Tonight, for our text, we consider 1 John 5, verses 18-20. 1 John 5, verses 18-20. And in connection with that, we want to turn to 1 Peter 1, beginning at verse 3, reading through chapter 2, verse 3. 1 Peter 1, beginning at verse 3 as we give our attention to the Word of God. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade, kept in heaven for you who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire, may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. And even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Concerning this salvation, the prophets who spoke of the grace that was to come to you searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the Gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. Therefore, prepare your minds for action. Be self-controlled. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do. For it is written, Be holy, because I am holy. Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers but with the precious blood of Christ a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through Him you believe in God who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers love one another deeply from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God. For all men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers, and the flowers fall, but the Word of the Lord stands forever. And this is the Word that was preached to you. Therefore rid yourselves of all malice, and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk so that by you may grow up in your salvation now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. Turning over to our text, 1 John 5, verses 18-20. Let's begin at verse 16 and recall our text from last Sunday evening. If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray that God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I'm not saying he should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin. The one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. We know that we are children of God and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true. And we are in Him who is true even in His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ, as we know, John has taught us many things in this letter about the Christian and the Christian life. And as any good teacher, in his conclusion, he wraps up his purpose in one main theme that we have in verse 13, which we have considered on a number of different occasions. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. Again, he says, you believe in the name of the Son of God. You have eternal life. And I write these things that you may know it. That's the crowning point of all that he has said so far. And then, like a preacher who hopes that his congregation will remember the content of the sermon by remembering the three points that summarize the sermon, John gives three points for his readers that summarize what is included in knowing that they have eternal life. Now remember, John, as we said a year ago already, was combating Gnosticism, which taught that one gained his salvation by some sort of higher knowledge. You've just got to have this higher knowledge. We don't even know what was included in that knowledge. Now John, in a sense here, is saying, yes, knowledge is included in the Christian life. Look here. We know, we know, we know. Three times, verses 18, 19, and 20. Indeed, knowledge is included in the Christian life. but not an empty and not a vain knowledge, but a knowledge filled with content. A knowledge packed full of meaning. Not a knowledge that itself saves, but a knowledge that includes the truth of salvation. And therefore, in this summary knowledge of the Christian life, John gives three basic truths of the Christian faith which those who know that they have eternal life are to know without a doubt. Again, John is really no nonsense here. He's not saying that these things can be true or may be true or that these things are optional. Those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and know that they have eternal life in Him will know these things which summarize the Christian life. And they will be confident that these truths are true for them. Very simply, to not know these things is to not be a Christian. The Christian life possesses a new condition. That's the first thing John mentions in this summary knowledge. Notice verse 18 again. We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin. The one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. John said in chapter 5, verse 1, That those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, they are born of God. Believers have new life given to them. We read about that in 1 Peter chapter 1 as well. And that new life in Christ means that they are no longer dead in sin and slaves to unrighteousness, but they desire to walk as Jesus walked. They strive to keep the commandments of God. This text, as we read it, you may have noticed, is filled with contrasts. And here's the first one. Anyone born of God does not continue to sin. And the opposite truth is that those who are not born again of God do continue to sin. And we're not talking about the fact that every action is sin. We know that even those in the world do what are considered to be good things and nice things and helpful things. But their only nature, apart from Jesus Christ, apart from new birth, their only nature, their only desire, and their only inclination is to sin. Paul describes the natural man as dead in transgressions and sins. The totally depraved man cannot do any spiritual good. He cannot perform any good in relation to God. But the one who is born again by God's grace is given a new condition. Instead of having a heart that is at enmity with God and hates God, he has a new heart that loves God. A heart that desires to be obedient to God and to please God. He does not continue to sin. Now, it sounds familiar, I trust. It sounds like what we read in chapter 3, verse 6, where John says, No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. Now, we need to understand that this is not teaching perfectionism. That we are perfect, that believers are perfect. It's not teaching that believers are incapable any longer of sinning. And John isn't even teaching that believers are able to sin, but that they don't sin. If John was saying that believers never sin, he would be contradicting what he said already in chapter 1, verses 8 and 10. