What does John say about sins that lead to death?
John writes that there is a sin unto death, a sin where God may take a believer’s physical life for refusing to forsake a sinful lifestyle. Yet John says he does not say to pray for it—no believer or church may pray for an erring believer’s death, which remains in God’s hands.
Les explains that John is delineating that some sins would not cause God to take them out of their physical life, but some He will. A believer who refuses to come away from a sinful lifestyle can be dealt with and dealt with, and then suddenly—through a heart attack or car accident—they are gone. God takes them home lest they keep bringing reproach to His name, and that is exactly what John is dealing with. John says there is a sin unto death, and a believer can come to that place where God will take his life. But John also says, “I do not say that you shall pray for it.” 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.