Adam did not cease being born of God when he neglected to abide in Jesus.

1 John 5:4
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

But to employ any language that expresses the impossibility of sinning, is fraught [in my view] with subtle dangers.

M: Put another way, born-again believers who are abiding in Jesus and partaking of the divine nature are not only not sinning, more importantly, they are, while thus connected, "perfecting holiness in the fear of God." Neglecting to abide in Jesus results in resurrecting the mind of the old man and resuming a life of sin. Reverting back to the resurrected mind of the old man, however, does not undo rebirth. It's just that while they are disconnected from Jesus they are no longer able to benefit from the holy traits and sinless attributes Jesus implanted within them the instant they experienced rebirth. The gift of repentance, praise the Lord, empowers them to the repent which, in turn, gives God the right to forgive them and to restore them to the mind of the new man. Thus restored, they resume abiding in Jesus, partaking of the divine nature, perfecting holiness unto the honor and glory of God our Father. Adam did not cease being born of God when he neglected to abide in Jesus.

S: Good. Yes, thank you, I agree with all this. But to employ any language that expresses the impossibility of sinning, is fraught [in my view] with subtle dangers.

I disagree. One cannot be born of God unless he abides in Jesus. Once you separate from Jesus, you are no longer a child of God. You become a slave that must be redeemed.


John tells us that whoever is born of God overcomes the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life. But Adam fell in all three aspects. No, he was not born of God at that time.

Spiritually speaking we cease being a child of God while we are walking in the mind of the old man, living as slaves and servants of sin, self, and Satan. But physically speaking everyone, including evil angels, is a child of God.

The miracle of rebirth doesn't cease being a fact of history while we are walking in the mind of old man.

Also, the short period of time that elapses between sinning, repenting, and being restored to the mind of new man isn't long enough to seriously derail the momentum we gained while faithfully walking in the mind of the new man.

M: Also, the short period of time that elapses between sinning, repenting, and being restored to the mind of new man isn't long enough to seriously derail the momentum we gained while faithfully walking in the mind of the new man.

A: I'm not sure about this. I will get back to it later.

I'm referring to "occasional misdeeds". "A change will be seen in the character, the habits, the pursuits. The contrast will be clear and decided between what they have been and what they are. The character is revealed, not by occasional good deeds and occasional misdeeds, but by the tendency of the habitual words and acts. {SC 57.2} For example, after hours of being worn down by hassles and headaches trying to set up the tent in high winds and heavy rain, I bark at my poor, darling wife. I am immediately sorry and repentant and apologize profusely.

If Joseph and Mary had stayed their minds upon God by meditation and prayer, they would have realized the sacredness of their trust, and would not have lost sight of Jesus. By one day’s neglect they lost the Saviour; but it cost them three days of anxious search to find Him. So with us; by idle talk, evilspeaking, or neglect of prayer, we may in one day lose the Saviour’s presence, and it may take many days of sorrowful search to find Him, and regain the peace that we have lost. {DA 83.1}

In our association with one another, we should take heed lest we forget Jesus, and pass along unmindful that He is not with us. When we become absorbed in worldly things so that we have no thought for Him in whom our hope of eternal life is centered, we separate ourselves from Jesus and from the heavenly angels. These holy beings cannot remain where the Saviour’s presence is not desired, and His absence is not marked. This is why discouragement so often exists among the professed followers of Christ. {DA 83.2}

So with us; by idle talk, evilspeaking, or neglect of prayer, we may in one day lose the Saviour’s presence, and it may take many days of sorrowful search to find Him, and regain the peace that we have lost.