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His Word has no place in our lives. As well, he would contradict what he said in our text from last week. Chapter 5, verse 16, If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death. John has taught in those earlier passages the reality of sin in the believer's life. It's real. But then here he teaches that sin is alien to the life of God's children. Sin is an intruder. It does not belong in the believer's life. Again, there's no contradiction here between the truth of the reality of sin in the believer's life and the truth that sin is alien in the believer's life. Both are true. Indeed, new birth has lasting results. The results of new behavior. No longer continuing to sin. And to be sure, sin and the child of God, even though these two things are true, sin and the child of God are incompatible. They do meet occasionally, daily, sometimes many times in a day. But they cannot live together in harmony. And that's why we pray, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Now a number of sermons ago, in connection with chapter 3, verse 6, we said that believers cannot help but to practice holy living because they are no longer spiritually dead, but spiritually alive. because their lives are now bent away from sin and bent toward obedience to God. Toward God's law. Sin is now abnormal and unnatural for the believer. Again, we sin. But when believers sin, we are sorry for our sins. Repent of and confess our sins and seek and desire forgiveness. Believers sincerely try not to sin but instead to live holy. Again, Peter says in verses 14-16, as obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance, but just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do. For it is written, be holy because I am holy. But then there is another angle to this truth of not continuing to sin. Not only does the believer not continue in sin because the old man dies away and the new man comes to life through new birth. But the believer does not fall back into what he was before new birth because as the text says, the one who was born of God keeps him safe and the evil one cannot harm him. Now there is no agreement with regard to whom this is speaking about. The one who is born of God keeps him safe. Some translations say the one who is born of God keeps himself safe. And therefore, there are some who say that this is talking about the believer himself. The believer keeps himself safe. And this may be true. Because we know that God's people are called to resist the devil, to actively fight and resist the devil as well. Paul says, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. But one can only keep himself insofar as he is kept by Christ. It is God who works in you to will and to perform. And I agree with those who believe that this is referring to Christ who keeps His sheep safe. Keep has the idea of guarding one to keep them safe from danger. Another idea would be to guard a prisoner, for example, to keep the prisoner from escaping. But here it has the idea, I believe, of guarding one to keep them safe from danger. And the danger here is none other than Satan, the evil one. Our Lord Jesus Christ protects His people so that Satan cannot harm them or touch them, again, as other translations say. And we are to understand by touch, not simply reaching out and touching lightly with a finger, but by touch here, it's talking about holding, embracing, clinging, grasping, clutching onto something with the intention of injuring or inflicting a deadly wound. Satan does tempt and torment the church as we consider this morning. He works very hard to make believers miserable and to depress us and to make us unhappy. He tries hard to harass us with all kinds of troubles. Yet our great shepherd, the watchman of Israel who never slumbers nor sleeps, who breaks the power of canceled sin and sets the prisoner free, he also watches over and protects those who believe that Jesus is the Christ so that Satan will never again get us in his grasp, in his clutches. Satan can no longer deceive God's people nor eternally harm us because God is our refuge and our strength and ever-present help in trouble. Beloved, this is our comfort from the very Word of God. Jesus says of His sheep in John 10, verse 28, I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. Why? No one can snatch them out of my hand. As well, this was our Lord's prayer Himself to His Heavenly Father in John 17, verse 15. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world, but that you protect them from the evil one. And Peter says that along with the believer's inheritance being kept in heaven, the believer himself through faith is shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. As well, Jude speaks of Him who is able to keep you from falling. The testimony of Scripture. Not just one New Testament writer, but here already we have three. We also sing of this comfort with the words, Guide me, O thou great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land. I am weak, but thou art mighty. Hold me with the idea of keep me. with Thy powerful hand. And we sing, I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby. Why? Temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh. Beloved, our comfort as believers is that if Jesus Christ died to save us, which He did, then He will also keep us safe in that salvation which He earned for us. In Him we have been made new creatures, those born again of imperishable seed who no longer desire to sin by His gracious power, but to live in righteous obedience to God. And that new condition of no longer continuing to sin then is indispensable to the new state, or we might say new relationship the Christian life enjoys. Notice verse 19. We know that we are children of God and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. You see, those who are born of God are children of God. And what we find here then is another contrast between the Christian's view of the world and the Christian's view of the Christian. Again, it's the Christian's view but the Christian's view of the world versus the Christian's view of the Christian. That's what we find in this verse. And this is also another reminder that there are only two kinds of people in the world. Not many. Only two. Those who belong to God and those who don't. And notice, first of all, those who don't. The whole world is under the control of the evil one. Now, as usual, by world here, John is not talking about the created world of which we sing, This is my Father's world. He's talking about that world that is against God. He's talking about the world of sin. This is life as it is organized and lived without God, with every motive and desire and idea, absent of any