The Evil One Doesn’t Touch Him

The following excerpt is taken from What Every Christian Should Know About Satan. Order your copy in print, Kindle, or Audible versions here.

John writes in 1 John 5:18-19: “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not sin, but the one who is born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one.”

John notes the evil one twice in these verses, once to illustrate believers’ insulation from Satan, and once to explain the unbelieving world’s enslavement to his powers. The apostle also begins each of these verses with the words “we know,” bringing his epistle to a close with summarizing statements. Finally, John uses the descriptor “born of God” twice in verse 18, signifying different persons in each reference.

Verse 18 begins with a curious statement: “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not sin.” This is almost identical to John’s earlier statement in 1 John 3:9: “Everyone who has been born of God does not sin.” The Greek literally reads “does not sin,” but the tense often carries with it a progressive meaning. That’s why some English translations render the phrase “cannot keep on sinning” (ESV) or “cannot go on sinning” (NIV). 

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Scriptural Warnings of Christ’s Return

This is the 19th in a series of excerpts from What Every Christian Should Know About the Return of Jesus, released by High Street Press and available at Amazon.com. 

Paul, James, and Peter all record warnings about the suddenness of Christ’s return. In each case, the authors stress the need for followers of Jesus to live ethically and expectantly. Consider a few examples:

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Paul borrows from the language of Jesus in warning that the Lord is returning “just like a thief in the night.” And he echoes Christ’s exhortation to be ready at all times. Believers are to “stay awake and be self-controlled.” 

While unbelievers ignore the clear signs of impending judgment – “like labor pains on a pregnant woman” – they cannot escape the wrath of God. But believers should take heart. Thanks to Christ’s finished work of redemption, we may eagerly anticipate a different outcome in which we “live together with him.” 

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Of the Evil One

The following excerpt is taken from What Every Christian Should Know About Satan. Order your copy in print, Kindle, or Audible versions here.

John writes in his first letter: “For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: “We should love one another, unlike Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous” (1 John 3:11-12).

John repeatedly states that true followers of Jesus love one another – so much so that this differentiates us from unbelievers (cf. 1 John 2:7-11; 3:11-18; 4:7-21; 5:1-4). This message does not originate with John, for Jesus taught the same truth: “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35). 

Now, John sets this command against the backdrop of a dark event in human history: the story of Cain. John has in mind Genesis 4, where we read the account of Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam and Eve. Both sons offer sacrifices to God. Abel, a shepherd, brings the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions to the Lord. Cain, a farmer, presents some of the land’s produce. 

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You Don’t Know the Day or the Hour

This is the 19th in a series of excerpts from What Every Christian Should Know About the Return of Jesus, released by High Street Press and available at Amazon.com. 

In the previous column, we looked at a first-century Galilean wedding as the context for Jesus’ parable of the 10 virgins. Jesus tells the parable to prepare his followers for what’s ahead. After his imminent suffering, death, and resurrection, Jesus returns to his Father, prepares a place in heaven for believers, and then calls his bride to meet him at his return.

Many who hold a dispensational premillennial view of the end times point to this event as the rapture, inwhich followers of Jesus are “caught up” to meet him in the air (1 Cor. 15:50-57; 1 Thess. 4:13-18). 

According to this view, the seven-day honeymoon depicts seven years the church is in heaven while tribulation takes place on earth. And the departure from the father’s house after the honeymoon pictures the glorious appearing of Christ when he returns to earth with the saints, sits on the throne of David, and rules the earth with his queen.

For historical premillennialists and amillennialists, this parable foretells a general resurrection of all people at Christ’s second coming. Glorified believers go up to meet Jesus in the air – like ancient citizens going out from their city to welcome a visiting king – and accompany him in his victorious return to earth. Meanwhile, unbelievers – the foolish virgins – are denied entrance into the kingdom.

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You Have Conquered the Evil One

The following excerpt is taken from What Every Christian Should Know About Satan. Order your copy in print, Kindle, or Audible versions here.

John writes in his first letter: “I am writing to you, little children, since your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have conquered the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you have come to know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, God’s word remains in you, and you have conquered the evil one” (1 John 2:12-14).

John addresses three groups of people in these verses: children, fathers, and young men. Augustine believed, as do other commentators, that the three groups represent three stages of spiritual pilgrimage. The children are newborn babes in Christ. The young men are more developed Christians engaging successfully in spiritual warfare. And the fathers are the most mature believers, deep in spiritual knowledge and experience. 

While this is a possible reading, it seems better to view “children” as all of John’s readers, and “young men” and “fathers” as those who may be distinguished by age within the church.

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