We know that whosoever is begotten of God sinneth not; but he that was begotten of God keepeth himself, and the evil one toucheth him not.
Verse 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...
That is, we are all well assured that sincere Christians, who are begotten and born of God, do not commit this sin unto death, namely, apostacy from Christianity to the Heathen idolatry: But he keepeth himself, and the wicked one toucheth him not: that is, he preserveth himself from the contagion of idolatry, into which the devil was so busy to seduce a great part of mankind.
(Jo1 3:9.) We know--Thrice repeated emphatically, to enforce the three truths which the words preface, as matters of the brethren's joint experimental knowledge. This Jo1 5:18 warns against abusing Jo1 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)...