By TONY HOSS
Q. Explain “sin unto death.”
A. For many, one of the most difficult passages to understand in the NT is (1 John 5:16). John wrote, “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.”
To understand this verse one must understand that sin is a failure to do what God has required, it is a transgression of the law of God (1 John 3: 4). To transgress God’s law one may commit sins of omission (not doing what is commanded) (Jas. 4:17) or sins of commission (doing what is forbidden) which is often referred to as missing the mark (Phil. 3:19). Any sin not repented of always results in spiritual death (Jas. 1:14,15; Isa. 59:1, 2). But John also mentions a sin not unto death.
Many attempt to understand this verse by referring to passages throughout God’s Word; yet it always seems best, when possible, to allow the inspired writer to define his own statements and explain what he by inspiration has written. To better understand this passage we go to chapter one. John wrote, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn 1:9 KJV). By this we understand that all confessed sin is forgiven presupposing of course the sinner has repented of their actions (Acts 2:38; 8:22; 17:30). In (1 Jn 5:1), John mentions two “kinds” of sins: Sin unto death and sin not unto death. The sin not unto death must be sin which is repented of and confessed to God. Logically a sin unto death must be sin not confessed or repented of.
When unrepented-of sin is mentioned, it is always in the context of spiritual condemnation. So it was for Ananias and Sapphira in (Acts 5). Also the Hebrew writer wrote, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” (Heb. 6:4-6 KJV). Therefore we see that a person can become so depraved that there can be no forgiveness. Not because of God’s inability but rather their own depravity and immorality have left them incapable of true repentance.
While sin is sin, some sins are more consequential because they involve more rebellion which leads to the “sin unto death.” These involve ultimate rebellion against God defined by rejection and defiance.
(Tony Hoss is minister at the Centerview Church of Christ, Elizabethton. He can be contacted at 423-737-2287 or by e-mail at: tmagho1@comcast.net)