1 John 5:18-21·~1 min

The True God

John ends by stacking up settled affirmations. Those born of God do not continue under sin's mastery, and the Son's protection keeps the evil one from laying hold of them. Believers know that they belong to God, while the world lies in the power of the evil one. They also know that the Son of God has come and given understanding so they may know the One who is true, and that in His Son Jesus Christ they possess the true God and eternal life. On that basis John gives his final command: keep yourselves from idols. The paragraph closes the letter by contrasting the true God revealed in the Son with every rival claim on the believer's heart.

W¹⁸e know that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning; the One who was born of God protects him, and the evil one cannot touch him. ¹⁹We know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one. ²⁰And we know 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 — in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. ²¹Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Section summaryJohn closes his letter with a series of certainties. Those born of God do not remain under sin's dominion, and the Son protects them so that the evil one cannot seize them. Believers know that they are from God even while the whole world lies under the evil one. They also know that the Son of God has come and given understanding so that they may know Him who is true. In His Son Jesus Christ they know the true God and eternal life. The closing exhortation is short but weighty: little children must keep themselves from idols.

Role in the chapterThis section closes the letter by summarizing Christian certainty in contrast to the world and by warning against idolatry.