In the regenerate, the higher nature, as begotten of God, does not commit sin (I John 3:9). This principle within him is at absolute variance with sin and makes him hate all sin and desire to resist it. Luther, referring to this condition, wrote: "The child of God receives wounds daily and never throws away his arms, or makes peace with his deadly foe." His life is a continual warfare against sin, but he is kept by divine power from falling, although if he even momentarily permit his spiritual weapons to lie idle, he will feel the sharp attacks of sin. The ruling principle of his life is God's law, but the old nature may sometimes rebel. The passage from Hebrews 27XXXX does not conflict with this. The passage in Hebrews 6 was written to urge advancement in the spiritual life and to warn them that the decline of spiritual energies would inevitably lead to a "falling away" and perhaps to ultimate apostasy. The warning was addressed not to the elect but to the lukewarm, who had shown a temporary faith, only to be followed by indifference.
