We know that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning;This phrase emphasizes the transformative power of spiritual rebirth. In the context of 1 John, being "born of God" refers to a spiritual regeneration through faith in Jesus Christ. This transformation results in a new nature that resists habitual sin. The Greek term used here suggests a continuous action, indicating that a true believer does not persist in a lifestyle of sin. This aligns with Paul's teachings in
Romans 6:1-2, where he argues that those who have died to sin should not live in it any longer. The concept of being "born of God" also connects to Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus in
John 3:3-7, where He speaks of being born again to see the kingdom of God.
the One who was born of God protects him,
This phrase refers to Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who provides protection for believers. The protection mentioned here is spiritual, safeguarding the believer's soul and eternal destiny. This echoes Jesus' prayer inJohn 17:12, where He speaks of keeping His disciples safe. The imagery of protection is also found inPsalm 121:7, which assures that the Lord will keep believers from all harm. Theologically, this protection is understood as part of the believer's assurance of salvation, a theme prevalent in the New Testament.
and the evil one cannot touch him.
The "evil one" is a reference to Satan, the adversary of God and His people. The assurance that Satan cannot "touch" the believer suggests a limitation on his power over those who are in Christ. This is consistent with the promise inJames 4:7, which states that if believers resist the devil, he will flee from them. The term "touch" implies a harmful grasp or influence, indicating that while Satan may tempt or accuse, he cannot ultimately harm the believer's standing before God. This protection is a result of the believer's union with Christ, as seen inEphesians 6:10-18, where the armor of God is described as a means of standing firm against the devil's schemes.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
John the ApostleThe author of 1 John, one of Jesus' original twelve disciples, known for his close relationship with Christ and his emphasis on love and truth.
2.
Believers/Born of GodRefers to Christians who have been spiritually reborn through faith in Jesus Christ, indicating a transformation in their nature and behavior.
3.
The One who was born of GodThis phrase is understood to refer to Jesus Christ, emphasizing His divine nature and role as protector of believers.
4.
The Evil OneA reference to Satan, the adversary of God and His people, who seeks to lead believers into sin and away from God.
5.
SinThe act of disobedience against God's commands, which believers are called to resist through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Teaching Points
Transformation through New BirthBeing "born of God" signifies a fundamental change in identity and behavior. Believers are empowered to resist sin and live in righteousness.
Christ's Protective RoleJesus, as the One born of God, actively protects His followers. This assurance should encourage believers to trust in His power and presence in their lives.
Victory over the Evil OneThe promise that the evil one cannot touch those born of God highlights the victory believers have in Christ. This should inspire confidence and boldness in spiritual warfare.
Continuous Growth in HolinessWhile believers are not sinless, they are called to a life of ongoing repentance and growth in holiness, relying on the Holy Spirit's guidance.
Assurance of SalvationThe security provided by Christ's protection offers believers assurance of their salvation, encouraging them to live faithfully and fearlessly.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of 1 John 5:18?
2.How does 1 John 5:18 encourage us to avoid habitual sinning daily?
3.What does "born of God" mean in the context of 1 John 5:18?
4.How does 1 John 5:18 connect to Jesus' protection over believers?
5.How can we apply "the evil one cannot touch him" in our lives?
6.What practical steps help us live as those "born of God" today?
7.What does 1 John 5:18 mean by "everyone born of God does not keep on sinning"?
8.How does 1 John 5:18 relate to the concept of sinless perfection?
9.What is the significance of "the One who was born of God" in 1 John 5:18?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from 1 John 5?
11.Why did God create Satan knowing he would cause evil?
12.What does the Bible teach about hate?
13.What does it mean that God cannot be tempted?
14.If 1 John 4:18 states 'perfect love drives out fear,' why do many believers still struggle with fear despite their faith?What Does 1 John 5:18 Mean
We knowJohn 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 sinningA 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 himHere 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 himBecause 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.
summary1 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.
(3) SOME PRACTICAL POINTS RECAPITULATED (
1John 5:18-21).
(a)God's sons do not sin (1John 5:18).
