1 John 5:18 - 21

18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Those who believe in God and have accepted His Son as their Savior are born of God. One born of God does not sin, not because it is impossible for him to sin but because as long as he is faithful and striving to win the crown of salvation earthly things are not on his mind, but he has things on his mind which are from above. (Colossians 3:1 – 2) Paul tells us when we accept Jesus we crucify the earthly person we were and become one which is obsessed with the things above and not the things of the world. (Colossians 3) While we are obsessed with the things from above, Satan cannot touch us.

We know and understand what it is to be like as a follower of Christ and we understand those who are of the world are controlled by Satan, He is called the Prince of this world or prince of the air. (Ephesians 2:1 – 3). Paul tells us we once were controlled by Satan, but now we are not. John tells us we know we are not but we are controlled by God.

As believers in the Son of God we know that He came to this earth and gave us the knowledge and example to understand what is true, and it is Him, Jesus the Son of God, which is true and as we are striving to follow Christ we are following the truth, we are abiding in Christ. (John 15:1 – 16) We are abiding in Him as long as we obey His word. Obeying His word includes loving each other. When we abide in Christ we also are taken in by the Father and abide with Him as well. John 12:44 – 47) Christ tells us if we see Christ we see the Father, and if we hear and obey His words we are following the words of God. The true God is the source of eternal life.

John of course warns us to place God first in our lives, if we place other things higher in our lives than God then we are making them gods or idols in our lives.