Sins of the Saints - Including Preservation and Perseverance

There is a fundamental difference in this respect between the believer and the unbeliever. The unbeliever is "the servant (slave) of sin" (Jn 8:34), but the believer has been "made free" - delivered from the power of sin (Jn 8:36). Further more; we read "Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous. He that commitith sin is of the devil" (1 John 3: 6-8). Now these verses do not teach that the daily walk of a believer is sinless, but they do teach that such an one will not practise sin. The tense of the verb in these verses must be carefully noted. It is the perfect which is here employed: "he that commiteth sin" commits and continues committing is the force of the word: he that makes a regular practice of committing sin. Observe it does not say, "He that sins is of the devil," but he that sins and goes on sinning. In the same way "he that doeth (practiceth) righteousness is righteous."