Introduction

If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

1 John 5:16-17

What is the sin unto death? Many have puzzled over this question and have reached the conclusion that it is a certain sin or a pattern of sins that a Christian may commit. Although saved, these Christians have sunk into sin to such a degree that God must take them home so they will not further harm the cause of Christ. These believers have already been chastened by God but are so set on their sin lifestyle that God acts in judgment.

Surely many of you reading this will recognize the above interpretation of 1 John 5:16-17 as the doctrine held in your church. This interpretation has come to be a very popular explanation of these verses in many evangelical type churches. But, is this what these verses are really teaching?

The purpose of this booklet is to examine these verses to understand just exactly what is the ‘sin unto death’. To arrive at truth, we must follow a central rule of Bible interpretation. This rule is to compare Scripture with Scripture (1 Cor 2:13, 2 Pet 1:20-21). We must examine the Biblical data that is parallel to 1 John 5:16-17 to come to truth. We cannot jump to our own or to our favorite theologian’s interpretation without first searching out truth in God’s inspired word.

This essay seeks to show from Scripture that the sin unto death is not a sin that a true believer will ever do. As used in the Bible, the sin unto death is a sin that only an unsaved church member may commit. But, never will a true believer commit this sin.

The doctrine that a true believer can commit a sin unto death does great harm to sound Biblical interpretation. Firstly, the Bible teaches that all true believers are holy and will be led by God to become more and more holy (2 Cor 3:18, 4:16, Titus 2:11-12, Heb 10:14). No Christian will ever practice repetitive willful sin (1 John 3:4-10, 1 Cor 6:9-11, Gal 5:19-21, etc). To teach that a Christian can sin so bad that God needs to physically cause his demise is in complete conflict with what God teaches us in his word. Let us see just exactly what is this ‘sin unto death’ and who can commit this sin.

1 John 5:16-17 in Context

One problem with erroneous interpretations of 1 John 5:16-17 is that these verses are often interpreted out of their context. We will consider these verses in the context of the entire book of 1 John and also in its immediate context on 1 John 5:14-19.

The book of 1 John is a very unique book. It was specifically inspired by God in order that the Christian may know that he or she has eternal life (see 1 John 5:13). Over and over, 1 John testifies of behaviors and attitudes that will be present in the believer’s life. For example, 1 John 2:3-6, 5:2-3 teaches us that since we, as Christians, keep the commandments of God, it is evident that we have come to know God. If we say we know God, yet do not keep his commandments, then we are a liar. That is, we really do not know Him. We are not really saved. Other ‘proofs’ of our salvation taught in 1 John include:

Christians will love the brethren (1 John 2:9-11, 3:10-18, 4:11-12,16, 20-21)
Christians do not love the things of the world (1 John 2:15-17)
Christians are disciples (1 John 2:19)
Christians have the Holy Spirit’s anointing in order to understand spiritual truth (1 John 2:20-27, 4:6, 13, 5:10)
Christians will not practice sin (1 John 3:4-10, 5:18)
Christians do not teach false doctrine (1 John 4:1-3)
Christians love (1 John 4:7-10, 16)
Christians receive answer to prayer (1 John 5:13-15)

We should see that the theme and context of 1 John is that the Christian is going to live a holy, God-directed life and not practice sin. This teaching also agrees with the rest of the Bible. The central theme of the Bible is that God sovereignly saves Christians by the blood of Christ and is also at work in them to produce holiness (see Eph 2:8-10, Phil 2:13, etc).

This brings us to a problem with the interpretation that a Christian can commit a sin unto death. We just saw that 1 John teaches that a Christian will not practice sin. Therefore, we should be very cautious about drawing a conclusion that the sin unto death can be committed by a true believer.

Next, let us consider the meaning of 1 John 5:14-19:

1 John 5:14-15

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

If Christians pray for anything in the will of God, God hears their prayer. If we pray in the will of God, then we know that God will grant those requests.

1 John 5:16-17

If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death

We sometimes become aware that a brother has sinned. Often these issues may be relatively minor. They could involve transgressions that the brother is not yet aware is wrong. They could involve things that the brother did in the heat of the moment that he did not put thought into.

