1 John 5:16- 17 “If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he should ask God, who will give life to those who commit this kind of sin. There is a sin that leads to death; I am not saying he should ask regarding that sin. All unrighteousness is sin, yet there is sin that does not lead to death.”
For years, Bible scholars have argued over the meaning of this passage. At times, churches have issued lists of mortal sins and have tried to qualify sins in various ways. What is the sin that leads to death?
Pastor John Piper (https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/what-is-the-sin-not-leading-to-death-in-1-john-5) has an excellent answer to this problem. Here is one of his key statements: The sin that does not lead to death (that is, eternal death or damnation — which is what I think John means) is any sin that we commit that we are, by grace, capable of truly confessing and repenting from.
Piper continues, “The reason I put it like that is because of what 1 John 1:9 says and what Hebrews 12:16 says. So 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins” — he doesn’t specify any particular kind — “he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” So that’s a very sweeping and glorious and wonderful and precious promise. If you can confess your sin authentically, agree with God that it is sin and that it stinks, hate it, turn from it, and fight against it, you will be forgiven.
However, Hebrews 12:16–17, when talking about Esau and what happened to him, says “[See] that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.”
When it says he sought it, it means he sought repentance. He couldn’t find it. He was no longer capable of repenting. It’s not that he repented and repented and cried over his repentance, and God wouldn’t forgive him. No, no, no. He could not repent. He had sinned to a depth or a degree that God had given him up.
That’s what I think Jesus meant by the unforgivable sin. It’s not a particular sin, like some particular ugly act, but a particular depth or degree or aggravation or persistence in sin to the point where authentic confession and repentance have become impossible.“
Repeat any behavior for a few weeks and it will become a habit. And once formed, habits are terribly difficult to break or to change. Each of us is choosing for better or for worse, for good or for evil, each time we make any choice whatsoever. We can eat healthy food or junk food. We can exercise or zone out in front of the television or on cell phones. In the same way, we can choose to respond in anger and hatred and resentment, or we can love and forgive. One saying has it that “Love is an act of endless forgiveness.” Today what will you choose?
PRAYER: Father God, help us to make right choices. Help us to follow hard after you all the days of our lives. And help us to quickly confess and seek forgiveness. Thank you for loving us, for caring us, and for promising to forgive if we confess our sins. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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