1 John 5:16 - 18

We pick up this morning in , and will be discussing this really tough passage to interpret. For context let’s read again verses 14 - 17.

14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

16 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 commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

Verse 16 & 17 One of the toughest passages to interpret in regard to the unpardonable sin.

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 commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that.

All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

First we have to notice that John is talking about a brother who is sinning, not an unbeliever. Note we are to pray for them and they are to pray for themselves. Had this been an unbeliever we understand that rejection of Christ and the Gospel, really rejection of the HS call, is what leads a soul to damnation.

But here we are talking about a believer.

First, the word unrighteousness is adikia. means;

injustice, of a judge

unrighteousness of heart and life

a deed violating law and justice, act of unrighteousness

The question here is what is a sin that leads to death ?

Article - What is the sin unto death?

Article - What is the sin that leads to death?

we move on to another verse that has given many problems.

V 18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

To isolate this verse alone, it would give you a lot of issues. Why? Because we all sin. John even says so in

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

So how do we reconcile this? A little knowledge of the Greek language sheds lots of light.

The key here is the tense of the word sin. hamartanō is in the PAI

which indicates a continuous action, as in a habit of life. So we are not talking about sins here and there but a habitual manner of life.

Keeps himself is also interesting as it indicates the fruit of the Spirit, Self Control. The older manuscripts use him as opposed to himself and adds a another layer here.

What John probably means here is that He who has been born of God (that is, Jesus Christ) keeps him (that is, the believer). John means that we are kept by Jesus and protected from Satan by Him.

Does not touch him: The word touch here has the idea of to attach one’s self to. John clearly says that the wicked one – Satan, or, by implication one of His demons – cannot attach himself to the one who is born of Him.

The word touch in Greek is haptō. It means to: fasten to, adhere to