John’s first affirmation is that the one who is truly born of God does not sin. At first glance this statement seems to be contradictory to John’s repeated declaration in chapter one that anyone who says that he does not sin or has never sinned is either self-deceived or a liar, just as the section in chapter 3, verses 4-10, seemed to be contradictory to those same statements. But the contradiction is only an apparent one, and our discussion of the earlier passage indicates how we should deal with this. Here, as in 3:4-10, the verbs are in the present tense, indicating habitual or continuous action. So the statement is not that the Christian cannot fall into sin; indeed he can and does. Rather it is that while he may fall into sin, he cannot continue in it indefinitely. In other words, if the individual is truly born of God, the new birth will result in new behavior.
Earlier, when John had talked of the fact that the one who is born of God does not sin, he explained it by saying that such a one “abides” in God and that “God’s nature abides in him.”
Here he traces his assurance to the fact that Jesus keeps the Christian.
Problems with the Greek text underlying the sentence “He who was born of God keeps him” (RSV) make the words capable of two different meanings. On the one hand they may refer to the work of Jesus in keeping the Christian, as the RSV suggests by its translation (so also the NASB, NEB, NIV and Phillips). Or on the other hand they may refer to the responsibility of the Christian to keep himself, as the AV indicates. In spite of the fact that the idea of the Christian keeping himself occurs just three verses later as well as in other passages (1 Tim. 5:22; James 1:27; Jude 21) and is certainly valid, it would seem nevertheless that the first view is better. To begin with, this is probably the best manuscript reading, auton (“him”) rather than heauton (“himself”). The manuscript evidence for this is not overwhelming, but it is good and is that adopted by the American Bible Society’s Greek New Testament. Again the first view fits best in this passage, for while it is true that the Christian is to keep himself, it is nevertheless not true that his confidence should rest on that ability. Rather it is to rest on the efforts of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Christian’s behalf. No doubt John emphasized the birth of Jesus Christ for two reasons: first, to stress our kinship with Christ and, second, to remind us that the One who is to keep us from temptation was Himself also tempted.
But why should we need such a One to keep us? The answer is seen in John’s mention of that One who would do us harm. He is “the evil one,” the devil, who holds the entire world in his power (v. 19). Such a one could certainly destroy us were it not for God’s faithful defense of His people.
The story of Job is an illustration of this point. Satan wished to destroy Job but was unable to do so due to the fact that God had placed a hedge about Job and about all that he had. Satan admitted this indirectly by arguing, “Doth Job fear God for nothing? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face” (Job 1:9-11). In this latter statement Satan was proved wrong. For when God agreed to lower the hedge a bit so that Satan could afflict Job, Job did not retaliate by cursing God. In fact, he blessed God, saying, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (v. 21). The point is that God had been keeping Job from Satan’s clutches and continued to do so even though, in this case, He allowed Satan to attack His servant to a limited degree and for a limited time. God had a triumphal ending in view. So does Jesus keep us from the one who would do us injury.
