1 John 5v13-17

13 I Awrite-a these things to yous, the ones Abelieving into the name of the son of (the) God, that yous might have Aknown3 that yous Ahave age-lasting life and that yous might Abelieve into the name of the son of (the) God.

  • This verse is evidence that John is writing to believers, not those who profess to believe or false believers;
  • ‘believing’ is present continuous;
  • Those who are presently believing or trusting in the name of Jesus have age-lasting life;
  • Last part of the verse is a variant reading;
  • If present in the original, we may think that John is repeating himself at the end of this verse but to continue to have age-lasting life presently, one needs to continue to believe/trust in the name of Jesus;
  • This is what John is encouraging his readers to continue doing.

14 And this is the boldness which we Ahave with him, that if we (might) Mask anything according to the will of him, he Ahears us.

15 And if we have Aknown3 that he Ahears us, whatever we might Mask, we have Aknown3 that we Ahave the requests that we have Aasked from beside him.

  • If we pray and ask according to His will, he hears us;
  • If God hears us, we have what we ask for;
  • If our prayers are not answered, we need to ask the question, ‘is what we have prayed for according to His will?’
  • Is the answer a ‘no’ or ‘not yet’?

16 If anyone (might) Asee-2a the brother of him Asinning sin not towards death, he will Aask and he will Agive to him life, to the ones not Asinning towards death.  Sin is towards death. I Asay that he might not Arequest-a concerning that one.   

17 All unrighteousness is sin and sin is not towards death.

  • ‘Brother’ means John is speaking of a Christian sinning;

Sinning sin not towards death:

  • ‘he will ask’ refers to the ‘anyone’ who sees his brother sinning;
  • ‘he will give’ refers to God as only God can give age-lasting life.

Sinning sin towards death:

  • Is the death physical death or spiritual death (separation from God)?
  • No definite article unlike 1 John 3v14;
  • Where there is no definite article in other passages it can refer to physical death but also death into the age (Millennial kingdom) which is physical as you are not resurrected and also spiritual death because you are still separated from Christ:

John 8v52… ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ (NKJV)

Literally…. he will not taste death into the age.

  • Is the word ‘life’ referring to physical life or spiritual life?
  • Context would suggest spiritual age-lasting life and therefore would ‘death’ simply be physical death?
  • In the Protestant Calvinist view it cannot refer to spiritual death.  It has to be physical death;
  • Examples given of physical death are Ananias and Sapphira and those taking communion unworthily;
  • If the Protestant Calvinistic view is correct then God kills a Christian because of their sin and immediately they are at home with Christ – how does this make sense??
  • In the Protestant Arminian view it could refer to spiritual death in the sense that a Christian no longer believes and therefore completely loses their salvation;
  • Parallel passage for this verse is Romans 6v16;
  • My answer:
    • Physical death and/or spiritual death (separation from Christ), before the Millennium and during the Millennium;
    • Physical death can include spiritual death;
  • Note: spiritual death is not necessarily ‘eternal/everlasting’ death.

We are not to request concerning the one sinning towards death:

  • What are we not to request?
  • The context here is age-lasting life in v11 and v13 with God giving life in v16 to the one not sinning sin towards death;
  • Answer: life for that brother;
  • Why are we not to request life for that brother?

Two reasons:

  1. The flesh must be destroyed in a believer first before life can be given;
    • Read 1 Cor 5v4&5;
    • The destruction of the flesh should lead to repentance;
  2. Hebs 6v4-6 & Hebs 12v17 No longer a place for repentance.

What are the sins towards death?

  • 3 main passages: 1 Cor 6v9&10, Gal 5v19-21 and Eph 5v3-5;
  • If you do not inherit the kingdom of God i.e. the Millennial kingdom then you will still be physically dead and abiding in spiritual death.