18 We have Aknown3 that every(the)one, having been MorPborn out of (the) God, Asins not but the one Pbeing born-a out of (the) God Akeeps himself and the evil one Mtouches him not.
- As previously, how do we reconcile having been born out of God and sins not?
- Being born out of God is a repeated, ongoing process it often appears in the aorist tense – here and in John Ch3;
- The aim for us is to keep ourselves from sinning and not letting the Devil touch us.
19 We have Aknown3 that we are out of (the) God and the whole world MDorPDlies in the evil one.
- Again, John is repeating here at the end of the letter what he said about the world in Ch2 – the Devil is the god of this age and he currently rules over the kingdoms of the world;
- We are to be in the world but not of the world.
20 Moreover, we have Aknown3 that the son of (the) God Acomes and has Agiven us understanding that we might Aknow1 the true one and we are in the true one, in the son of him, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and the life age-lasting.
- Through the coming of Jesus we can know Him, the true one;
- By extension, we can know the Father as well;
- Jesus is not only the true one but also the true God;
- Jesus is also the life age-lasting;
- This is the only place in the NT where this phrase appears;
- Jesus is ‘the life’ in any age;
- ‘the’ is a variant reading but it would seem reasonable that it should be here;
- For more information on age-lasting life, see previous studies on 1 John 2v25.
- Little children, Aguard-a yourselves from the idols. Amen.
- Idolatry was a massive issue in John’s day with all the pagan temples;
- We may not have that here today but anything can be an idol – it doesn’t have to be made out of wood or precious metal;
- We are susceptible to idolatry and hence the command to guard ourselves;
- Idolatry is one of the sins listed in the passages regarding being excluded from the kingdom of God.
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