Sermon Outline

November 25, 2007 PM

SIN NOT UNTO DEATH

Lesson #12

TEXT: 1 John 5:16-17 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

INTRODUCTION:

  1. One of the most beautiful lessons Jesus ever taught was what we call the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32).
  2. The father loved both sons, but the younger left and found himself in dire straits.
  3. The father welcomed his son back into the family.
  4. The characters in this parable represent God and His family  the church.
  1. The younger son is the brother who leaves the church.
  2. When he repents and returns to God the Father, he finds the Father welcoming him back with open arms.
  3. This serves to illustrate a sin not unto death.
  1. To some this passage is difficult because they think John is writing about a specific kind of sin.
  2. In reality it is quite simple, a sin repented of and forgiven is a sin that did not lead to death.
  1. OUR CONFIDENCE BEFORE GOD:
  1. Setting the context for our text, John reminds us of our confidence before God.
  1. 1 John 5:14-15 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
  2. Our confidence is that our prayers are being answered and that God does listen to the cries of His children.
  3. Earlier in this epistle John wrote, "And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight" (1John 3:22).
  4. We noticed two conditions in receiving from God: keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight"
  5. Now in our present text (5:14), John adds another condition to the promise that God will hear out prayers: Whatsoever we ask, we must ask according to His will."
  1. What does it mean to ask according to His will?
  1. According to His revealed will, the scriptures (Colossians 3:17).
    1. Whatever we do is be according to that which God has authorized.
    2. Whatever we ask of Him should be in harmony with and in accordance to the word of God.
    3. We must pray as God directed and we must pray for that which God has authorized.
    4. We dont pray for God to help accomplish evil!
  1. His Desired will:
    1. Jesus prayed in the Garden for Gods desired will to be done (Luke 22:42).
    2. God is all-wise and He knows what is best for us.
    3. Therefore when we pray, we leave the answer of our prayers in His hands  according to His will.
  1. Another aspect of this text is that God wants His children to ask.
  1. It cannot be disputed that to some degree God does provide for each of us without our asking (Matthew 5:45 Sun and rain on the just and the unjust).
  2. He provides life.
  3. He provides the planet on which we live.
  4. The rain, the sunshine, the wind etc.
  5. All without our asking.
  6. However, there are some things for which God wants us to ask.
  1. Why Should We Ask:
  1. It is a confession that God exists and that He has the strength and ability to help.
    1. We wouldnt ask a God in whom we did not believe to exist to help us!
    2. Those who call upon idols do this very thing. Isaiah 44:9-20 Those who make an image, all of them are useless, And their precious things shall not profit; They are their own witnesses; They neither see nor know, that they may be ashamed. Who would form a god or mold an image that profits him nothing? Surely all his companions would be ashamed; And the workmen, they are mere men. Let them all be gathered together, Let them stand up; Yet they shall fear, They shall be ashamed together. The blacksmith with the tongs works one in the coals, Fashions it with hammers, and works it with the strength of his arms. Even so, he is hungry, and his strength fails; He drinks no water and is faint. The craftsman stretches out his rule, He marks one out with chalk; He fashions it with a plane, He marks it out with the compass, And makes it like the figure of a man, According to the beauty of a man, that it may remain in the house. He cuts down cedars for himself, And takes the cypress and the oak; He secures it for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a pine, and the rain nourishes it. Then it shall be for a man to burn, For he will take some of it and warm himself; Yes, he kindles it and bakes bread; Indeed he makes a god and worships it; He makes it a carved image, and falls down to it. He burns half of it in the fire; With this half he eats meat; He roasts a roast, and is satisfied. He even warms himself and says, "Ah! I am warm, I have seen the fire." And the rest of it he makes into a god, His carved image. He falls down before it and worships it, Prays to it and says, "Deliver me, for you are my god!" They do not know nor understand; For He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, And their hearts, so that they cannot understand. And no one considers in his heart, Nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say, "I have burned half of it in the fire, Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals; I have roasted meat and eaten it; And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood ?" He feeds on ashes; A deceived heart has turned him aside; And he cannot deliver his soul, Nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"
  1. It is an act of homage or worship, acknowledging that He is our God.
  2. It shows our reliance upon Him.
    1. We, through our prayers, express a need for help and the assistance of God.
    2. We show that we understand that we can do nothing without God and that we do need His help.
  1. The point is that we can have confidence and can know for certain that God answers the prayers of His saints.
  2. No other teaching gives more assurance than this!
  3. In some cases when we ask the answer is not readily visible and it is not always what we think it should be, but we know God has an answer and that it will be the best answer for the situation.
  1. SIN NOT UNTO DEATH:
  1. If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin that does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.
  2. Two kinds of sin: One leading to death and one not leading to death.
  3. The sin not unto death concerns Christians and them only.
  4. Not a particular sin that will not result in death:
  1. He is writing about a Christians request to God through the Advocate, Jesus Christ.
  2. This request concerns a brother who errs in the faith.
  3. He is in a state of sin and will continue there until he obtains forgiveness of sins.
  4. It is for this reason that prayer is offered on His behalf.
  1. Thus, the passage teaches that Christians can sin and fall from grace; prayers are to be offered for the penitent one with the assurance our prayers will be answered.
  2. Because the prayers are offered, the sin does not result in death and is therefore a sin not unto death.
  3. James 5:16
  4. Simon the sorcerer in Acts 8 is a good illustration of this point.
  5. The result of such a prayer is life as opposed to death.
  6. Because the erring brother has repented, confessed his faults and prayer has been offered up on his behalf, he receives life.
  1. SIN UNTO DEATH:
  1. We realize that "all have sinned" (Romans 3:23).
  2. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made us free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2).
  3. Three laws:
  1. Law of the Spirit of life (N.T.)
  2. Law of Moses (O.T.)
  3. Law of sin and death (The one that we are concerned with in this study).
  1. The Law of Sin and Death:
  1. If you sin you die.
  2. Death comes as the result of sin.
  3. Romans 6:23
  4. 1 Corinthians 15:56
  5. Romans 5:12
  6. We die because of our sin
  7. This is the law of sin and death.
  1. Those who are not Christians have never had their sins forgiven for they have never contacted the blood of Christ.
  1. They must face God unprepared in view of death separated from God for all eternity.
  2. This is the law of sin and death.
  3. They are sinners, therefore, they must die.
  4. Some Christians will not repent and confess their sins and thereby, continue in sin.
  5. They must also face God unprepared and in view of death  separated from God for all eternity.
  6. This is the law of sin and death.
  7. 1 John 1:8-10
  8. If the Christian confesses His sins, God will forgive him.
  9. If he refuses God will not forgive him!
  10. This sin, un-repented of, will be a sin that results in death.
  11. It is deliberate rebellion.
  1. "I do not say that he shall pray for it"
  1. God wont forgive the sin of which one refuses to repent.
  2. It would be against His will.
  1. PERTINENT PASSAGE
  1. