Who is the wicked one (1 John 5:19)?

The apostle John tells us that "the whole world lieth in wickedness," or, it might read "in the wicked one," he who animated the first action of hatred and murder in this world (cf. 1 John 3:10). The verb "lieth" indicates a position of utter prostration — lying outstretched in the embrace of Satan. Thus the world-system is completely dominated by the "wicked one" whom the Lord three times in John's gospel refers to as the "prince (ruler) of this world."

In the few words that we read from 1 John 2, we heard of those who had got the victory over the wicked one, we all know who he is, our great adversary, the devil. In 1 John 4, it is getting the victory over the false prophets. Men were speaking by another spirit than the Spirit of God, and the children of the Divine family had overcome them. In 1 John 5, the matter is very plain: it is overcoming the world. I propose to begin at the end, and to work backwards.

The few words addressed to the "young men" (vers. 14-17) have an importance that cannot be over-rated. The personality of the devil, and the fact that he is the determined and ceaseless foe to be overcome by all who belong to Christ, are plainly intimated. From other scriptures we know that his kingdom is now commensurate with the whole unbelieving world, and that he is not acting alone but by means of subordinate spirits, "his angels." When Christ was here, he incited the world's hatred against Him, and directed it how to rid itself, by unparalleled violence and wickedness, from Him Who sought on the part of God to reconcile it. Such is the "wicked one" to be overcome, and the present evil world under his rule. We have to pass through it, but are not to participate with it.

1 John 5:19. We know that the Christian company is of God, and entirely apart from the world which lies in the wicked one. The divine family in its nature and life belongs to God, and the affections, joys and relationships that God has given them belong to heaven. All that is in the world's system comes from its god and prince: the world, in all its varied parts, lies in the grip and power of Satan. What a great contrast between that which is of God, and the world! What is of God is eternal, is in the light, and is marked by love and righteousness; the world, which lies in the wicked one, is under sentence of divine judgment, and is passing; it is in darkness, and is marked by hatred and sin.

The whole world lies in the grasp and power of the wicked one, but the one who has been born of God has been delivered from his power. He is forever safe in the divine hands that have effected his deliverance. How good to know the limitations of Satan's power! He may annoy, deceive and cause us to stumble and fall, but he has no power to seize us out of the Hands that have plucked us as brands out of the eternal burning. We are of God — in kinship with Him. It is an abiding relationship (ver. 19).

We know that we are of God; and that not in a vague way, but in contrast with all that is not us — a principle of immense importance, which makes christian position exclusive by its very nature. It is not merely good, or bad, or better; but it is of God. And nothing which is not of God (that is to say, which has not its origin in Him) could have this character and this place. The whole world lies in the wicked one.

"We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the wicked one (or, wickedness)." There is nothing indefinite here, no toning down of the absolute contrast firmly and unhesitatingly drawn between ourselves, as the family of God on the one hand, and the whole world on the other in its awful subjection to the wicked one. With the same inward consciousness the Christians knew that their new being had its source in God Himself, and that the whole world lay in the power of the wicked one. What more distinct on both sides? God the source of all on the one; subjection to Satan as complete on the other. It is not the church, opposed to and by Jews and Gentiles; but "we are of God" in our own consciousness, and the whole world unconsciously under the wicked one's thraldom, as we too well know. This belongs to the new life to realise, appropriating by faith the known blessings to ourselves as is God's will.

However, it is quickly shown that this verse is not intended to sow doubts in a true believer’s heart, for he immediately adds, “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness [or in the wicked one].” Blessed to have assured knowledge as to this first assertion, “we are of God.” But the second is just as certain: the whole world has been taken captive by the cunning deceptions of the wicked one, lying idly in his hands, given up to this with no energy to change it. How clear and vivid a contrast then is the position of the world and that of the children of God. How well for us to know it, and to know it well! Nor must we miss the awesome fact that the whole world is that which is so captivated by the dread power of Satan. Stern test indeed for individual faith! Has God lost control? Never! But He has allowed Satan this dominating power for the time being, that faith may only shine the brighter in contrast to it. If the multitude does evil, faith refuses this as an excuse to follow the evil. Weakness and unbelief argue that the great majority cannot be wrong, and so drifts with the crowd, or in other words, gives itself up to sluggishly lying in the arms of the wicked one, no faith, no willing, ardent affection for the Lord Jesus, no vital, active energy of divine life.

The testimony of the Holy Ghost is, "that the whole world lieth in wickedness" - all that is in the world. Therefore these things are valuable in the world: "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life." Satan manages the world by them, and men manage one another as well as they can. Satan is of the world, the Son is of the Father. He gave Himself for our sins that He might deliver us from this present evil world, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, and the energy of nature.

It is a wonderful conclusion, which we find in this scripture, to the whole epistle. Three times the apostle says, "We know;" and in each case the word employed indicates inward conscious knowledge; that is, not only knowledge of the fact as revealed, and testified to, in the Scripture, but this knowledge also made good in the soul in the power of the Holy Ghost, so that we have the inward conviction and certainty of its truth, and in such wise that living in the enjoyment of it, we are moulded and governed by it. First, "we know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not," etc. This is according to John's presentation of the truth (see chapter 3:6-9), confining himself entirely to what is born of God, being, what is often termed, an abstract view of the case; so that thinking only of the believer as possessing a divine nature, he can truly say that, so regarded, he does not sin. The next clause reveals his liability and his danger, and hence John adds, "He that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not." Next we have, "We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness" (or, "the wicked one"). It is of immense moment to possess this certainty (compare John 8:38-45); and having it, as every believer should, we can never be deceived as to the character of the world; for knowing that we are of God, we also know that the whole world lies in, is in the power of, and morally exists in, the wicked one. For all who have this inward consciousness, an impassable barrier is raised between them and the world, as morally impassable as that which existed between Lazarus in Abraham's bosom and the rich man in torment. Lastly, "We know that the Son of God has come," etc. And having come He has "given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true." Here the word "know" is different, the reason being that the Son of God is presented to us as the object of faith (compare Gal. 2:20), and thus, while we may inwardly apprehend Him and His presence, it is ever true that we know Him objectively. The reality and the truth of His person is in this way guarded. (See 1 John 1:1.) Then it is added, "And we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ." The Lord thus said, after speaking of the coming of the Comforter, "At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you." (John 14:20.) The Son is "divinely one" with the Father, and we, having a divine nature and eternal life, are in the Son, as to our place before the Father, as also in His own relationship, as we know from His words, "My Father, and your Father." (John 20:17.) He, moreover, is in us, and this brings in our responsibility before the world. But this travels beyond our scripture. Having said that we are in Him that is true, John concludes: "This is the true God and Eternal Life." He who is the Son, and Jesus Christ, is, blessed be His name, no less than the true God and eternal life. What grace! And what a privilege to "know" this even now! E. D.