Greater Sins (part 2)

Bulletin

Dan Peters
08/13/23 - Sin

This is now the 3rd passage in this series. “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. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.” (1John 5:16-17). John expects his readers to know the difference between these two sins. One you can pray for, one you can’t,(shouldn’t). This passage teaches us that not all sin is the same, as some have argued.
But we can unpack this phrase a little bit. “not leading to death” is found 5 times in the New Testament (1John 5:16-17 four times, John 11:4 one time). The preposition (πρὸς), is “to/towards” is used in each of the 5 occurrences of this phrase. So looking at the one time it is not used in 1John 5, is very helpful.
When Jesus received news of Lazarus, Jesus’ friend, was sick, Jesus said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” (John 11:4). A few verses later, Lazarus did die with this sickness. He was dead 4 days when Jesus stood at the tomb (John 11:39). Jesus raised him up from the dead. The sickness and death were temporary (4 days), the ultimate result is that God was glorified when Jesus raised him from the dead. Death was temporary, the separation of the spirit from the body was but a moment, not final. Now take this same usage apply it to our text. “If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life .… (1John 5:16). Why does he need life? Because sin caused a temporary death, but not ultimate death. Some sins cause ultimate death, ultimate separation from God. We don’t pray for those sins.
How do we know the difference from those sins “unto death” and those sins “not unto death”? Just a couple of sentences before John said, “if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (v.14). If I know God’s will because I have studied the Bible, I surely can’t pray contrary to what God has said. Can I pray for a sin that has become a lifestyle for someone? God told Jeremiah 3 times, “do not pray for this people” (Jer. 7:16, 11:14, 14:11). The sins people stay in, “steal, murder and commit adultery” 7:9. So also fornicators, homosexuals, drunkards, etc. will not “inherit the kingdom of God“ (1Cor. 6:9-11). The sin of having “Stubbornness and unrepentant heart” is not one I can pray for and I’m told not to pray for these. So repent/change and do so with all your heart. A christian can’t be stubborn in his sin. Be tender-hearted towards God and man. Dan Peters