In 1John 5:18 John sums up his final remarks by saying, “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not continue to sin, but the one born of God guards himself, and the evil one does not touch him” (1John 5:18). I have access to about forty translations of the Bible in my Bible suite, and nearly every one of them translate 1John 5:18 similar to what I’ve quoted above. Nevertheless, I found two that were faithful enough to God’s word that they didn’t add the word “one” after the word evil in this verse. By adding to the word of God, one often gets a completely different picture than what one was intended to receive. To many in the Church of God, the “devil” is an ominous figure. Some have built their entire ministry around “casting him out” of everyone and everything. I think sometimes unbelievers get the idea we are more afraid of this imaginary figure than we love Jesus.
John never said the “evil one” never touches the believer. He said “evil” or wickedness (G4190) never touches the believer. If a person is born of God, i.e. is abiding in Christ. He keeps himself (1John 5:18) or one might say, he purifies himself even as Christ is pure (1John 3:3), because obeying him leads to our being like him (1John 3:2) and we are changed little by little into the image of God (2Corinthians 3:18) by fixing our eyes upon Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2). If the believer is seeking to be like Jesus, how could wickedness or working evil take hold of him? That would be impossible, like continuing to travel east would never allow one to travel west.[1] One cannot work wickedness, if one is abiding in Christ, doing the things he commanded us to do (John 14:15, 21).
John reminds believers that we are of God. That is, we, who believe in the Son of God, have the witness of his Spirit within us (1John 5:10). We participate in divine nature and have eternal life (1Timothy 6:16; 1John 2:25; 5:11; cp. 2Peter 1:3-4). Nevertheless, the whole world, those who don’t believe in the Son of God, lies in wickedness (G4190). This is the same word John mentioned in the previous verse, which most translations render evil one, but attaching the word “one” to the word “evil” is an interpretation, not a translation. The idea is man is culpable. He is responsible for his own wickedness. By implying that some spirit being we refer to as a Devil touches us, to the end that we are like him and do the things he does, one gets the idea that mankind has been seduced rather than being in the state of rebellion. We are responsible for being rebels against God and righteousness. We cannot and must not try to blame an imaginary spirit being for our own wickedness.[2] John tells us that believers participate in divine nature, but the rest of the world (the unbelievers) are in the state of rebellion (1John 5:19).
Finally, John tells us in 1John 5:20 that we know that the Son of God has come (1John 4:14), and he has given us an understanding (Matthew 13:11; Luke 21:15; 1Corinthians 2:9-11, 16) that we might know him who is true (Matthew 11:27; John 14:6; 17:3). Nevertheless, if the whole unbelieving world lies in wickedness / rebellion (1John 5:19), how could they know the truth about God (John 17:25)? It is only in knowing Jesus (1John 3:24; 4:13; Colossians 1:27) that it is possible for anyone to know the true God (John 8:19). Therefore, if we know the Son of God has come, then it is possible only for those who actually consider Jesus and seek to understand him that knowing God is possible at all (1John 5:20). We abide in him that is true (John 15:4-14; cp. Colossians 1:27), even in Jesus the Son of God. This is the true God and eternal life (1Timothy 6:16; 2Peter 1:4; John 17:3).
Anything other than this is an idol (1John 5:21). The antichrists were preaching a doctrine of salvation without Christ, or something else added to Christ that must be possessed in order to have eternal life (so, Christ isn’t enough). To abide in their doctrine is to abide in them (cp. John 15:4), to abide in them is to abide in an idol. We need to have our eyes fixed upon Jesus (Hebrews 12:2), and in doing so we shall see the true God (1John 5:20).
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[1] There are highway routs in America that go east (and west or north and south), yet at times, due to curves in the road or getting around a mountain or another obstacle, one may find himself traveling north, south and even 180 degrees (west) of east. Nevertheless, if one continues on that highway he will always find himself travelling east.
[2] “The Devil Made Me Do It!” was a comedy skit used by comedian, Flip Wilson, who appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show on January 11, 1970.
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