TO FIRMLY RESOLVE NOT TO SIN - 1 JOHN 5:18

Verse 18: We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. [ESV]

As John begins to close his epistle, the next 3 verses open with the single Greek word we know. John is reviewing what we have learned from his instruction. He previously emphasized the believer’s practice of righteousness (2:29; 3:7, 10) instead of the practice of sin and lawlessness (3:4, 8, 9). Further, differentiating “between the occasional lapse and habitual sin or a continuous sinful state”1 (5:16–17). However, verse 18 is not specifically a reference to sin leading to death as was cited in verse 16.

Does Not Sin 

The opening phrase is both logical and declarative. Logical, because at the moment a person believes in Christ they are born of God and are immediately in an abiding relationship with Him and thus it is impossible for them to sin. And since all their sins have been judged, they are now in a right-relationship with the Father. As a declarative statement, it is God’s objective for the believer to have continuous abiding fellowship with Him that is not interrupted by sin.

However, no believer is able to lead a perfect life as did Our Lord. Still, it is not God’s ideal standard that believers involve themselves in sin or to regard sin indifferently. This verse expands upon John’s instruction in chapter 1 concerning our fellowship “with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1:3). The word fellowship means “an association involving close mutual relations and involvement.”2 It is the essential aspect of our abiding in Him. To sin is to “walk in darkness” (1:6); hence, the converse is to “walk in the Light” and have fellowship with Him (1:7).

Therefore, John is declaring a biblical principle that everyone who is born of God ought to personally embrace and observe: to firmly resolve not to sin. This implies the avoidance of every inducement to sin in thought, word and deed. For our responsibility before the Lord is twofold: that at all times we should be alert to personal sin during our moment-by-moment walk of faith and that we should be determined to maintain an abiding fellowship with the Lord in the sphere of His love relationship. Mindful that we are not alone in our endeavor to overcome temptations to sin as the writer to the Hebrews explained:

For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18)

Ryrie makes a relevant observation, that Our Lord’s temptations “were designed to sidetrack Him in the purpose of His coming to earth.”3 Thus, temptation and sin is the evil one’s ploy intended to distract us from God’s plan for our lives.

Our Defense

So what should be our defensive position against temptation and sin? The apostle Peter instructs us:

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8 ESV)

The idea of being sober-minded does not imply being free from alcoholic intoxication; for the Greek noun is used in the New Testament figuratively to be free from confusion, distraction and be self-controlled.4 Peter also advises the ideal means to maintain watchfulness to the “schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11ESV) is to “resist him, firm in your faith” (1 Peter 5:9 ESV). For our faith should be comprised of sound biblical teachings. So that the greater our knowledge and understanding of God’s Word, the more we will become alert to temptations and enable us to resist sin. Thus we will attain a vital objective of our Christian life: to achieve consistent fellowship with Him and to “do the things that are pleasing in His sight” (1 John 3:22).

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[1] Waugh, R.M.L. (1953). The Preacher and His Greek Testament, London: The Epworth Press, p. 46.

[2] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1.445.

[3] Ryrie, C. C. (1995). Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Bible, 1995 update. Chicago: Moody Press, p. 1947 note.

[4] Arndt, W., Gingrich, F. W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (1979). In A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian Literature. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, p. 538.

 

THE WICKED LAWLESSNESS OF SIN - 1 JOHN 5:17

Verse 17: All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.

John now summarizes verses 14–17 concerning prayer with a gentle warning and a calm assurance.1

 

Sin Categorized

John has previously characterized sin as lawlessness (3:4). God’s commands presented throughout Scripture, including the Ten Commandments, encompass His laws for all mankind to uphold. Even though believers of the Church Age do not live by the commands of the Mosaic Law, there are many commands given that believers today are to obey in thought, word and deed. Disobeying God’s mandates places the believer in a position of lawlessness. John assured us that His commandments are not burdensome (5:3), meaning they do not carry the psychological stress of constraining and challenging mandates; this is just as Our Lord guaranteed “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30).

But in this verse, John advances the issue by asserting that all unrighteousness is sin. The Greek word for unrighteousness (adikia) indicates that which is contrary to what is right in accordance “to the standard of His holiness and righteousness.”2 Swanson characterizes it as unjust deed, wickedness, evil, wrongdoing.3 Further expanding upon the concept of wickedness, Zodhiates states:

This wickedness is seen more particularly in the neglect of the true God and His laws and in an adherence to the world or to idolatry; hence, adikía means impiety, ungodliness, contempt of God, as opposed to truth or piety toward God…those who impede the worship of the true God.4

This implies that the believer who sins has substituted their faithfulness to God for selfish ambitions by indulging in the fleeting enticements and pleasures of this world (Romans 2:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12; 2 Peter 2:15).

