“If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.” (1 John 5:16-17)
“Don’t miss the forest for the trees,” as the saying goes. Sometimes our attention is so focused on the details that our examination of each stroke of the paintbrush keeps us from noticing the painting as a whole. Details are important, even indispensable, when studying the Bible, but we should still be careful not to get so caught up in the specifics of a difficult passage that we do not pay attention to the primary point the author is trying to make.
These two verses in John’s epistle have historically led theologians to empty countless ink wells trying to explain them. All of Scripture is inspired, and all of Scripture is profitable (2 Timothy 3:16-17), but there are parts of Scripture that are hard to understand. In such difficult situations, it is helpful to step back and look at the context.
John is speaking of prayer. In the verses immediately preceding this passage, he affirmed that we may be confident that God will hear us when our prayers align with his character and commands. As John continues, he is still speaking about the nature of prayer. He says, “If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life.”
His intention is that the people of God should be watching out for one another. If we see a brother in Christ walking in sin, our response should be to bring that brother to God in prayer. We should not be passive observers of another believer’s sin. As fellow members of the body of Christ, united to Christ as our head, it is our responsibility not only to keep watch over our own souls but those of other believers as well.
Earlier in his letter, John commanded his readers to love their brothers. That love involves taking note of the sheep who are wandering from the fold. Jude similarly calls his readers to snatch out of the fire those who are wandering (v. 23). As we watch out for and pray for the one walking in sin, we know that God hears us and “will give him life” (1 John 5:16).
There is a clear promise in John’s words that God preserves his people through the prayers of his people. What a gift to know that we can be an instrument through which the grace of God works to sanctify a brother or sister in Christ. This can be especially helpful for those who labor in ministry or on the mission field, where constant demands may lead to exhaustion and temptation. Gospel workers can pray for one another, comfort one another, and encourage one another to keep walking in the straight and narrow path and avoiding sin that could corrupt or mislead.
This is the heart of John’s words, but that is not all he says. He refers to a “sin that leads to death.” What is he talking about? Who can commit it? Why should we not pray for it? Space does not allow for an extensive dive into the matter, but John is most likely referring to “a stubborn refusal to accept the message of the gospel,” as one study Bible notes. It is a decided rejection of both the person and work of Christ, with an antagonism that is based on enmity rather than ignorance.
Notice that John does not say you should not pray for such a sin, but simply that he does not command you to pray for it. We are free to bring all our cares and concerns to God (Philippians 4:6-7), but the rejection which John has in mind is deep-seated. He is saying that prayer for a person who has clearly set himself against Jesus Christ is not the kind of prayer in which we can have the confidence he was just describing.
While we take note of John’s brief discussion of this “sin that leads to death,” let us be careful not to miss his main focus: the clear commands and promises in this passage.
Our hope is this: God is attentive to the pleas of his people, and when we pray in accordance with his revealed will and character, we may pray with bold faith.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for placing us in the body of Christ and for giving us the privilege of encouraging one another as we follow you together. When we see our brothers and sisters fall into sin, please help us to resist the temptation to judge them or to gossip. Help us instead to pray for them and guide them in the faith. Thank you for hearing our prayers.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Prayer Requests:
- Tuesday: Pray that the Good Soil evangelistic resources in the Hindi language will reach many South Asians with the gospel.
- Wednesday: Pray that Live Global partners will be able to purchase and equip a place for their Bucharest Ministry Center, which will provide a home base for ministry in Romania.
- Thursday: Pray for the Maranatha Retreat Center in Ghana to provide much needed rest, refreshment, and development to local pastors and church leaders.
- Friday: Pray for missionaries experiencing times of crisis, emergencies, or natural disasters, and for ABWE staff as they provide care and guidance.
- Saturday: Pray for the students and staff at William Carey Academy in South Asia to know and honor Christ through their educational studies.
- Sunday: Pray for missionaries preparing to serve in Lithuania as they raise support and complete their prefield training.
- Monday: Pray for missionaries serving in church planting to find great success as they labor to grow the body of Christ.
Featured Opportunity to Serve:
Experienced Counselors/Trainers
Location: Peru
Our team is looking for spiritually mature counselors experienced in crisis pregnancy situations and family counseling to train Peruvian staff members at a pro-life prenatal ministry.