We should realize that we all still sin (1 John 1:8-10). The sin that a true believer commits are sins not unto death. For example, Paul was aware of the weakness of his flesh. In John 7:14-25, he laments about his inability to do the things that he wishes to do. With his mind, he wished to serve God always. This is a normal characteristic of all true believers. Yet with his flesh, he falls into weak moments where he finds himself doing the things he did not will to do. Because we are still in a flesh body that is tainted by sin, we all still make mistakes and do things due to the weaknesses inherent in our flesh. However, like Paul, with our minds we always want to do what is holy and God’s will. Christians have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16) and set their minds on the things of the Spirit (Ro 8:5-9). Christians always want to be obedient to God’s word (1 John 2:3-6, 1 Pet 1:1-2, John 15:9-14).

Before we proceed on, let us pause to look at the term ‘brother’ in verse 16. The fact that this person is referred to as a brother in 1 John 5:16 has made many people stumble over the true interpretation of this verse. They quickly assume that the sin unto death refers to a sin that a true believer can commit because the term for a ‘brother’ always to refers to someone who is truly saved. However, this is not always the case.

The Bible sometimes refers to people as brothers in the church even if they are unsaved (see 2 Cor 11:26, Gal 2:4, Acts 5:1-11). Additionally, the Bible makes it clear that there are many who we would call brothers now, yet on Judgment Day, we will find out that they were unsaved (see Mat 7:21-23, Lk 13:23-30). Therefore, we see that the term brother in 1 John 5:16 does not necessarily mean that the person being talked about as a brother is saved.

Although, the person in verse 16 is referred to as a ‘brother’, we also see that the person committing a sin unto death in verse 16 cannot be a true Christian. We find in the very next verse after the discussion of the sin unto death a statement that says ‘no one who is born of God sins’ (verse 18). This emphasizes to us the theme of 1 John. It is a reminder to us that although we have many brothers in our midst, it is only those brothers who do not practice a lifestyle of willful sin who are the true believers.

He shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

It is when we see our brother doing a sin not unto death that we are to pray for him. Recalling verses 14-15, if we ask according to the will of God, we will have all the requests we make if we are true believers.

These prayers that result in ‘giving life’ is a very important concept in understanding the meaning of the sin unto death. At first glance, the term ‘he shall give him life’ does not seem to make sense because if someone is a believer, he already has eternal life. Yet, this verse says that the intercessory prayer of another will give him life. This seems to be an apparent contradiction. Why would these prayers be necessary if the believer already has eternal life? The answer to this question can be understood when we consider other verses in the Bible. For example:

Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

John 20:23

And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Mat 18:17-20 (see also Mat 16:19)

We see in the above verses that the church has authority concerning the judgment of sins in the church. For example, in the Matthew 18 passage, if a ‘brother’ repetitively sins and is unrepentant even when his sin is shown to him, he is to be as a heathen and a publican. In other words, he is to be considered as one who is unsaved. The church may then excommunicate this individual (see also 2 Thess 3:6,14-15, Titus 3:10, Ro 16:17-18). In this case, the church is making a judgment that this ‘brother’s’ behavior is not at all consistent with what a true believer’s conduct would be. This ‘brother’ arrogantly does not listen to the church even when it is clear that he is sinning. In this case, the church must take action and excommunicate the individual. The individual is turned over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh (1 Cor 5:5).

In 1 Cor 5:1-13 we see an example of excommunication and the sin unto death. Here, we find a man that has his father’s wife. This is a willful, evil sin. He must be excommunicated since he will not repent of this sin. The Bible teaches us that in excommunicating this individual, he is given to Satan for the destruction of the flesh. In other words, this is a sin unto death. In 1 Cor 5:11-13, we see that this behavior is indicative of a person who is not presently saved. Therefore, this individual is judged by the church to be really an unsaved brother as his present sin exhibits. By turning him out to the world both physical and spiritual eternal death await him unless he later becomes saved. In 1 Cor 5:5, we see that this excommunicated brother is excommunicated not as a punitive measure but rather that he may become saved in the day of the Lord Jesus (i.e. the day of salvation). That is, excommunication is done with the hope that the person will later repent of his sin unto death and become saved. However, until that time the wicked must be removed (1 Cor 5:13).

So far, we have seen that the sin unto death is sin that is not consistent with what a true believer would do. It is the unrepentant, willful sin of one who is not saved and does not have the indwelling Holy Spirit.

