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1 John 5:16a
“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.”
As we saw in our previous study, one of the results of assurance is confidence that our prayers will be heard and answered in the affirmative when we ask for anything according to God’s will. The Westminster Shorter Catechism defines prayer as “an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies” (Q&A 98). In today’s verse, John continues speaking of prayer, telling us what we can be sure of as we pray for one another.
Specifically, John tells us that if we pray for a brother who commits a sin not leading to death, God will grant life to that sinner. There is, on the other hand, a sin that leads to death, and though John does not forbid praying for the brother who so transgresses, neither does he command it (1 John 5:16). We will consider the nature of that sin in tomorrow’s study. For now, it is enough to say that the point is not for us to rank others’ sins but to take note when a brother is in danger and to be moved to intercede for him in prayer.
We know, as we saw in our study of 5:14–15, that God’s will is always done and that He often uses us to accomplish His will. God ordains our prayers and uses them as a powerful means to bring about the ends that He has decreed. We do not know what God has ordained for a wandering brother, but we do know that He uses our prayers to bring about His ends. As we pray according to His will, He uses us as instruments to execute His purposes.
John assumes a congregation whose reflex, upon seeing a brother stumble, is intercession offered with real expectation that God will answer. This is a reminder of what church membership involves. We are not a collection of individuals who happen to gather in the same place at the same time. We have been made members of one another, and the failing of one is the concern of all.
Consider, too, how such praying changes the one who prays. Intercession softens us. The man for whom we have prayed becomes harder to gossip about and easier to approach in love. When we pray with and for one another, we are reminded of what we ourselves should be striving for: holiness and conformity to God’s will. In this way, not only is prayer used by God to bring about His purposes; it’s also used by God to bring us into greater conformity to His will and character.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
This verse encourages us to know others in the church and to pray for one another. All too often, the pace of modern life drives us to fill our days, leaving little time for reaching out to and interceding for the brethren. Let us take some time today to pray for someone who is struggling with sin.
For further study
- Job 42:7–10
- Luke 22:31–32
- Colossians 1:9–12
- James 5:13–18
The bible in a year
- Ezekiel 30–31
- 1 Peter 3