What is the meaning of 1 John 5:18? We know John closes his letter with a warm note of certainty. Believers are not groping in the dark; we rest on what God has clearly told us. • 1 John 5:13 reminds us, “I have written these things to you … so that you may know that you have eternal life.” • Romans 8:16 speaks of the Spirit testifying with our spirit that we are God’s children. • Because Scripture is true and reliable, this “knowing” is settled fact, not wishful thinking. that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning A new birth produces a new pattern of life. John is not claiming perfection but a decisive break with sin’s domination. • 1 John 3:6, 9 echoes the same thought: the one born of God “cannot keep on sinning” because God’s seed remains in him. • Romans 6:1-2 asks, “Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase? By no means!” • 2 Corinthians 5:17 insists, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” The present-tense idea is ongoing practice; the truly born-again believer no longer lives a lifestyle characterized by rebellion. the One who was born of God protects him Here John shifts from the believer’s new nature to the Savior’s constant care. “The One” refers to Jesus, the eternally begotten Son who took on flesh, died, and rose again. • John 10:28-29: “No one can snatch them out of My hand.” • 2 Thessalonians 3:3: “The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.” • Hebrews 7:25: He “always lives to intercede” for us. Our security is not self-generated; it rests in Christ’s ongoing protection. and the evil one cannot touch him Because Christ guards His own, Satan’s reach is limited. Attack may come, but ultimate harm is impossible. • 1 John 4:4: “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” • Job 1:10 shows God’s hedge around His servant. • Ephesians 6:11 calls us to “put on the full armor of God” so we can stand against the devil’s schemes—armor supplied by Christ Himself. Satan’s “touch” is real but restricted; he cannot grasp, control, or drag a believer back into the dominion of darkness. summary 1 John 5:18 offers a threefold assurance: we have settled knowledge of our new birth, a new lifestyle that refuses habitual sin, and a divine Protector who keeps us safe from the enemy’s fatal grip. Resting in these truths, we walk in confident holiness, knowing Christ guards our steps and Satan’s reach stops at the Savior’s hand. |
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