thought of God. The thought of God is not in anything. This world is life that excludes God and tries to make man feel satisfied without fellowship and communion with God. Now it's interesting that I don't think you could find anyone who would say that this life, life in this world, is perfect. I don't think anyone would say that. I think there would be agreement with that concept or idea. But there is no agreement as to why this world is not perfect. Some might say that we haven't evolved enough yet. We're still suffering from growing pains. All the bugs aren't worked out yet. Others might blame the problem of life on economics. We don't yet have that perfect system of supply and demand in place. Or the trouble, some say, might be politics. And that's an easy one to blame, isn't it? Especially with all the partisan thinking out there. And every day, every day we read in the newspapers and hear it on the news about the hatred between the political parties. Then there might be the problem of intelligence. We're not smart enough yet. We've made great advancements. But there are too many people out in the world yet who are not using their brains. Once we all get on the same page, we'll be fine. Some might even blame the problem on morality. If we could only just get along and be nice to each other, if we could just tolerate each other and accept each other for all of our differences, then everything would be well. But Christians see and understand by the illumination of the Holy Spirit the true problem as being a spiritual problem. Again, John is outlining in this verse 19 the Christian's view of the world and the Christian's view of the Christian. And the Christian's view of the world is the truth that it is under the control of the evil one. Other Bible versions translate this that the world lies under the sway or the power or in the bosom of the evil one. In other words, Satan binds or restrains the wicked. He influences their whole outlook and all of their activities and all of their decisions. And the sadness and the shame of it all is that as the understanding of the original Greek teaches us according to one commentator, it, that is the world, is not struggling against, but is quietly lying or even unconsciously sleeping in the devil's deceptive embrace. The world isn't even fighting against the devil. You see, Jesus calls Satan the prince of this world in John 12, verse 31, and again in John 14, verse 30, and again in John 16, verse 11. And Jesus calls Satan the father of lies in John chapter 8. Paul clearly explains the evil control of this world in Ephesians 6, verse 12, when he says, For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Now, of course, there are many who would say that, well, you know, this world is better than ever. It's never been so good. So how can you say that this world is under the control of the evil one? After all, look at our technology. Look at our space exploration. Cloning. Other medical advancements. Look at the world peace. Maybe not today, but look at the world peace we have enjoyed for so many years. Yet look around, beloved. We know that ungodliness has prevailed throughout the different ages of history. The Bible tells us about the world just before the great flood, that only Noah was considered to be righteous. We read of Sodom and Gomorrah. We think of Nero, Hitler, Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, as well as others. And even today, our medical advancements make it possible for expecting parents to end the pregnancy if they think the child will not be normal, or even if it's not the sex they want. And if abortion wasn't bad enough 30 years ago, now partial birth abortion is at the door with so many people fighting for that right. Euthanasia. Putting to death those who no longer contribute to society, at least according to someone's standard. Euthanasia is gaining ground. Terrorists are killing thousands of people, of innocent people, in the name of a false god. Not to mention gay rights in a society that is becoming increasingly more ungodly. Even in daily life, every single day. Our money should no longer say, In God we trust, but maybe something like for power and for rights we lust. And all of this because of self-centeredness and self-seeking and greed and pride. You see, under the control of the evil one, the attitude of the world toward God and especially toward the only Savior, Jesus Christ, is only hate. That's the Christian's view of the world as John explains it in one simple phrase. And then notice the contrast and antithesis to this as John also simply states, the Christian's view of the Christian. We know that we are children of God. A simple sentence. But do you notice the comfort there, which is really the great New Testament definition of the Christian? The Christian is not simply a good person or a moral person or a religious person. Hopefully, all of this is true. But we know that it's possible, it is possible to be all of those things yet not be a Christian. But the Christian is of God. The Christian must be of God. All people are born in sin and are children of wrath, but the child of God has been taken out of Satan's grasp. That, again, is the beautiful teaching of Scripture. In Galatians 1, verse 4, Paul says Christ gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age. And of God the Father, Paul says in Colossians 1, verse 13, that He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves. And Peter says of God's chosen people that they have been called out of darkness in His wonderful light. We could go on and on, but what a wonderful truth. God's people are His children who enjoy that intimate relationship of fellowship with their Heavenly Father who loves them and cares for them perfectly as only He can. We belong to Him. We belong to Him. In Isaiah 43, He says, I have redeemed you. You are Mine. Are there any greater words of comfort than to hear those words from our God? You are Mine. You belong to Me. We are a part of His kingdom. And therefore, we serve a different King. We follow different directions. We obey a different law. We walk according to a different standard of living. All of this different from those who are under the control of the evil one. God has reconciled His children to Himself and they live and they breathe and they have their being only in Him. They exist and they live. We exist and live only by the grace and power of God. God's people desire to live for Him and to please Him. And the signs of life that characterize the Christian, as John has drilled home in this letter over and over again, are that Christians keep God's commands. They love their brothers and sisters in Christ. And they believe the truth of Jesus Christ. Now we could say so much more about what it means to be a child of God, but one last thing which must give us that peace that passes understanding is that we are destined for God. That's our sure destiny. In contrast to those who belong to the evil one and destined for eternal health, children of God are headed for eternal glory. We are pilgrims, travelers through this life, headed for our eternal home. That's the last stop, beloved, on our itinerary of life. Believers know in their head and in their heart that they enjoy a new state, a new relationship as children of God who possess a new condition of not continuing in sin. And all of this is true because the Christian life experiences a new understanding. Notice verse 20. