1 John 5:13–21

Read the passage.

John’s letter is an encouragement to believers. It is to help them be assured of their salvation and the eternal life they have in Jesus. Because this means we have been adopted into the family of God, He will grant our requests as a father grants the requests of his children. As fathers know, that doesn’t mean the children get everything they ask for. Notice the very important phrase in v. 14, “according to His will”. The prosperity “gospel” charlatans tell people that God wants to give them whatever they ask for if they just have enough faith to donate their savings to the ministry. As if God was a vending machine, or someone who brought you room service for a tip. But God does wish to shower us with blessings, at the right time, in the right amount, according to His sovereign will. If we truly love Him as His children, we should want what He wants, so it is therefore natural that He should grant those requests.

What kinds of things does God want us to ask for? John tells us. When we see our brothers and sisters slipping up, sliding back, and doing what they ought not to do, we should cry out to the Lord to help them repent and turn back to the One who granted them life. The Lord is pleased to save people from their sin, so we should ask fervently that He would.

Now, some might be wondering what the “sin that leads to death” is. (v. 16) Jesus talked about the unforgivable sin of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, but not in John’s gospel, so that is possible but not very likely. Paul tells us the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) so it does make sense to say that all sins lead to death. What, then, does John mean? There’s a princible of interpreting the Bible that goes “if the plain sense makes sense, use that”. I believe John is speaking plainly and literally here. If we see someone sinning, we can pray for them to repent until they no longer can. If their sin has caused them to die, then there is no use in praying for their repentance. But if someone does come to saving faith, they do not keep on as they were. The trajectory of their life changes, and they do not remain ensnared in the sins that bound them before. They may slip and fall, but the grace of God will pick them back up and set them on their way again.

You are the truth, and You have set us free.