Forgive or Not?

1 John 5:16-17 If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.
 
HOW do we know  John’s meaning of the sin that leads to death and the sin that does not lead to death? The best way to know the Bible is to look “around” the words you question. Understand the writer’s central focus. This is its context. You then examine other Bible passages that speak to the same focus.
    The context here is to remember John is writing about praying in God’s will. John had learned about God’s will regarding unforgiven sin from the Master: Matthew 12:31 “And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”  This is blasphemy, to deliberately and consistently rebel against the Holy Spirit’s truth. Such people deny his authority, deny Jesus is Lord and deliberately disobey God’s commands. Arrogance overwhelms their hearts.
    Such were the condemned of the Great Flood, unfaithful Israelites in the Exodus journey and idol-worshiping kings such as Ahab in 1-2 Kings. Sin that leads to death is putting self consistently and deliberately above God.
    Examine the Bible and know that God’s prophets and apostles record rebellion’s deadly effects. From Moses: Numbers 15:31 Because he has despised the Lord’s word and broken his commands, that person must surely be cut off; his guilt remains on him. God’s will was to kill the unbelievers.
    From the apostle Paul: Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. God will not forgive blasphemous, rebellious hearts.
    Does John, then, teach us not to pray about that unbelieving sin? His meaning is to submit to God’s will as you pray. Allow the Lord to deal with the unbeliever’s heart. Be at peace in your heart as you pray for hard hearts. Salvation is the Lord’s work and will.
    The sin that does not lead to death are as we do each day in the course of our faith journey. A true believer strives to reject sin. Saved in Christ, you live in love for God to overcome its effects on your relationship with God. Supporting each other to pray, “lead us not into temptation” is a constant work in the church.
    As the Scriptures teach, all sin leads to death if we do not confess to God, “I am a sinner. I need a Savior.” This is a heart of confession that leads to God’s eternal life.
 
Life Thought: Confessing Christ, as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalms 103:12