Tag Archive | seed

Bible verses about our SHORT and TEMPORARY life – the days are evil

sun beam

Where is the sun, based on the sun beams? Are all clouds lit up?

The days are evil – and short

Days are not evil in themselves since God created the heaven and the earth and all that is in them as “very good”, but the phrase “the days are evil” in Eph. 5:16 signifies that the days (when we are normally active) are filled with temptations with the subsequent risk that also believers choose to give in for them and sin. We are also told to redeem the time.

Adam Clarke says “Let time be your chief commodity; deal in that alone; buy it all up, and use every portion of it yourselves. Time is that on which eternity depends; in time ye are to get a preparation for the kingdom of God; if you get not this in time, your ruin is inevitable; therefore, buy up the time.”

Eph. 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

While death is uncomfortable to think about (our own and others) it is at the same time comforting to keep in mind that the upcoming world – the new Jerusalem – will be a permanent dwelling with no more tears. We are told that we will never ever die if we are true believers. Yes, our physical bodies will die, but our souls will get new bodies and live forever in an environment without death, pain and sorrow. Paul explains it well:

1 Cor. 15:35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in in corruption:43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

2 Cor. 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Paul also explains that the suffering of this world cannot be compared to what is awaiting us: the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us”:

Rom. 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Time is short and so is our life time here on earth. It might not always seem that way for a young person with 50-80 years ahead of him/her, but once you reach an older age and look back on your life the feeling is often that time has gone by in a rapid pace. We do not have much time to share the gospel because time is short. If there are also many uphills in our lives, such as pain, loneliness, melancholy, etc, such things will also soon cease!:

1 Cor. 7:29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

Peter says about heaviness through temptations that this will last only for a season. Sometimes trials might even be useful for us so that we put our focus and hope on the only one who can save us, and to live a righteous life. The end result of our faith is the salvation of our souls.

Pet. 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

All flesh is as grass, and the glory of man as a flower:

1 Pet. 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

The things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal:

2 Cor. 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Matt. 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Man is like dust, or as a flower, or as grass. All of them last just for a moment:

blomma

As a flower of the field

Psalm 103:14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;

Is. 40:6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

Psalm 49:12 Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

The good piece of news for believers who love God is again that we will not perish but have eternal life. Our strength comes from reading and hearing the word of God until the second coming of the son.

John 3:16 — For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

 

Who are the SONS OF GOD and the NEPHILIM?

The sons of God – Bene Elohim = angels

The term “the sons of God” is a translation from the Hebrew Bene Elohim  Sons of Elohim. This term can be found 4 times in the Bible and it’s always referred to ANGELS and never about man. This is enough to end all arguments that “the Sons of God” might mean anything else. Two other valid arguments for the angel translation might be 1) also other old religious books support this alternative, and 2) the old church fathers the first 300 years AD also supported it.

Job 1:6 Now there was a day when THE SONS OF GOD came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

Job 2:1 Again there was a day when THE SONS OF GOD came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.

Job 38:Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.—When the morning stars sang together, and all THE SONS OF GOD shouted for joy?

Gen 6:1And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2That THE SONS OF GOD saw the daughters of MEN that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 3And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. 4There were GIANTS in the earth in those days; and ALSO AFTER THAT, WHEN THE SONS OF GOD CAME IN UNTO THE DAUGHTERS OF MEN, AND BARE CHILDREN TO THEM, THE SAME BECAME MIGHTY MEN which were of old, men of renown. 5And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Why are we to understand the term “Bene Elohim” as angels in 3 verses but not in the 4th verse? It also makes sense to refer to created beings (that could only include angels and Adam) as “sons of God”.  So we know based on scripture that the SONS OF GOD came in unto the DAUGHTERS OF MEN and the daughters of men bore children to the sons of God. There is no mention of daughters of God or sons of men, so it’s clear that the males in the passage were of angelic origin and the female were of human origin. We can also understand from scripture that this union produced GIANTS! Human beings don’t produce giants so how do we account for these giants unless we accept what is written in Genesis 6? Moreover, the giants seem to be a major reason for the need of a global flood. In mentioning them, we are also told that “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually”. Imagine that! Every thought was evil! Something extraordinary must have happened in order to reach this state of mind among all the people, and we have the answer right before our eyes in Gen. 6. Fallen angels came down to earth and caused these events to unfold.

