WHAT CAN YOU KNOW? Devotion 23 of 32 The Spirit fortifies the statement with strong reasoning. The reason whoever is born of God "sins not" is traced to the nature of the new life: "he who has been born of God keeps himself." The new creation is intrinsically alert and sensitive. We should not be surprised at this, for it is written, "And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace" (John 1:18). In Christ Jesus, there is a very real participation in the Divine nature. THE WICKED ONE DOES NOT TOUCH HIM " . . . and the wicked one does not touch him." There is a part of you to which the devil has no access – a part he cannot take hold of. If this were not the case, it would not be possible to "not make room for the devil" (Eph 4:27, NRSV). You do not take room for the devil away by simple outward disciplines of life. Your own experience surely confirms that to you. You take away the advantages of the devil by occupying the domain from which he has been excluded. THE REASON FOR THE STATEMENT Our text brings great consolation to the believer. It confirms to the heart the superiority of Divine life, and the guarantee of its influence if we will walk in its power. You will never instill confidence in the people of God by telling them they will only sin occasionally, or that the "newness of life" they have received does not sin habitually. All of that nonsense may have a show of wisdom in the area of linguistics, but it is impotent in the matter of living unto God. The people of God do not need studies in language, but Divine affirmations that their faith can grasp. -- Tomorrow:
"He who has been born of God keeps himself." (1 John 5:18b)
Being born of God, and possessing the nature of God, the "new man" has no attraction to sin or the things of the world. It is suited for glory and not for this world. The one who "keeps himself," will NOT follow a stranger (John 10:5).
One might wonder why such a statement is made after we have been told to pray for a brother we see sinning. Are these not contradictory thoughts? i.e., a brother sinning, and whoever is born of God NOT sinning, but "keeping himself?" Not at all, for we have before seen that there is more to us than what is "born of God." The remnants of sin remain in us, and must be subdued in the power of the Spirit. If we choose to live in the Spirit, we will be successful in subduing the flesh, or mortifying our members upon the earth (Col 3:5). It is "through the Spirit" that this noble work is accomplished (Rom 8:13). That success, however, will be strictly determined by the degree to which we "walk in the Spirit."
For clarity, our text is NOT saying the Christian cannot sin because he keeps himself. It is NOT the believer who cannot sin, choosing rather to keep himself. If that is what the Spirit meant, that is what He would have said: i.e., "the one who believes on the Son cannot sin." But that is not what He says, and we do well not to make say such things. Carefully the Spirit declares it is "whoever is born of God" that does not sin BECAUSE he keeps himself. That is the "newness of life" in which you have been raised to walk (Rom 6:4). It is what is transferable to glory. Mark it well, whatever cannot enter into glory has not been born of God. We are, then, speaking of the "new creation," which is presently only a part of our persons. If that is difficult to receive, consider your body. It has not been born of God, and it cannot inherit the kingdom of God.
This text does not mean Satan does not stir up trouble for the saints, or that he cannot affect our earthly nature. Paul spoke of firm resolves he had made that were aborted because "Satan hindered" him (1 Thess 2:18). He testified of a grievous thorn he bore that was a "messenger of Satan" (1 Cor 12:7). But these do not violate our text, for they were all experiences in the body, not in the spirit.
The word "touch" does not mean a mere superficial or outward touch, although our text is true even in that sense. It means to take hold of or harm. In other words, Satan cannot have his way with "whoever is born" of God, because he has no access to him. There is nothing in the new creation that Satan can take hold of, or to which he can make an appeal. That new nature is suited for heaven, and has no affinity whatsoever with "this present evil world." Thus the devil cannot bring the new creation – "whoever is born of God" – into his power.
Jesus also referred to this glorious condition. "If anyone walks in the day, he DOES NOT stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him" (John 11:9-10). Our Lord does not mean that such a person only stumbles occasionally, or that stumbling is not habitual. He means precisely what He says. There is nothing about the light that is conducive to stumbling – NOTHING! A person has to be in the dark to stumble. In our text, the point is that there is nothing about "whoever is born of God" that is inclined to, or can, sin. Nor, indeed, is there anything about the "new man" that is vulnerable to the enemy of our souls.
You have been given a new nature that is thoroughly acceptable to God. It is a nature within which the Holy Spirit Himself can dwell, and to which He can witness. It is a nature that is not prone to sin, and to which Satan has no access. That is something you can believe! Launch out upon the truth of this and see if it is not true. We all know very well what the flesh, or "old man," is capable of doing. It is time for us to learn more of the marvelous nature and capacity of the "new man." There is an area to be explored with expectation.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in Jesus' name I thank You for the "new creation." Grant me grace to walk in its marvelous power and benefits.