“We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.” (1 John 5:18 ESV)
The Christian life involves continual conflict. The world, the flesh, and the devil present constant trials and temptations, both internally and externally. These enemies may gain victories at times, but they will never enslave the Christian. While only a liar would ever profess to be sinless (1:8, 10), only a doubter would deny our righteous and pure standing before God in Christ (1:9). Christians will struggle against sin from the moment of regeneration to the moment of death, but we will never again be characterized by the sins that marked our lives before conversion.
As John writes, “everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning.” He is not affirming a doctrine of perfectionism but rather is acknowledging that the one who has been born again by the power of the Holy Spirit and indwelt by that same Spirit will no longer walk in the habitual and characteristic sins of his or her former life. This is one of the reasons why conduct is such an important witness to the work of Christ.
We cannot preach the gospel by our conduct, but we can display it—or profane it. If we proclaim the name of Christ yet walk in a manner contrary to his commands, what does that communicate to the world about our supposed love for him (John 14:15)? Jesus instructs believers to live so that others “may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). An obedient life not only provides evidence for our own assurance of salvation but displays the power of the gospel to others as they see us as a new creation in Christ.
“Conversion” refers to the repentance and faith that bring us from a position of judgment before God to one of justification. Along with the internal postures of conversion, our outward actions and words should also be converted from old to new. The faith that makes us right with God also makes us walk righteously before him. We who have been spiritually born of God keep ourselves in him, a state which is ultimately secured through God’s work of keeping his children. This means that those who are in Christ will be protected from the final apostasy separating them from God.
This truth also refutes the possibility of becoming a so-called “carnal Christian,” someone who has been regenerated yet whose life has not changed. John is saying that if there is no change of lifestyle, there has been no change of heart. He clearly teaches that our obedience is not what saves us—faith alone does that—but saving faith leads to a life characterized by obedience.
John goes on to say that “the evil one does not touch [those born of God].” This is a great comfort for every believer. We still face a perpetual battle, but knowing that our greatest enemy cannot cause us to fall away from Christ gives us abiding peace.
As the modern hymn affirms, “No power of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from his hand.”
We can see the interconnectedness of all that John is saying in chapter 5 of his epistle. We who have been made new by God will walk in obedience, and we can remain assured that we are kept by God. When we fall into sin, we should pray for one another, and the Lord is faithful to preserve us in Christ.
The gospel is about justification in Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone. But with that, we also proclaim life in Christ, obedience to Christ, preservation by Christ, and fellowship with the body of Christ.
Justification does not just affect one isolated part of our lives. Justification, which is at the center of the gospel, also grounds everything we are and do on the person and work of Christ, which then overflows into all the benefits and responsibilities that are ours in him.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
You have shown us immeasurable grace in Christ. You have given us new life and made us willing and able to come to you in faith. May that faith bear fruit in our lives as we walk in obedience to you, knowing that you keep and protect us every step of the way.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Prayer Requests:
- Tuesday: Pray for discipleship initiatives in South Asia that are training, equipping, and mobilizing local believers to reach the unreached.
- Wednesday: Pray for missionaries serving at Lima Seminary as they provide university-level theological education for ministry leaders in order to prepare the next generation of Peruvian believers for pastoral ministry, biblical counseling, missions, and Christian education.
- Thursday: Pray for all those participating in short-term medical missions trips as they partner with national churches to share the gospel with patients during medical clinics.
- Friday: Pray for missionaries training other believers to share the gospel with grace and truth with LGBTQ individuals.
- Saturday: Pray for more laborers to be sent into the harvest field to reach the lost and unreached and to make Christ known among all peoples.
- Sunday: Pray for missionaries serving in Romania as they share the gospel and build deep-rooted relationships with Romanians.
- Monday: Pray for missionaries serving in educational ministries as they integrate evangelism and discipleship into their classrooms.
Featured Opportunity to Serve:
Language Resource Supervisor
Location: The Gambia
Has the Lord gifted you with training or skills in education, language, or translation? Do you have a burden for people to hear and study the gospel in their heart language? Our Gambian field team would love to have you join their gospel-centered literacy ministry in local villages.