The events recorded in Genesis 6 were understood by the ancient rabbinical sources, as well as the Septuagint, as referring to fallen angels procreating weird hybrid offspring with human women – known as the nephilim. The same goes for the early church fathers. These bizarre events are also mentioned in legends of ancient cultures, like the ancient Greeks, the Egyptians, the Hindus, the South Sea Islanders, the American Indians, as well as in the Dead Sea Scrolls. The book of Enoch which is referred to in the Bible (and the book of Jubilees, the book of Jasher, and other lost books) also describes the mix of angels and human beings, and even though this book is not canonized, it takes more faith to believe that the events in this book are NOT true – for no other reason than to save a certain doctrine.

nephilim 5Problems with the Sethite View

There is a claim that the passage in Genesis 6 refers to a failure to keep the faithful lines of Seth separated from the line of Cain. If the text was intended to contrast the sons of Seth and the daughters of Cain, why doesn’t it say so? It would have been very easy to describe the union as “the sons of Cain and the daughters of Seth“, but it says “sons of GOD” and “daughters of MEN” for a reason and we can understand the text exactly as it says. Why the resulting offspring (between ordinary human beings) is called the “Nephilim” is left without an explanation. Were not both Cain’s and Seth’s descendants of the same couple (Adam and Eve) and made up by the same type of genes? There is absolutely no reason for trying to keep the lines of Seth and Cain separate (actually the opposite since this would narrow down the gene pool), and there is no evidence for that all the descendants of Seth had a tendency to be godly, or that all the descendants of Cain had a tendency to be ungodly. Also, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were FAIR and they chose wives among them. Were all female descendants of Seth unattractive?

One objection to the idea of angels and human beings intermarrying each other, is due to Jesus words “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven” (Matt. 22:30). But Jesus is talking about after the resurrection, and he doesn’t mention what angels might do on earth. We already know that angels on earth can go for walks, eat, rest and talk, among other things. Abraham had a visit from angels in Genesis 17:1-20 and Genesis 18:1-16, and they behaved very much like human beings. It’s hard to imagine how angels appear in heaven but we know that the angelic encounters people have had on earth have always been in relation to male angels (or at least they appeared as such), so earthly angels can transform into what looks like human beings in male form. The men (old and young) in Sodom didn’t have a problem to identify the angels visiting Lot as being of the male gender. As I said earlier, we know that angels on earth can eat, and this might suggest that they might have saliva and all the inner organs necessary for digesting food. Why then wouldn’t they also be able to reproduce? Does it specifically say they can’t?

Mixing seeds?

There is an interesting verse in Daniel which can make us ponder about the last days which will resemble the days of Noah. We already know that there are plenty of experiments made concerning mixing seeds from different animals which are not from the same species, and in Daniel we can read about mixed seeds between men and animals (?), but not through “cleaving one to another”. So maybe this is done in a lab? We can only speculate, but it’s good to be prepared.

Daniel 2:43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves WITH THE SEED OF MEN: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

The future will resemble what happened before the flood.

Luk 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so also it will be in the days of the Son of Man

References about the sons of God in the New Testament nephilim 3

Peter’s and Jude’s comments below establish the time of the fall of these angels to the days of the Flood. What other sins could they have in mind but angels procreating with female human beings?:

2 Peter 2:4-5 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell [Tartarus], and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly

Jude 6,7 And the angels which KEPET NOT THEIR FIRST ESTATE, but LEFT THEIR HABITATION, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and GOING AFTER STRANGE FLESH, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

1/3 of the angels are told to have followed Satan in his rebellion against God and believed to have been cast down on earth. That probably entails several thousand angels. Some of them seem to have made the decision to marry human beings and to produce children with them. How are we to understand the statement “going after strange flesh”, if not i relation to angels going after human flesh which would be totally unnatural for them? This seems to be exactly what Jude is talking about, and which confirms what we can read in Gen. 6. Maybe mixing with human beings was thought as a way for the Satanic angels to prevent the promised seed of the Messiah. We can only speculate why some angels (some sources say about 200 who landed on the mountain of Hermon) chose to take the step to intermix with human.

