1 John 5:16-21

16: If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.
17: All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.

18: We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.
19: We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
20: And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so 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, guard yourselves from idols.

***

Anyone--any believer--who sees his brother or sister in Christ sin, is to pray for him--to ask God to give life to this one. James said to confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so you may be healed. The context of this was when he said for the sick among them to call for the elders of the church who would anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord and pray over them in faith. They would be restored, raised up, with their sins forgiven (James 5:13-16).

John said to pray for the one who had not committed a sin leading to death. If one had committed a sin unto death, he said not to pray for God to give life to him. There is a difference we need to recognize. Jesus said blasphemy against the Holy Spirit would not be forgiven. He said all sin and blasphemies--even against Himself--would be forgiven, except this eternal sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:29, Luke 12:8-10).

John explained that all unrighteousness is sin, but not all sin leads to death. Not all sin is unpardonable. In these examples, it would seem that those who sin, not as a rejection or denial of the Lord, or in opposition to the Holy Spirit, can be prayed for to come to repentance and receive forgiveness. It seems that those who knowingly, willingly, or even carelessly, continue in sin are putting themselves in a dangerous place.

We are not to ask the Lord to forgive a sin that leads to death. That is, we are not to ask Him to withhold judgment where He says its due. We're not to pray for the wicked to escape consequence or to attempt to deny God His righteous judgment. On the one hand, we don't want to think one can't be forgiven when they can. On the other hand, we don't want to assume forgiveness is always available no matter what.

John ended the letter by saying that one who is born of God does not sin. This one doesn't practice sin, but God keeps him from the evil one. We are of God, but the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. The Son of God came and gave us understanding so we may know Him who is true, that we are in Him who is true, and that we are in His Son. This is the true God and eternal life. This life brings us out from under the power of the evil one, abiding in the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.




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