1 John 5:18 Commentary

Navigator

1 John 5:18

Comments

Three times John tell believers what they know. They know it not by observation, or in theory, but instinctively, because this knowledge is planted in them at conversion and has become a part of them. First, we know that whoever is born of God does not sin, for the practice of sin is repulsive to his new nature. As in 1 John 3:9, John does not contradict himself when he says this. Here the preceding verses do not allow him to teach the possibility of sinless perfection in this life, but only to deny that the believer can continue to live in sin, or can commit the sin unto death. Satan can tempt the believer, but cannot force him to sin; he may cause him to fall, but he cannot take hold of him and rob him of salvation. Though he is not far away and goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, God is able to shut the lion’s mouth so that he does not hurt the believer, and ultimately he will bruise Satan under our feet.

Application

Any who think that they can continue to live largely as they did before conversion, or who attempt to justify a lifestyle that is of the world – loving its music, its entertainment, its literature, its culture – think very differently to those John addresses, and have strong grounds to question whether they are converted.

Questions

Both the Received Text and the Majority Text (1995) have the reading ‘keeps himself’, while modern versions read ‘keeps him’, allowing for the possibility that the one who keeps is different to the one who is kept. Those who follow the modern text interpret this clause to mean that Christ, who was born (begotten) of God in eternity past, keeps the believer, as many other scriptures also teach. The KJV reading stresses the believer’s responsibility and God-given instinct as one who is born again, to keep himself.

Outline

Purpose

Introduction

1 John 5:18 Commentary and Bible Study