Lost books

Both the book of Enoch and the book of Jasher are referred to in the Bible, and it’s more likely that the content is for the most part trustworthy than NOT trustworthy. These books describe the sons of God as angels, and so does the book of the Jubilees and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Jasher 4:18 And their judges and rulers went to the daughters of men and took their wives by force from their husbands according to their choice, and the sons of men in those days took from the cattle of the earth, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and taught the mixture of animals of one species with the other, in order therewith to provoke the Lord; and God saw the whole earth and it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon earth, all men and all animals.

Enoch 10:6 Uriel is told to“heal the earth which the angels have corrupted, and proclaim the healing of the earth, that they may heal the plague, and that all the children of men may not perish through all the secret things that the Watchers have disclosed and have taught their sons. And the whole earth has been corrupted through the works that were taught by Azazel: to him ascribe all sin.

3 Maccabees 2:4  You destroyed those who in the past committed injustice, among whom were even giants who trusted in their strength and boldness, who you destroyed by bringing on them a boundless flood.

How could there be giants such as Goliath after the flood?

Nephiyl; a giant, feller, cast down, be judged, fugitive, thrown down, fallen, an abortion [Strong’s]

“There were Nephilim in the earth in those days, and also after that…”

In the OT we can read about God’s instructions to wipe out all people of certain tribes in the land of Canaan. Could it be that some of Noah’s sons married women who had a gene pool problem due to the mixture of angels and men prior to the flood? We can only speculate, but at least we know that some very tall people were living on earth also after the flood.

There are many names for these giants, and it’s hard to know exactly how these tribes intermarried each other and to which extent the offspring was affected by abnormalities when it comes to height. Nephilim, Rephaim, Anakim, Emim, Zuzim, Zamzumim, Horim, Zophim, Caphtorim, Gammadim, Seirim and Shedim. It seems further like God commanded the israelites to conquer and completely wipe out these unique giant tribes, which was a command that they did not totally adhere to. Their refusal to obey had the effect that they (offspring of the giants) continued to cause much violence and murder.

When the Bible tells us that giants were on earth “also after that” in Gen. 6, I don’t believe that even more sons of God came down to earth yet again to repeat the same actions which had led to that the previous sons of God were severely punished. This would definitely cause more risks to humanity – the very same that caused the mayhem before the flood. I rather believe that one or more of the wives of Noah’s sons carried the defected genes which might produce giants, which means that only some of Noah’s sons descendants inherited these genes. It looks like it was Ham’s lineage which was affected considering the names of Ham’s sons – especially his son Canaan. We recognize the same names in those tribes that God requested Israel to completely wipe out.

Gen. 10:5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.6 And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.7 And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtechah: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.9 He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord.10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.11 Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,12 And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.13 And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,14 And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim.15 And Canaan begat Sidon his first born, and Heth,16 And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite,17 And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,18 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.

Gen 14:5 And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emins in Shaveh Kiriathaim

Amos 2:9 Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.

Num. 13:32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. 33 And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Deu 2:10 The Emim lived there in days gone by, a great and plentiful people, and tall as the Anakim 11 they are reckoned to be giants (rephaim), they too, like the Anakim; but the Moabites call them Emim.

Deu 2:20 That also is accounted a land of Rephaim: Rephaim dwelt therein aforetime; but the Ammonites call them Zamzummim 21 a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakim; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead

Deu 3:11 For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the Rephaim; behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbah of the children of Ammon? nine cubits was the length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man. (15 feet! – or 9 feet depending on if you use the standard cubit or lower forearm cubit) 4,6 meter or 2,7 meter

Deu 9:2 a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you have heard it said, Who can stand before the sons of Anak?

Jos 11:21 At that time Joshua came and cut off the Anakim from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anah, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel. Joshua completely destroyed them with their cities. 22 There were none of the Anakim left in the land of the sons of Israel; only some remained in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod.

Jos 12:4 and the border of Og king of Bashan, of the remnant of the Rephaim, who dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei, 5 and ruled in mount Hermon, and in Salcah, and in all Bashan, unto the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and half Gilead, even unto the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.

