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Callan Leach wrote:

Hi, guys —

I have a friend who believes a lot of Gnostic teachings. One of them regards a King James translation of John 3:9

9 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.

1 John 3:9

My friend believes this proves that ejaculating or even female orgasm is sinful (gravely sinful) for the passage his seed remaineth in him refers to not ejaculating at all! Not even inside his wife.

She then goes on to reference other Scriptures that make reference to seed when it is used to refer to (semen/offspring) to prove that this passage is using the word seed to denote man's semen.

I have noted that not all of the KJV translates this way, nor does the Catholic Douay Rheims, but nonetheless, my friend believes that's due to corruption in the Church, not wanting to admit (ejaculation/climax) is sinful.

  • Could you please shed some light on this argument and reference of hers?

Callan

  { Can you shed some light on her argument that Gnosticism has a biblical basis and her references? }

Eric replied:

Dear Callan,

It should be obvious from the context that seed here refers to God's seed, not man's seed. That's what being born of God means; that we are of God's seed. It means that God's seed remains in us after we are born of God and bears fruit in virtue (i.e. of not sinning).

If it refers to remaining continent, the whole born of God element that clearly brackets it makes no sense.

There are plenty of other verses in Scripture that refute Gnosticism, e.g.,

2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world."

(1 John 4:2–3 KJV)

and

1 Timothy 4:1–3:

4 1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

Eric

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