1 John 5:18

But the generation of God preserves him, etc. The grace of Christ, by which the faithful are reborn, preserves those who are called holy according to the purpose, so that they do not commit sin leading to death; and if they err in anything due …

We know that we are born of God, etc. We are of God, regenerated by His grace and baptism through faith, and saved so that we may endure in faith. However, the lovers of the world are subjected to the enemy, either never freed from …

Having taught us which sin is unto death and which is not unto death, he then indicates who can sin unto death, and says: one adopted by God can never be afflicted by sin, whether unto death or not unto death. For having once surrendered …

Yet this gives us no encouragement to sin: on the contrary, it is an indisputable truth, he that is born of God - That sees and loves God. Sinneth not - So long as that loving faith abides in him, he neither speaks nor does anything which God hath forbidden. He keepeth himself - Watching unto prayer.

We know that whosoever is born of God,....

IT is remarkable how throughout the whole of John's Epistle he continually uses the word, "know." It has quite refreshed me to carefully read through the Epistle and to observe how, as the clock strikes the same note again and again, John seems to have kept to this monotone—"We know, we know, we know."

This 1Jo 5:18 warns against abusing 1Jo 5:16, 17, as warranting carnal security. whosoever--Greek, "every one who." Not only advanced believers, but every one who is born again, "sinneth not." he that is begotten--Greek aorist, "has been (once for all in past time) begotten of God"; in the beginning of the verse it is perfect.

IT is remarkable how throughout the whole of John's Epistle he continually uses the word, "know." It has quite refreshed me to carefully read through the Epistle and to observe how, as the clock strikes the same note again and again, John seems to have kept to this monotone—"We know, we know, we know." In this age, when it is fashionable not to know anything, when the professedly learned would hold us in a state of perpetual doubt and our great poet tells us that there is more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds—and everybody seems to be bewitched with what is called "modern thought"—it is quite cheering to one's ears and delicious to one's heart to hear the bell strike out again and again, "We know, we know, we know"! After all, there is something certain somewhere, some grip for our anchor, some foundation to build our eternal hopes upon—something that can be trusted, something besides cloud and will-o'-the wisps! "We know, we know, we know." Take your pencils and read through this first Epistle of John and underline the word, "know," and you will feel the force of our remark. Look at the second Chapter—"Hereby we do know that we know Him." "He that says I know Him." "Hereby know we that we are in Him." In the 13th verse we read, "Because you have known Him." "I write unto you, little children, because you have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because you have known Him that is from the beginning." "We have an unction from the Holy One and you know all things." "I have not written unto you because you know not the Truth, but because you, knowi t, and that no lie is of the Truth." And so in the third Chapter, verse after verse.

We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not - Is not habitually and characteristically a sinner; does not ultimately and finally sin and perish; cannot, therefore, commit the unpardonable sin. Though he may fall into sin, and grieve his brethren, yet we are never to cease to pray for a true Christian: we are never to feel that he has committed the sin which has never forgiveness, and that he has thrown himself beyond the reach of our prayers. This passage, in its connection, is a full proof that a true Christian “will” never commit the unpardonable sin, and, therefore, is a proof that he will never fall from grace. Compare the notes at Heb 6:4-8; Heb 10:26. On the meaning of the assertion here made, that “whosoever is born of God sinneth not,” see the notes at 1Jn 3:6-9. Keepeth himself - It is not said that he does it by his own strength, but he will put forth his best efforts to keep himself from sin, and by divine assistance he will be able to accomplish it. Compare the 1Jn 3:3 note; Jud 1:21 note. And that wicked one toucheth him not - The great enemy of all good is repelled in his assaults, and he is kept from falling into his snares. The word “toucheth” (ἅπτεται haptetai) is used here in the sense of harm or injure.