2 Sa 21:16 And Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of Rapha the giant, the weight of his spear being threehundred bronze shekels in weight, and was girded with a new sword, even he said to strike David.—18 And it happened after this that the battle was again in Gob of the Philistines. Then Sibbechaithe Hushathite struck Saph, who was among the sons of Rapha. 19 And again the battle was in Gob with the Philistines, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite struck one of Goliath the Gittite, and the wood of his spear was like a weaver’s beam. 20 And again the battle was in Gath, and there was a man of stature, and the fingers of his hands were six, and the fingers of his feet six, twenty four in number. And he also had been born to Rapha 21 And he cursed Israel; and Jonathan, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, struck him. 22 These four here born to Rapha the giant in Gath. And they fell by the hand of David, by the hand of his servants.

1 Sa 17:4 And a champion (iysh habaniym…man between two camps referring to half man half angel descendancy) came out from the armies of the Philistines, Goliath was his name, from Gath; his height was six cubits and a span. 5 And a bronze helmet was on his head, and he was clothed with scaled body armor; and the weight of the armor was five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 And a covering of bronze was on his legs, and a javelin of bronze between his shoulders. 7 And the wood of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and the blade of his spear weighed sixhundred shekels of iron. And the shield bearer went before him 

1 Chron. 20:6 And yet again there was war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand, and sixon each foot and HE ALSO WAS THE SON OF A GIANT.

A similar word for “nephilim” is found in the below verse where it concerns dead philistine warriors:

Ezekiel 32:27 And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen (naphal) of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to hell with their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords under their heads, but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living.

nephilim 4Elongated skulls

I’ve included some pictures of individuals with elongated heads in this article, and this too seems to be a feature for some people who lived during those days, and maybe particularly giants? Or perhaps this trait only concerned giants? On top of this, some accounts tell us that another feature might be 6 fingers and 6 toes, as well as a double row of teeth. Some people might want to explain the elongated skulls that have been found by suggesting that it’s due to head binding, but this wouldn’t explain why the skulls that have been found are also much larger. Head bindings doesn’t cause the head to grow in volume. We do know that head binding did occur within some tribes in the old age, and the question is why this was popular? Could it be that elongated heads were considered to be an admirable feature because of the famous gods, demigods and some of the early pharaohs who happened to have this particular feature? The Greek mythology, and other stories tell us about various gods who were giants and who never seem to grow old and die (eventually they did), but these individuals who were labelled gods, titans, etc were likely in reference to people who lived before the flood, or just after the flood.

nephilim 2

The seed on stony ground which produces LIFE – Mark 4:16

True believers can believe for a while and fall away  

“Fall away” is a translation from the Greek word “skandalizo”. 

Mark 4:16-17 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who,  when they hear the word, immediately RECEIVE it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so ENDURE only FOR A TIME. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they STUMBLE (skandalizontai).

The Greek word translated as “receive” is the same Greek word below, also translated as “receive”.

John 1:12 But as many as RECEIVED Him, to them He gave the right to become “children of God… 

John 13:20 Most certainly I tell you, he who receives whomever I send, receives me; and he who receives me, receives him who sent me.” 

Rom 5:11 Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. 

1 Cor 2:12 But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God.

The stony ground hearers were children of God as they endured for a time. The Greek word translated as “stumble” could also be translated as “fall away”. How can the stony ground hearers fall away from something they were never in? We see that these people heard the word, received the word and endured for a time, so these were genuine converts who stumbled due to persecution. Also below verses talk about a “falling away” based on “skandalizo”. 

 Matthew 24:9Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. 10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

Matt. 5:29And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Matt 26: 31Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. 32But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. 33Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. 34Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 35Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

1 Cor. 8:11And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. 13Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

We can get confirmation from yet other verses that there will indeed be people who will end up in apostasy (apostasia) in the end of times:

2 Thess. 2:3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

1 Tim. 4:1Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

The same parable is very similar in Luke and Matthew:

Luke 8:6And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.

Luke 8:13They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while BELIEVE, and in time of temptation fall away.

Matt. 13: 20But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

Since the seed sprung up it shows it produced a plant (life) and we can read that the hearer believed for a while. Something can’t “wither” unless it had life to start with. The word for BELIEVE is pisteuó and is also used in many other verses, such as these:

John 3:18  For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:36: One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

John 5:24 Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”

John 6:40 This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 7:38 He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.

