2 Corinthians 7:1 makes it clear that we can be defiled in spirit:
"let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."
Gnosticism is where this idea of the spirit not being able to be defiled and, therefore, always saved despite what we think or do or believe, comes from.
John says in the verse you quoted (1 John 3:9) that the born again person does not live in habitual sin, like the not born again person does. That doesn't mean we are incapable of going back to unbelief (at least two people in this thread will testify to that). It means as long as you're born again through a continuing trust in the forgiveness of Christ you will not be condemned to the never ending slavery of habitual sin.
Born again people grow up into Christ in a new life of holiness and are saved. They do not languish in their old lives like before they were saved and are lost. They will struggle with sin, that's for sure, but they will ultimately not remain in it. So stay born again through a continuing faith and trust in Christ.
"So stay born again". Hmm.
Thanks for your thoughts, Ralph.
IMO, I believe you are reading this verse and thinking a bit too...
independently.
By that I mean, well, take a look at
the wider context wherein this verse is found:
chapter 6 had just got done saying -
14
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:
for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and
what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And
what concord hath Christ with Belial? or
what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And
what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye [corporate 'ye'] are [
the--not present in the Grk] temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17
Wherefore come out from among them, and
be ye separate, saith the Lord, and
touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
The first verse of the next chapter (the one you brought up, 7:1) should be understood in this light.
Also continue on to
verses 11-12 of the same 7th chapter, where it says this (within its overall context):
11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
12 Wherefore, though I wrote unto you,
I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong [the (judged-to-be-)'wicked' man in the first epistle, who had apparently subsequently repented, according to 2Cor2:6-8 (below)], nor for his cause that suffered wrong [the man he sinned against by taking his wife],
but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.
--
the previous context -
1 Corinthians 5 -
13 But them that are without God judgeth.
Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
[the wider context being found in
1Cor5:1-5, (and the whole chpt), "that he that hath done this deed
might be taken away from among you" and "concerning him that hath so done this deed" and "
To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of
the flesh, that
the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus" [some versions say, 'in the day of the Lord'--but either way, I believe this person is not saved presently, or at least judged to not be], and verse 11 saying, "if any man that
IS CALLED a brother" [again, this is not saying that they necessarily ARE ACTUALLY a SAVED person, but "called/named" by themselves and others, so... because of what verse 13 states: But them
that are without God judgeth.
Therefore PUT AWAY FROM AMONG YOURSELVES that WICKED PERSON."<---not that saved person who is acting/behaving wickedly, but one judged (estimated) to be an unbeliever and put away from among you, and treated as a unbeliever (i.e. no true
"fellowship" can happen between believers and unbelievers, nor is it beneficial to those outside looking in, nor to the body itself [in fellowship])]
2 Corinthians 2:6-8 -
6
Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
Now note what Jesus had said in
John 13 -
10 Jesus saith to him, He that
is washed needeth not
save to wash his feet,
but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
11 For he knew
who should betray him; therefore said he,
Ye are not all clean.
...and even what Paul had said in
Romans 16:17 [which I think applies, in some sense] -
17 Now I beseech you, brethren,
mark them which cause divisions and offences
contrary to the doctrine [teaching] which ye have learned;
and avoid them. ["contrary to the doctrine"--there can be no true "fellowship" when there is "doctrine that is contrary" to what was presented by Paul, as though "the doctrine" is just a side issue of no real importance in our "fellowship"]
And of the word
"defilement," we can look at
Hebrews 12:15 -
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail [comes short of (lacks)] of
the grace of God [I don't believe this is speaking of a saved person]; lest any root of bitterness
springing up trouble you,
and thereby [the] many be defiled [I believe this speaks to "pollution" or "staining [even, of the soul]" of the many (who come in contact with the source of the pollution)]. "Looking diligently" is the responsibility, especially in the corporate setting of "fellowship" (especially because verse 15 here is in connection with verse 14, where it says "without which [holiness ('set-apart-ness')] no man shall see the Lord," which I believe means that "no one [no outsiders (all people, the
"all" of verse 14)] looking at you/observing you (the corporate body) will
see the Lord IN YOU). Verse 26, "...
let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear"... In view of this, I don't believe the
"defilement" comes from WITHIN THE SPIRIT of the saved person (the pollution can certainly touch the saved person [even in their "spirit"--for as you acknowledge, we are
whole persons], or the pollution-source can be from "wicked [unsaved] persons"--either of these can fit what your verse is saying,
in light of all the surrounding contexts and related passages.)
Consider what I've put, and see if you don't find something that rings true.
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