AN “UNFORGIVABLE” SIN?

Mike Johnson

1 John 5:16 says, “If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that.”  What is this sin, which leads to death for which it would do no good to pray for forgiveness? Many different explanations exist.  Please consider some brief thoughts.

Some have taken this verse to mean there are particular sins, which we can obtain forgiveness for, and there are others which we cannot. Some say this verse refers to transgressions such as murder, idolatry, and adultery.  This view does not seem to be the case as the passage is speaking in a more general sense.

Consider a few facts about this passage. The passage says there is a sin unto death, and for those guilty of such, it is futile to pray.  Also, the scripture is speaking about a “brother” who sins; thus, it is talking about Christians who sin.  The passage shows us a child of God (a Christian) can sin.  Further, the effects of this sin were visible, and it was possible to distinguish between the sin unto death and the sin not unto death.  Also, the death under consideration is “spiritual death,” such as is spoken of in James 5:19-20.

1 John has a lot to say about forgiveness and conditions for forgiveness.  In the immediate context, verses 14-15 speaks of prayer and says God will hear our prayers and respond, but it also shows that what we ask for must be according to the Will of God.  When it comes to praying on behalf of a brother, we must respect God’s Will as in all other cases.

What is this sin unto death?  1 John 1:8-9 says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  In interpreting our text, the concept expressed in these verses is critical, leading us to this conclusion.  The sin leading to death, for which it would do no good to ask forgiveness for, is any sin which a person is not willing to confess and implied elsewhere, repent of (Acts 8:22).  Prayer by a person for another or prayer by the one guilty of sin does no good if that person is unwilling to confess the sin and repent.  Prayer is not a substitution for confession and repentance.