John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies.”

John 12: 46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness.

John 14:12 Most certainly I tell you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and he will do greater works than these, because I am going to my Father.

Is there a difference between sinning and PRACTICING sin? 1 John 3:9

Some people suggest that christians are safe and will not lose their souls as long as they don’t PRACTICE sin – as in “habitually”. They might also suggest that true born-again christians do not practice sin but they do sin occasionally and they can never stop sinning. This is just another attempt to excuse sinning.

How many sins must a person commit to be considered “practicing” sin? One single murder or bank robbery in a life time would not be considered to sin habitually, but we know that one single sin made a huge difference for Adam and Eve. Perhaps being unfaithful every other year wouldn’t be considered practicing sin either? Where do we draw the line? The Bible says that nothing impure shall enter the new Jerusalem:

Rev. 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

True repentance (along with our faith) is the only thing that can save us.

The Greek word used for “to commit” is in itself proof that “commit” does not mean “practice”.  In the Greek NT there are two words that are commonly used to express the idea of doing something. The first is “poieo”, the second is “prasso”, according to Blueletter Bible.

4160 poieo, appear. to make or do (in a very wide application)

4238 prasso, to “practice”, i.e. perform repeatedly or habitually (thus differing from poieo which refers to a single act); to execute, accomplish, fare, commit, deeds, do, keep, require, use arts.

When the Apostle John wrote “Whosoever is born of God doth not COMMIT sin” he used the word “poieo” (to make or do sin with the idea of a single act), and if he wanted to communicate the concept of “practicing” sin he could have used “prasso”.

John Wesley says:

“But some men will say, ‘True: whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin habitually.’ Habitually! Whence is that? I read it not. It is not written in the Book. God plainly saith, ‘He doth not commit sin’; and thou addest, habitually! Who art thou that mendest the oracles of God?-that ‘addest to the words of this book’? Beware I beseech thee, lest God “add to thee all the plagues that are written therein’!” / John Wesley’s Fifty Three Sermons “The Marks of the New Birth” April 3, 1741

1 John 3:9 mostly applies to Jesus because he is certainly “born of God” and his seed remains in God (the Father), but in a way it also applies to us who are in the son. Jesus actually had the capacity to sin or else he would not be tempted in all things just like us, like the Bible says he was. He rather chose to live a sinless life for our sake. We too obviously have the capacity to sin, but if we are led by the holy Spirit, we do not sin. The term “seed” above is generally understood to mean “God’s word” and seed is often typical of the Word of God (for example, Luke 8:11; 1 Peter 1:23) but we know that believers are also referred to as “seed” (Rom 9:8; Gal 3:16, 19, 29)

“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed (the believer) remaineth in him (Jesus): and he (the believer) cannot sin, because he is born of God (which is to abide in Jesus).” 1 John 3:9

This is confirmed in 1 John 3:6

“Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.” 1 John 3:6

It is not impossible for a believer to sin but rather, it is impossible for a believer to sin as long as he abides in Jesus (which is a condition to remain a believer). The chapter does not teach that it is impossible for a christian to sin but that it is possible that he, through God’s grace, avoids it. No believer has to sin (Titus 2:11-12, 1 Cor 10:13) and the Bible does not say that we are off the hook if we only transgress the law just once in a while instead of several times. Repentance is the only cure. If we mix sin and “sorries” on a daily basis, we have not truly repented.

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

1 Joh. 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.—10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

We are told to not hate anyone because hating is like being a murderer. If we are to believe that our souls are not in danger as long as we do not habitually sin, does this mean we can perhaps get away with hating one single brother? Of course not, because no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

1 Joh. 3.15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

We can also see that the condition for having confidence toward God is that our heart does not condemn us. If the case is that our conscience tells us that we have acted wickedly (our heart condemns us) then God is merciful and will forgive us IF we confess our sins and truly repent. If we harden our hearts and pursue in the sin we know is wrong, then our souls are in danger. If you have a chance, do read the article about our faith as “filthy rags”.

1 Joh. 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

Other mentions of “committing”  sin outside of 1 John 3

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

2 Corinthians 12:21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

James 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

James 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.