Reassurance of Our Relationship

Next, John encourages believers that there is a sin condition that does not result in the divine discipline of death. Robertson asserts that: “Sin is a terrible reality, but there is no cause for despair. Sin not unto death can be overcome in Christ.”5 We should recall that there is no sin that God would refuse to forgive us for and to cleanse us from its stain. The fact is that all our sins (and the sins of the whole world) were judged on the cross, having satisfied the just demands of the Father (1 John 2:2).

And yet we should never be dismissive of the fact that we may receive corrective discipline for unconfessed sins. However, this can be avoided if we keep short accounts with God. This requires an acute awareness of personal sins and diligence in confessing sins (1 John 1:9); for confession of sin is by necessity self-judgement, as explained by the apostle Paul:

But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:31–32)

We must keep in mind that if God were not to discipline us, then regarding our vital relationship with Him, we would be considered “illegitimate children and not sons” (Hebrews 12:8). Thus, the reason for corrective discipline of those “whom the Lord loves” (Proverbs 3:12) is plainly stated by the writer of Hebrews:

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. (Hebrews 12:11)

The Life of Righteousness

The writer to the Hebrews instructs us to once and for all time to “lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1). But note that the writer to the Hebrews characterizes our life of righteousness as a race. This is a direct contrast to the perception of some in Christian assemblies today, where many equate the Christian way of life with a journey. The Greek word for race (agon) is where we get our English word agony. Elsewhere Paul uses this word for fight in 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7, conflict in Philippians 1:30 and struggle in Colossians 2:1. Paul further instructs us to “run in such a way that you may win” (1 Corinthians 9:24), meaning to race like the rabbit and not trudge along like the tortoise. As our example, Paul could rightly boast: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

Therefore, the Christian life is not some tranquil, idyllic excursion down a dreamy country lane. It is fighting the good fight, finishing the course, keeping the faith—this is our race, our life of righteousness. Anything else is a distraction from attending to the primary spiritual needs of the believer: the study of His Word and the absorption of His truth to establish the foundation of our belief structure. It is only with this basis for our faith that we live the righteous life. This is the formula advanced by Paul:

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17; cf. Romans 12:1–2)

Final Thought

Note the writer to the Hebrews’ apt conclusion:

Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20–21)

Are we striving to “do the things that are pleasing in His sight” (1 John 3:22)? Are we determined to finish our race? The key is: that we must run; and to do so unrestrained by the unrighteousness of sin.

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[1] Smith, David (1990). The Expositor’s Greek Testament (Nicoll, W. Robertson, Ed.), Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 5.198.

[2] Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 2.326.

[3] Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek New Testament. Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., G94

[4] Zodhiates, S. (2000). The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, G93.

[5] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament. Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1 John 5:17.

 

© 2026 David M. Rossi 

 

THERE IS A SIN LEADING TO DEATH - 1 JOHN 5:16

Verse 16: If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.

Previously, in the last post, it was discussed how the faithful believer is to pray for a fellow brother in Christ who may be entangled in sinning. It is important that they not ask God to coerce the erring brother but that the Lord might appeal to his will in order that the erring brother might confess and seek to be restored to fellowship with God.

What follows in the remainder of this verse is a truth that many have found difficult to comprehend. Since the Holy Spirit led the apostle John to write this text, we must endeavor to understand its full import of how it applies to us today.

Sin Resulting in Death

In the final phrase of this verse, John assures us that there is indeed a sinful condition that will result in the physical death of the believer. Again, as in the opening phrase of this verse, the English translation reads a sin but the Greek text does not specify one particular sin. Instead, this implies a continual state of sin in which the believer is abiding while persistently refusing God’s summoning to repentance and restoration to abiding fellowship with Him. James describes this believer as one who “strays from the truth…the error of his way” (James 5:19–20). The apostle Peter portrays them as “forsaking the right way, they have gone astray” (2 Peter 2:15). The right way which Peter refers to is “the way of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:21), which is synonymous with being in fellowship—walking in the Light (1:7).

So what John is telling us is that believers who continue to live in a status of sin, the longer they prolong their rebelliousness to the will of God for their life that at some point the Lord will remove them by death. We have no idea of how long the Lord will allow the erring brother to maintain their sinful status before He administers this final discipline. This means that we need to continue intercessory prayer that the Lord preserves their life.