The sin of an unsaved individual is unto death since the wages of sin is death. Sin brought in both physical and spiritual death. Physically we all die because of man’s fallen sin condition. This is true whether we are saved or not. However, if we are saved, we will not die spiritually. We have been born again with imperishable seed never to die again spiritually (1 Pet 1:23). But, we still have not resolved the meaning of the statement: ‘he shall give him life for a sin not unto death’.

The sin unto death is a sin we are not to pray for. Because this type of behavior deserves excommunication, the sinning brother does not receive the prayers of the brotherhood for his behaviors. The church is to pray for those things only in the will of God (see vv. 14-15). A brother who is flagrantly and boldly sinning is not in the will of God. On the other hand, the brother who truly wants to be obedient to God and serve him yet still sins deserves the church’s wholehearted prayers. It is by these prayers that the church shows its support for the brother and holds him up. It is in this manner that the church recognizes that this brother is a true believer and needs prayers to be enlightened and strengthened. In so doing, the church, who holds the keys to the kingdom, gives life to this brother. That is, the church is remitting these sins and not exercising their authority to excommunicate (John 20:23). As we saw in Mat 18:18-20, the church has the keys to the kingdom. The church has the authority to pass judgment for those who are inside the church (1 Cor 5:12) to decide if a ‘brother’s’ behavior is characteristic of one having eternal life. It is in this sense that the church passes judgment and gives life to the brother’s whose sin is not unto death.

On the other hand, those who commit sins unto death are not to receive the prayers of the church. In this sense, the church is retaining their sins (John 20:23) and recognizing that in all likelihood the individual committing the sin unto death is not saved.

1 John 5:18-19

We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

A reminder is given to us by God that the true believer will not sin. Every believer will be just like Paul in that with our will, we always wish to do what is right and pleasing in God’s sight. Yet, in the flesh, we do not always know the will of God. Also, at times, we are tempted by the weakness of our flesh to sin. However, the true believer will always repent of his sin when it is known to him.

Verse 18 says: ‘He who was born of God keeps him and the evil one does not touch him’. That is, Jesus Christ keeps true believers and does not let the evil one touch him. Jesus keeps us in that we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works (Eph 2:10). It is God who is in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Phil 2:13). The indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us leads us and directs us in holy living (1 John 2:20-27, 4:6, Ro 8:1-9). Although it is true that no Christian is yet perfect (1 John 1:8-10), God is actively working in them to make them more and more holy day by day (2 Cor 3:18, 4:16). Christians are illumined by the Holy Spirit concerning what is the will of God (1 Cor 2:9-13). Because all believers now have the mind of Christ and have their minds set on the spiritual, they desire to be obedient to the commands of God (1 John 2:3-6). With the help of God, Christians are enabled to overcome and become more and more holy.

From the context of 1 John, we should now see that the sin unto death is a sin that will not be committed by a true believer. This is a willful, unrepentant sin that one who claims to be a brother may commit. It is such a bad sin that we are instructed to not pray for that situation (1 John 5:16). This sin leads to death. Let us look now at other Biblical examples of the sin unto death.

Ananias and Saphira

An example of a sin unto death is that of Ananias and Saphira (Acts 5:1-11). We find in this passage a man and his wife who were part of the early church. They would have been called ‘brother’ and ‘sister’ by other members of the church. They witnessed many great apostolic miracles. However, when the church decided to pool all their possessions together and then equally distribute, they decided to lie to God the Holy Spirit.

Instead of bringing the full proceeds of property they sold, they conspired together to hold back some for themselves. In this, they lied to the Holy Spirit. We find that the punishment for this sin was death. This was physical death. However, we are probably on safe ground to also conclude that they were spiritually dead as well. As we saw from 1 John (and also is testified in many other places in the Bible), a true believer will not practice sin nor be disobedient to God’s commands. Therefore, it is most likely that they were unsaved. Their physical death was a testimony to those present at the time as well as to us of their eternal condition. Their physical state of death was a type or sign of their eternal spiritual death.

We see that because of their death, a great fear fell on the church. The church was taught that there may be unsaved ‘believers’ in their midst. They were taught to be very careful of each of their own lifestyle’s to ensure that they are in the faith (2 Cor 13:5).

Death and the Lord’s Supper

Another New Testament example of ‘brethren’ dying because of sin is found 1 Cor 11:17-34. In verses 29-30 we find:

For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

1 Cor 11:29-30

We find in Corinth that when the church partook of communion, there were some who got drunk and some who were hungry (11:21-22). Instead of eating and drinking at home, they ate unworthily. It was for this reason that some became sick and some even died.

