"We Know."

​"​We know that the true child of God does not sin, he is in the charge of God’s own Son and the evil one must keep his distance. We know that we ourselves are children of God, and we also know that the world around us is under the power of the evil one. We know too that the Son of God has actually come to this world, and has shown us the way to know the one who is true. We know that our real life is in the true one, and in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the real God and this is real, eternal life. But be on your guard, my dear children, against every false god!" 1 John 5:18-21​

I've been really moved this week in how, concluding this letter, John wants so clearly to form some final conclusions in his friends' hearts and minds. It's not quite as clear in the English here, but, in the Greek, he keeps using the same strong word, a verb in the Perfect Indicative Active - οἴδαμεν, "we know" - to get everyone on the same strong page of knowing... and affirming.

So, friends, I'll put this passage to you this way:

Do we know that the true child of God does not sin, for he is in the charge of God’s own Son and the evil one must keep his distance?
 
Do we know that we ourselves are children of God, and that the world around us is under the power of the evil one?
 
Do we know that the Son of God has actually come to this world, and has shown us the way to know the one who is true?
 
Do we know that our real life is in the true one, and in His Son Jesus Christ; and that this is the real God and that this is real, eternal life?
 
Well then – John must’ve smiled in writing out that last sentence – of course you wouldn’t want any false god, would you? For we’ve got the true, the real, the One who is life, forevermore, eternally - YES! - thank you, Jesus!