Keep Yourself Safe, I John 5:18

March 22, 2016 on 03-25-16

I John 5:18... We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; The one who was born of God keeps himself safe, and the evil one cannot harm him...

Today versions changed the meaning of this verse. Years past the thought was that we have a responsibility to "keep" ourselves from wrongdoings. Today, the teaching is that Christ does all the work, and we have nor are we able to have an influence on our salvation. This is more of a Calvinist teaching that has infiltrated the evangelical churches. Certainly it is not a Armenian teaching.

Here is Adam Clarke's and Wesley's commentary on this verse respectively:

Clarke - Keepeth himself - That is, in the love of God, Jde 1:21, by building up himself on his most holy faith, and praying in the Holy Ghost; and that wicked one - the devil, toucheth him not - finds nothing of his own nature in him on which he can work, Christ dwelling in his heart by faith.

Wesley - 5:18 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. And, while he does this, the wicked one toucheth him not - So as to hurt him.

Basically, we have a responsibility to live in Christ and follow his commands. We are expected to stop sinning and live his way. When we do so, we keep Satan from convincing us to leave God and follow him, like he did to Eve. When we sin, we are weakened in our spirit and our flesh takes over and Satan can "get a foothold" and we eventually fall into temptation. We must stand, and when we are tired, stay true and stand on.

Daughters, committing sin, even a sin that does not lead to death, weakens you and you will fall when temptation comes. Keep yourselves safe from sin by following the way of Christ and by doing his will. Learn and meditate on his Word and the evil one will not be able to harm you. Keep yourself safe.

~Dad