From: Steve Amato (samato@cfa.harvard.edu)
Date: Tue Jul 07 1998 - 09:03:52 EDT
I was wondering if the "Customary (Habitual or General) Present" might be
more appropriately thought of as a "Lifestyle Present".
I was thinking about 1John 3:6,9
"Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him,
neither known him."
"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."
What is the best way to describe the sinning that he is referring to?
Whoever is born of God does not customarily commit sin?
Whoever is born of God does not commit sin as a habit?
Whoever is born of God does not commit sin in a lifestyle sense?
This third makes most sense to me. Those born of God, who abide in Him do
not live a lifestyle of sin. Though they may have sin habits that they are
overcoming, but such do not really define their chosen lifestyle.
The problem I have with the Customary and Habitual ideas is that they often
seem to have too much of a punctilinear sense which is better expressed by
the aorist, and would tend to contradict 1John 1:8-10.
I think also that the concept of "Lifestyle sin" helps better to understand
such passages as 1Cor 6:9,10
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be
not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor
covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the
kingdom of God.
"drunkards", for example would be thought of as alcoholics; "fornicators"
as those who accept sexual immorality as part of their lifestyle. And
similarly with homosexuals, we speak of "the homosexual lifestyle". It
brings more of the sense of continuity inherent in the present tense that
"custom" or "habit".
Steve Amato
http://www.xensei.com/users/samato
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