It is apparent in this passage that the sickness and death of these ‘brethren’ was a physical condition. This also corresponds with what we already studied in Acts 5:1-11 with Ananias and Saphira. We see that there is a sin that can be committed that results in physical death.

The real question for us in this passage, however, is whether those who died were true or false brethren. Because of the conclusions that we reached in 1 John 5:16-17 and Acts 5:1-11, we are biased to reach a conclusion that these individuals who died and were sick also were unsaved. However, there is more than bias that supports this conclusion. We find in the passage itself many indications that these people were unsaved. Firstly, in 11:18-19 we find that there were divisions in the Corinthian church so that those who were approved may be recognized. That is, these factions would tend to be divided down the lines of those who were true believers and those who were not. The term ‘approved’ as used in the Bible often refers to one who is saved (see James 1:12, 2 Cor 10:18, Ro 14:18, etc).

Another reason we are led to believe that these people were unsaved is that when they take communion unworthily, they are guilty of the body and the blood of Christ. Now, we know that no true Christian could ever be viewed as guilty since we have been justified and declared righteous. Therefore, those who take of communion unworthily are not saved. They partake unworthily since they are unsaved and evidence their unworthiness since they trivialize and shame the holy ordinance of communion by being drunk and hungry.

In spite of this weighty evidence, a reason why some have thought that those who have died because of taking communion unworthily were true Christians is found in verses 31-32. The Scripture says:

For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

1 Cor 11:31-32

Reading verse 32, some have jumped to the conclusion that the chastening of the Lord is the sickness and death of those who partake of the communion in an unworthy manner. However, the judgment of believers is to be done to themselves. All believers are made sensitive to their sin by the Holy Spirit (see 1 John 1:8-10, Ro 7:14-25, Ro 8:1-9). We are convicted by the indwelling Holy Spirit to be repentant over any wrongdoing we have done. It is by this process that we judge ourselves and are chastened by the Lord and taught by the Holy Spirit to cease from sin. Therefore, the judgment of verse 32 is not to be viewed as being put to death by God, but the convicting work of the Holy Spirit that teaches us to cease from sin (Titus 2:12, 2 Tim 3:16-17). We surely will receive the chastening of God (Heb 12:3-11, but it is only the unsaved that can sin unto death (11:18-19, 27-29).

Conclusion

We have seen from the context of 1 John that those who sin unto death are not true believers. They are nominal unsaved believers who have exercised their own man-generated faith, but are not truly saved by God’s grace. They do not have the faith of Christ (Gal 2:16, Phil 3:9, etc). Therefore, we find that the sin unto death is not a sin that a true believer can commit. However, it is a sin that the unsaved person in the church can commit. In the New Testament church, we saw examples where this sin unto death actually resulted in the physical death of those involved. The question as to whether this sin unto to death can still result in the premature death of the unrepentant, unsaved ‘brother’ in the church today can be debated. As a minimum, it actually occurred in the early church and pointed to the fact of eternal death of those in the church who were not saved and commit sin.

The important point for us to know is that there is a sin unto death. It is the sin of willful disobedience to God. The church has the authority to pronounce judgment in this case that this behavior is inconsistent with one who is truly a Christian. In this sense, the church has the keys to the kingdom. They may retain the sins of these people since it is evident that they are not saved. On the other hand, if the church judges that the sins of a brother are not unto death, they give life to the brother.

The warning for us today is that we must examine ourselves very carefully (2 Cor 13:5, Gal 6:4, 1 Pet 1:17, 1 Cor 9:27). Do we find ourselves in willful and bold sin against what we know is right and holy. Do we find that we are not repentant when we find out that we have sinned? Do we that we do not mourn over the sins that we do because of the weakness of our flesh? If we find ourselves with a humble spirit that recognizes and is willing to repent of the sins we do, we prove ourselves to be saved (see 1 John 1:8- 10, Luke 5:8, Mat 5:3-6). However, if this attitude is not is us, we may need to conclude that we have never been truly born again. We must earnestly beg God for forgiveness and come broken and with a contrite, repentant heart. We need to be saved:

The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Ps 34:18

Seek the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

Isaiah 55:6-7