Why does God sometimes take the life of a believer who refuses to leave his sinful lifestyle?
God may take a believer’s physical life when that believer refuses to leave a sinful lifestyle, lest they keep bringing reproach to His name. Scripture calls this a sin unto death, a situation God alone handles. Other sins do not cause God to take a person out of physical life, but this one can.
Les explains from John’s teaching that there are some sins that would not cause God to take a believer out of physical life, but some He will. He says he has seen a believer who refuses to come away from his sinful lifestyle; you can deal with them and deal with them, and then suddenly a heart attack or car accident takes them. God takes them home lest they keep bringing reproach to His name. This is the sin unto death: a believer can come to the place where God will take his life. John adds that no believer or church body ever has the right to pray for the death of an erring believer; that is never permissible and is in God’s hands.
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.
More Questions
What can happen to a believer who refuses to turn away from a sinful lifestyle?
A believer who refuses to come away from a sinful lifestyle can be dealt with repeatedly and then suddenly die by a heart attack or car accident.
Do believers who commit the sin unto death lose their salvation?
Believers who commit the kind of deep, open sin that God removes from physical existence by death do not lose their salvation—Scripture says God takes them out of their physical existence, but they are still saved.