“A Fellow Believer”
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Sometime after Adam and Eve sinned against God and were forced out of the Garden of Eden, they began to have children. The first son was Cain and he was a farmer. The next son was Abel who was a shepherd. When it was time to offer sacrifices to God, Cain brought fruit from the ground and Abel brought the fat portions from some of the firstborn. God favored Abel’s sacrifice, but He didn’t extend that same grace to Cain. This rejection made Cain angry and God admonished Cain to do the right thing and his sacrifice would be accepted. Cain was also warned that if he refused to do the right thing—sin was ready to consume him.
Cain disregarded God’s admonition and warning. Instead he took out his anger on his righteous brother, Abel. In a premeditated manner, Cain invited Abel out to the fields where he murdered him! Later God approached Cain about the whereabouts of Abel just as He did with Adam and Eve with their sin. Cain lied and countered the all-knowing God with the infamous question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Yes we are. In our struggle with prayer there is also something else that suffers besides ourselves. We don’t pray we suffer. But if we don’t pray other people suffer too. Why? Because we are supposed to be praying for others. We should make sure to pray for others especially when they sin. This is the encouragement we receive from scripture. I have to say of the many times I have had people complain to me about sin and God not answering prayers it for the most part have to do with themselves. God did not answer my prayer for me. I can’t say that I have had many conversations about disappointment in God’s unanswered prayer that we made for others.
Then the question is today… do we even pray for other people? And here… if we do pray for other people are we as zealous for an answer to it as we are for an answer for ourselves. Now lets really think about it. Prayer for others for their own benefit not ours. Sometimes we are zealous about answered prayer for others because in the end it benefits us. Like praying for someone our friend to get a job in Colorado so that they don’t have to move and leave us. We really praying for them or really praying for ourselves? Today let’s take a to be continued journey concerning our prayer life and more specifically intercessory prayer or our praying for others
If you see a fellow believer sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it. All wicked actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.
Sin that Leads to Death
Praying for Others
Life from Christ
The first thing we will look at today is a quick survey as to what it is to commit the sin that leads to death. The second thing to explore is the biblical mandate to pray for others. And finally, we will look at the blessing of Christs’ intercession for us.
Thesis: Though sin and the pattern of this world may cause us to lose sight of others in our time of prayer, it is the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit that will cause us to remember the Gospel and the further good news that Christ continues and will continue to intercedes for us.
I. Sin that Leads to Death
- What in the world is this?
A. We wont spend too much time here. Why? Because I really am not sure. No one really knows for sure. It is clear with the vagueness of it, the readers of John’s letter knew, but we are left in the dark about it. But we will see that its Ok. Quickly some things it could be. There are 4 main views of what it could be.
B. The first view is that it is some really really bad sin like murder or something. But we see the forgiveness of God upon people like the apostle Pul before he was converted and even King David who did some really really bad things.
C. The second common view is that it is apostacy. Turning away from Christ. But this is also unlikely because he is talking about a fellow believer. So it cant be that because it was John in this very letter that showed us that those who apostatize, or walk away from Christ was never with Christ in the first place, so they are not a fellow believer who committed the sin that leads to death. Genuine believers cannot and do not ever reject and turn from Jesus.
D. The third common view is that this is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit or what we would call the unpardonable sin. Probably not. I have said many times to people who have come to me worried that they committed the unforgivable sin, I immediately say that you haven’t. If you are worried that you blasphemed the Holy Spirit, then that is a clear evidence that you have not. If you really did you would not care.
Dr. David Allen from Southwestern Seminary - If you are worried you may have committed the unpardonable sin, you haven’t committed it. The unpardonable sin is ultimate rejection of Jesus Christ. That’s the only sin you can commit in this life that God cannot and will not forgive. I think it is unlikely John is here talking about the unpardonable sin.
E. The last view, the view I think most likely…a sin that leads to physical death as a result of either God’s discipline or the civil magistrate. Maybe what John is talking about is the possibility that a Christian can sin in such a way that God or the civil magistrate may choose to take that Christian out of this world prematurely by physical death. Does God do this?
F. Yes. Clearly in Acts chapter 5 with Ananias and Sapphira. We heard the story about lying. No some would assert that they were not christians, but there is no evidence in the text for us to make that claim. They were christians who told a lie and were disciplined for it. We also see in the NT church in Corinth, there there were corinthian believers who were partaking of the Lord’s supper in an unworthy manner. Some became weak and sick… and some even died because of it. I hope this reminder instills a Holy fear in us that the Lord may decide to take us out for sins that we commit. These are sins that bring death for Christians.
G.
II. Praying for Others
- Help that person back unto the right path.
A. But not knowing is ok. The point of this passage is that we pray for others. Let’s not be too concerned about what not to be praying for, but more concerned that we are praying for others. Remember this… God desires to forgive sins and He desires His intercessors to pray for Christians when they sin.
B. It reminds me of the story of how the Israelites sinned against the Lord and Samuel came to bring assurance to the people. He urged them not to turn away from the Lord and serve worthless idols. And as for me he says...
“As for me, I will certainly not sin against the Lord by ending my prayers for you. And I will continue to teach you what is good and right.
C. Even when there is sin Samuel asserted that it would be a sin to end his praying for them at this point. But the Scriptures continue...
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
D. Not only are we pray for others, but we are also to pray for those who have come against you.
But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!
Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.
E. Pray for those leading in the ministry. Pray for your pastor.
And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.
But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice. For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.
III. Life from Christ
- He intercedes for us.
A. Peter, in Luke 22:33, in essence told Jesus at the Last Supper, “All these other disciples will forsake you, but I never will. I will stand with you even if I have to die for you, Jesus.” Jesus said to him, “The rooster will not crow this day, until you deny me three times that you know me.” When Jesus was arrested, Peter was lurking around the place where Jesus was being tried, and what did Peter do? Not once but three times he denied with cursing that he ever knew Jesus. Then the rooster crowed. Do you remember what else Jesus told Peter? In essence he said, “Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you like wheat. But, Peter, I have prayed for you. So when you repent of your sin of denying me, and I know you will because I have prayed for you, then you will help other people through their failures too.” Peter did repent, and Jesus restored him. He went out and lived a life of spiritual victory, preaching the gospel, writing two books of the Bible, and dying as a martyr—all because Jesus prayed for him.
B. And did you know that Jesus continues to intercede for us today.
Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
C. That is why we pray for others and that is why we need others to pray for us. God desires to forgive. That is why we are not condemned. We have life in Christ. And why?
D. Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures… The saying is trust worthy and deserving of full acceptance...
E. We pray for others so that they will believe. If we believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God and that by… if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead…All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved...
For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy.
He has not turned his back on them,
but has listened to their cries for help.
F. This is why we pray for others. The Lord desires to help. And the Lord desires to give us His Grace upon Grace.