18b But he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
It is the second time that the apostle John refers to a Christian as being “born of God” in 1 John 5:18. The Greek word for “begotten” was earlier translated in the verse as “born”. “He that is begotten of God” simply means that he is born of God.
John also categorically states that he who is born of God “keepeth himself”. The desire and effort of a person who is truly born of God will be to keep himself from sin. In this epistle, John repeatedly asserted the duty of God’s children to keep themselves from the defilement of sin. In 1 John 3:3, John said, “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” He also said in 1 John 5:4, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world”. At the end of this epistle, John commanded, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).
Every child of God will voluntarily and solemnly endeavour to avoid sin. He guards his mind and body through prayer and godly disciplines to overcome the lust of the flesh and the temptations of the world and Satan. Every child of God must emulate the apostle Paul, who said, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 Corinthians 9:27). God’s children must keep their affections and faculties pure, passionately and fervently pursuing an obedient life unto holiness. In Romans 6:18-19, Paul exhorts Christians, “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.”
As John mentioned earlier in 1 John 3:9, “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” Because of the gracious divine influence through the Word of God and the Holy Spirit in the hearts of believers, Christians are constantly urged to flee from every temptation of sin. They shall be so kept that the wicked one, Satan, shall not mortally “touch” them. God’s children will be faithful to keep themselves from Satan’s temptation by taking heed of divine counsels of God’s Word.