““Q. [69] If, as St John says, he who is born of God does not sin, because his seed dwells in God, and he cannot sin (1 Jn 3:9), and yet he who is born of water and Spirit is himself born of God (cf Jn 3:5–6), then how are we who are born of God through baptism still able to sin? R. The manner of birth from God within us is two-fold: the one bestows the grace of adoption, which is entirely present in potency (δυνάμει) in those who are born of God; the other introduces, wholly by active exertion (κατ’ ἐνέργειαν), that grace which deliberately (γνωμικῶς) reorients the entire free choice of the one being born of God toward the God who gives birth.””
![“Q. [69] If, as St John says, he who is born of God does not sin, because his seed dwells in God, and he cannot sin (1 Jn 3:9), and yet he who is born of water and Spirit is himself born of God (cf Jn 3:5–6), then how are we who are born of God through baptism still able to sin? R. The manner of…” quote by John Behr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ec2/john-behr-64123_free-choice_q-69-if-as-st-john-says-he-who-is-born-o_2845101.jpg)
![“You see how many are the benefits of baptism, and some think its heavenly grace consists only in the remission of sins, but we have enumerated ten honors [it bestows]! For this reason we baptize even infants, though they are not defiled by [personal] sins, so that there may be given to them…” quote by Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3eb/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_adoption_you-see-how-many-are-the-benefits-of-bap_826448.jpg)
![“The Church received from the apostles the tradition of giving baptism even to infants. The apostles, to whom were committed the secrets of the divine sacraments, knew there are in everyone innate strains of [original] sin, which must be washed away through water and the Spirit” quote by Origen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cb8/origen-12126_apostles_the-church-received-from-the-apostles-th_199967.jpg)