St. John refers back to "that ye may know" in1John 5:13, and sums up three points from former portions of the Epistle, describing the true consciousness of the Christian. Each begins with "We know."
(18)Sinneth not.--There is no reason to supply "unto death." (Comp. the Note on1John 3:9.) St. John means strongly to insist, in this the solemn close of his Letter, that the true ideal Christian frame is the absence of wilful sin. Stumbles there may be, even such as need the prayers of friends, but intentional lawlessness there cannot be. . . .
Verses 18-21. - With three solemn asseverations and one equally solemn charge the Epistle is brought to a close. "Can we be certain of any principles in ethics? St. John declares that we can. He says that he has not been making probable guesses about the grounds of human actions, the relations of man to God, the nature of God himself. These are firings that he
knows. Nay, he is not content with claiming this knowledge himself. He uses the plural pronoun; he declares that his disciples, his little children,
know that which he knows" (Maurice).
Verse 18. -
We know;οἴδαμεν, as in
1 John 3:2, 14, and
John 21:24, which should be compared with this passage. These expressions of Christian certitude explain the undialectical character of St. John's Epistles as compared with those of St. Paul. What need to argue and prove when both he and his readers already knew and believed? We must have
"begotten" in both clauses, as in the Revised Version, not
"born" in one and
"begotten" in the other, as in the Authorized Version. In the Greek there is a change of tense
ὁ γεγεννημένος and
ὁ γεννηθείς, but no change of verb. The whole should run, "We know that whosoever is
begotten of God sinneth not, but
the Begotten of God keepeth
him." For the perfect participle, comp.
1 John 3:9;
1 John 5:1, 4;
1 John 3:6, 8: it expresses him who has come to be, and still continues to be, a son of God. The aorist participle occurs nowhere else in St. John: it expresses him who, without relation to time past or present, is the Son of God. The reading
αὐτόν is preferable to
ἑαυτόν. The Vulgate has
conservat eum, not
conserver seipsum, which Calvin adopts. The eternal Son of the Father preserves the frail children of the Father from the common foe, so that
the evil one toucheth them not. The verb for "touch
ἅπτεσθαι is the same as in "Touch me not" (
John 20:17). In both cases "touch" is somewhat too weak a rendering; the meaning is rather, "lay hold of," "hold fast." The Magdalene wished, not merely to touch, but to hold the Lord fast, so as to have his bodily presence continually. And here the meaning is that, though the evil one may attack the children of God, yet he cannot get them into his power.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
We knowΟἴδαμεν(Oidamen)Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1492:To know, remember, appreciate.thatὅτι(hoti)Conjunction
Strong's 3754:Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.anyoneπᾶς(pas)Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3956:All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.bornγεγεννημένος(gegennēmenos)Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1080:From a variation of genos; to procreate; figuratively, to regenerate.ofἐκ(ek)Preposition
Strong's 1537:From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.GodΘεοῦ(Theou)Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316:A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.does not keep on sinning;ἁμαρτάνει(hamartanei)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 264:Perhaps from a and the base of meros; properly, to miss the mark, i.e. to err, especially to sin.the [One who]ὁ(ho)Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.was bornγεννηθεὶς(gennētheis)Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1080:From a variation of genos; to procreate; figuratively, to regenerate.ofἐκ(ek)Preposition
Strong's 1537:From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.GodΘεοῦ(Theou)Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316:A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.protectsτηρεῖ(tērei)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5083:From teros; to guard, i.e. To note; by implication, to detain; by extension, to withhold; by extension, to withhold.him,αὐτόν(auton)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846:He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.andκαὶ(kai)Conjunction
Strong's 2532:And, even, also, namely.theὁ(ho)Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.evil [one]πονηρὸς(ponēros)Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4190:Evil, bad, wicked, malicious, slothful.cannot touchἅπτεται(haptetai)Verb - Present Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 680:Prop: I fasten to; I lay hold of, touch, know carnally. Reflexive of hapto; properly, to attach oneself to, i.e. To touch.him.αὐτοῦ(autou)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846:He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.
Links
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NT Letters: 1 John 5:18 We know that whoever is born (1J iJ 1Jn i jn 1 jo) 
