pray to God, and have fellowship.

[Krissi]

While I was doing something very big --  marrying a Jewish atheist --  that I knew was wrong but did anyway, I felt this heaviness like an overwhelming pressure on my chest. It was so powerful I leaned my head against the car window and fell asleep, exhausted by sin. In retrospect -- I'm divorced -- I know I had grieved the Holy Spirit, not to exclusion, but in my walk with Him.  What happened subsequently is amazing.  As my marriage disintegrated, my spiritual life intensified.  I believe God's seed in me "germinated" and kept me safe and secure from making another deeply sinful mistake. He hovered over me until I was set free from the consequences of this sin. He protected me and guarded my desires.

Is this sanctification? In a way, but it's also His seed slowly growing until it fills the entirety of our beings.  We never get completely filled, but increasingly so.  Sanctification is more like purification, that is, being purified of our old self: this purification is not from sin, as that was dealt with at thee moment of salvation, but the sinful self that lingers on.

[Rob Mc.]

(1 John 3:6, 9) How does the presence of God's seed in us keep us from habitual lawlessness and sin?

Jesus Christ is from the lineage of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David, all were men and all procreated.  Since we are also descended from Abraham, et.al., we, having become Sons of God, also received the seed from the lineage.  Since we have this critical lineage, once we are born again and are brothers with Jesus, we consciously shy away from habitual sinning.  We make the effort to not sin, but being human we fail often.  Our new “habits” are more god-like, re-born in faith and grace, and less like the flesh habits of this world.

How does the Holy Spirit sanctify us and make us like Jesus? 

Since the Holy Spirit now dwells in us,  it continually tries to point us in a spiritual direction and away from sin.  We are no longer in charge since we gave our life to the Lord at Baptism.  Thank goodness we have the help, because we would quickly fall back into sin otherwise (being human).