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true and we are in Him who is true even in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Again, beloved, we know that as John was doing battle against Gnosticism, that Gnosticism denied that the man Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God. But throughout this letter, John has been weaving a tapestry of truth about the divinity and the sonship of Jesus Christ. And therefore, it should be no surprise to us that this truth is a part of this summary knowledge that John speaks of in these closing sentences. In fact, this truth ties it all together. It's because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came into this world that we are rescued from the evil one and no longer continue to sin. It's because He came that we are delivered from the world. It's because He came and because of what He has done as the atoning sacrifice for our sins that we are children of God and are called Christians. It's because He came that we understand and believe all of this. Again, Peter says in verse 21, Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Not in your knowledge, but in God. In contrast to the world that is blinded by the devil, but the wicked don't even know that they are blinded. Again, they are ignorant. They are unconsciously lying in the devil's grasp. In contrast to that, our Lord Jesus Christ, through His Holy Spirit, has given His own understanding of the truth. And that means that Christians have been given a right and a proper view of things. Our Lord Jesus Christ didn't simply reveal the Father and simply tell about God, but he fills the believer's heart and mind and thoughts with the proper understanding to grasp and cling to that truth. And that truth includes the truth of God, the truth of man, the truth of Jesus Christ, and the truth of all that he teaches in his Word. And beloved, it is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that our hearts and minds are open to the truth. That's the great teaching of Pentecost, isn't it? The illuminating power of the Holy Spirit. In fact, in Acts 16 we read that the Lord opened Lydia's heart to respond to Paul's preaching. It is the Holy Spirit of God who makes us able to understand that God alone is the true God. That He Himself is true. That there is no other. That He is the Creator and the Sustainer of all things. That He is holy and pure and sovereign over all. but also that He has designed and accomplished salvation through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. It is only the Holy Spirit of God who removes the blinding influence of Satan from our eyes to understand the truth of our sin and misery and our need for a Savior. And therefore, He has given to us the eyes and the vision of faith to see the truth of Jesus Christ. That He is God come in the flesh. That He is the only Savior. And that in Him alone is forgiveness of sins and righteousness before God. You see, the idea of knowing here. We know, we know, we know. The idea of knowing here is that we know because of knowledge gained by a close association with another. Again, completely opposed to Gnostic knowledge which is supposedly gained by oneself. the believer enjoys that close, intimate association with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. And it's only by belonging to God through our faithful Savior Jesus Christ that we learn to know what belongs to God and what comes from Satan. It's only by belonging to God through Christ that we learn to discern the truth. And it's only by belonging to God that we learn to know that we belong to Him. That we are in Him, that we are in His love, in His care, in His family and this for all eternity. And the truth of Jesus Christ is that He is the true God and eternal life. Therefore, to have Jesus Christ, to know His salvation, is to have eternal life. Beloved, the Christian life is full and rich in meaning and the one who has this life cannot be unaware of having it. There's absolutely no joy in that. Those who reject Jesus Christ and His salvation are blind and ignorant and are completely without hope and comfort. But those who turn to Him alone in repentance and faith and joy, that true faith, which not only knows the truth, but believes the truth, that that truth is for them. that it's for me too, all that Christ has done. Is that your comfort? You see, that's the blessing of having this God-given understanding that as children of God we can confidently confess our only comfort, which is nowhere more beautifully expressed than in that beautiful answer one of the Heidelberg Catechism. What is your only comfort in life and in death? That I am not my own, but belong. body and soul, in life and in death, to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven. In fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to Him, Christ, by His Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for Him. The Christian life, packed with rich and meaningful knowledge and truth. Amen. Shall we pray? Father, we thank You and praise You for Your gift of understanding that we might know the truth, even the truth that sets your people free. And Father, may we cherish that truth in our hearts always. May we desire to share that truth and teach that truth with others. May we desire that others may come to know that truth and enjoy the saving grace of our God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father, may that truly be the joy of the Lord, which is our strength, day by day, moment by moment. We thank you, Heavenly Father, for your word, which is a lamp unto our feet and a light upon our path. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray these things. Amen.