A Sin Unto Death
The sin unto death is a deliberately planned and willful persistence in some evil course with the guilty person presuming on God's grace or mercy, resulting in physical death.
Theodore Epp discusses the concept of 'a sin unto death' as described in 1 John 5:14-21, emphasizing that it refers to a deliberate and willful sin committed by a believer who knowingly persists in wrongdoing while presuming upon God's grace. He encourages prayer for those who may be in doubt about their spiritual state, as the outcome of such sin could lead to physical death rather than spiritual death. Epp highlights the importance of recognizing the new life within believers that urges them towards godly living, warning against the dangers of complacency in faith.
Text
1 John 5:14-21
We do not always know whether a Christian's sin is unto death; for that reason my own suggestion is that we should be sure to pray for such a person if we are in doubt.
If we see that God is not going to answer, it could be that the person prayed for has committed a sin unto death. But I will continue to pray for such a person until the Spirit in some way makes it plain just what has happened in his life.
I believe that the sin unto death is a deliberate sin of a believer against better knowledge. When John wrote about committing this sin, he used the tense so often employed throughout his first epistle, the tense that signifies continuation of action.
In my opinion the sin unto death is a deliberately planned and willful persistence in some evil course with the guilty person presuming on God's grace or mercy.
The death that results from this sin, as far as I can determine from Scripture, is physical death, not spiritual death. There is a vast difference between the two.
There may be those who have said, "Since I am eternally saved, I can live just as I please." They willfully and deliberately ignore the new life within them and its urging to godly living. I believe such a person stands in danger of committing the sin unto death.
"Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me" (Ps. 19:13).
Sermon Outline
- Understanding the Sin Unto Death
- The Nature of the Sin
- The Consequences of the Sin
- The Danger of Presumptuous Sins
- Ignoring the New Life Within
- Deliberately Ignoring God's Urge to Godly Living
- Deliberate Sin Against Better Knowledge
Key Quotes
“I believe that the sin unto death is a deliberately planned and willful persistence in some evil course with the guilty person presuming on God's grace or mercy.” — Theodore Epp
“There is a vast difference between the two.” — Theodore Epp
“Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me” — Theodore Epp
Application Points
- We should pray for Christians who may be struggling with sin, even if we're not sure if it's the sin unto death.
- We should be careful not to let presumptuous sins have dominion over us, and instead pray for God to keep us from them.
- We should strive to live a life of godly living, following the urging of the new life within us.