1 John 5:13-21

1 John 5:13-21

The conclusion of John's letter contains a complex and challenging passage to understand. He speaks of the power of prayer and its effectiveness. Then he talks about praying for brothers who “sin not unto death” and those who do actually “sin unto death” and not praying for them. Much has been written about what this means, and the theories are wide, varied, and, in some cases, confusing. As is always the case, context is most helpful. Throughout the letter, John has asserted that disciples both do not sin and have forgiveness for their sins. This is important to understand this phrase. For illustrations, consider a line across a blank page. From beginning to end, the line is straight with only two or three tiny wrinkles. Not perfectly straight, but we would still understand this as a straight line. Imagine another line. This one is made entirely of loops and jagged points. In no way would we call that a straight line. The first line is like the life of a disciple, it is a straight line or a life. It is not generally described as sinful but may  have occasional divergent points. The other life or line is marked only by its sin and clearly not the life of the disciple. A disciple living that life will eventually lose their love of God and enter into a state called apostasy (if they haven't gone there already). This condition is such that repentance is impossible because this individual doesn't want to repent.

Any sin can become the gateway to a pattern or life of sin in which the line or life becomes completely crooked and twisted. The sin unto death is not a specific vice or individual act but the life/line dominated by the repeated embracing of a sin. If a brother engages in the worship of a false god at the pagan temple and forms a pattern to the point they give their heart to that sin, it is pointless to pray for that individual. 

The best preventative is we need to engage in close relationships that are loving, prayerful, and faithful. In this discipleship and partnership we are close enough to other disciples that we will notice each other’s rare, wrong, and tragic diversions and then we pray for them. In this way we fulfill a specific aspect of our priesthood in Christ. Often we want to see how close we can come to sinful pleasures without actually sinning. That is foolhardy and dangerous. Rather, we need to be as far away from sin as possible, and that is helped with the partnership of fellow disciples. 

“Lord, by other disciples keep me on short accounts.  AMEN”

1 John 5:1-12

1 John 5:1-12

John, throughout his letter, emphasizes three tests, or one might say checkups. These helped the early believers see that they were in right standing before God no matter what the Gnostics might say. These same checkups help us properly evaluate where we are in our spiritual condition. These three checkups are faith, obedience, and love. These themes are found throughout First John, and they seem to congregate in this passage.

The one who believes the specific truth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Belief itself is of no value. The value of belief is only as valid as the object of that faith. To place your faith in an idiot is to give yourself an idiotic faith. Belief must be in Jesus as the Messiah, the only begotten Son of God, and God in flesh.

Next, John mentions love. This is the self-giving love of God, who needed nothing but out of love created man to love. Who, after the fall, because of love, becomes part of our human existence. As we accept and understand this love, we develop it and share it with others. This is a great deal more difficult than we might ever imagine. This is love contrary to everything in our fallen human nature. God gives it to us. Correct doctrine without love is mere intellectual assent at best and could become cold or shallow legalism at worst. But the one who loves as God loves is living this checkup.

The third checkup is obedience, or we might say holy living. This holy living is not a burden. The word burdensome at the end of verse 3 literally means heavy and metaphorically means violent or oppressive. The keeping of the Mosaic law was a heavy burden, but holiness in Christ is not. Why is this? The life that a Christian is called to live is a higher life than the law of Moses. Why is it not a burden, not to mention a heavier one? Because in the life of the disciple, our natural motivation and power base have changed. It is neither hard nor impossible to live holy because the old man of sin is now buried, and we are not fighting our inner self. That doesn't mean there is no effort; the habits have to change by practice, but it is now possible. Our motivation for this life is love for Jesus. What it once was is a decision between the pleasure of sin or not. Now it is a decision between the pleasure of sin or the pleasure of the one we love. Finally, it is not a burden because holy living is not dependent on our own strength but on partnership with the Lord Himself.

“Lord, keep me mindful of these check ups in my life. AMEN”