But when the unfortunate event of the final disciple occurs—the removal of the sinning brother by the Lord in death—John states that we should not make request for this. Here the Greek word for request, erotao (ἐρωτάω), is different than the Greek word for ask, aiteo (αἰτέω), that John used earlier. This word (erotao) normally “provides the most delicate and tender expression for prayer or request with the one asking and the one being asked being on an equal level, such as the Lord Jesus asking of the Father”1 (cf. John 14:13, 14). Trench states that this is the only passage in the New Testament that seems to contradict the normal usage of this word erotao and that in no other instance is it “used in the New Testament to express the prayer of man to God, of the creature to the Creator.”2 Whereas, aiteo generally indicates a request made by “one who is lesser in position than he to whom the petition is made; e.g., in the case of men in asking something from God.”3

Therefore, we are discouraged from making an appeal to God for “intercession for any believer who has experienced divine judgment in the form of death. Such prayer for the dead would be contrary to God’s will.”4 This indicates that we must leave the matter in God’s hands. Also, we should consider these two biblical truths pertaining to this particular divine judgment: there are no Scripture that authorizes praying for those who are dead, and that what we ask for in our prayers must be according to His will (v. 14); thus the discipline dispensed by the sovereign will of God cannot be reversed by a believer’s prayer. 

A Final Note

We ought always to be mindful of the spiritual well-being of our fellow believers. But if we become aware of a brother entangled in sin then we “who are spiritual” (free from unconfessed sin, walking in fellowship) are to follow the apostle Paul’s command “to restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness” (Galatians 6:1). This would imply that any confrontation should to be tactful and in private. However, it isn’t possible or even practical to be aware of every sin of our fellow brother. For outside of our immediate family, we should be cautious and not become arrogant and overly absorbed in or actively intruding upon the privacy of other believers, thus becoming a spiritual busybody.

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[1] Zodhiates, S. (2000). In The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, G2065.

[2] Trench, Richard (1975). Synonyms of the New Testament, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, p. 145.

[3] Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). In Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 2.40.

[4] Harris, Murray J. (1986). In The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (Brown, Colin, Ed.), Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 3.1205–1206.

 

© 2026 David M. Rossi 

 

SIN NOT LEADING TO DEATH - 1 JOHN 5:16

Verse 16: If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.

In the previous two verses, John provided the confidence we now have that God hears our prayers and answers according to His divine will. Now he illustrates an example of this principle as it applies to intercessory prayer.

John begins with if, meaning in the event that we should observe a brother committing sin. The Greek text literally reads “sinning sin” while our English text reads committing a sin, for John does not identify a specific sin. This denotes the nature or essence of sin, referring to a status rather than a specific sin. For their present status is residing outside of the sphere of abiding fellowship with the Lord, having reverted back to their sinful condition prior to salvation. But John does qualify the sin as that which is not leading to1 death, referring to physical and not spiritual death, for believers cannot lose their salvation.

In the next phrase John asserts that upon seeing such a brother entangled in sin we are to pray on their behalf for intercession. Since will give is God’s response to shall ask, hence, He [God] will give life, on the basis of him (who shall ask), to those who commit sin not leading to death. Therefore, the response to what we ask for is emphasized by what God gives: continued life rather than death, the ultimate discipline for the erring brother.

Now let us determine if this aligns with verse 14, that “if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” First, is it God’s will that all believers continually reside in an abiding fellowship with Him? Yes, for it is a mandate from Our Lord Himself: “Abide in Me” (John 15:4), in order to fulfill the purpose of having been saved to bear much fruit (John 15:5); which cannot be accomplished if the believer remains in a sinful condition. Second, what is the correct prayer for the erring brother? That God will provide an intervention in order to convince the fellow believer of the error of his ways. It is important to note that we should not pray for God to withhold His discipline apart from them returning to fellowship. Third, we should not pray that God should employ measures to coerce the believer to conform and obey. God always appeals to the believer will, that it is their personal responsibility to make a rational decision to obey or face the certainty of discipline of their disobedience. This is the true meaning of Our Lord’s statement in Revelation 3:19–20:

“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”

The knock on the door is for the erring brother to respond to Our Lords summoning him to dine with Him and thus to be restored to fellowship. This favorable result is conditioned upon if anyone hears and opens the door. The opening of the door is synonymous to confession and cleansing of sin (1 John 1:9), for it is impossible to have fellowship with a holy God if we walk in the darkness of sin (1 John 1:5–6).

Therefore, it becomes important that faithful believers pray earnestly upon seeing a fellow believer who appears to descend spiritually into a state of sinfulness, recognizing that the beginning stage of their downfall is not leading to death. Although that may change depending upon how long they remain in their sinful status.

This should alert all believers to be vigilant of all personal sins and to maintain consistent fellowship with God by confessing their sins without delay.

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[1] “To the point of, to the extent of,” Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). πρὸς, In Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1.692.

 

© 2026 David M. Rossi