We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
What does 1 John 5:18 mean?
All mankind are divided into two parties or dominions; that which belongs to God, and that which belongs to the wicked one.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside 1 John 5:18-21 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on 1 John 5:18
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.
Key words
- whosoever
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We know that whosoever is born of God,.
Context in 1 John 5
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1 John 5 belongs to the closing movement of the book, especially the section often described as assurance and final warning. First John is a profound epistle of light, truth, love, assurance, obedience, and confession of the incarnate Son. Read this chapter with the wider themes of love, truth, and assurance in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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A guided collection of passages on God’s love, neighbor-love, steadfast covenant love, and the shape of love in Christian life.
Passages on peace with God, peace in the heart, peace in community, and the biblical difference between true peace and false reassurance.
Passages on the nature of truth, honesty, deception, the word of God as truth, and Jesus' claim to be the truth.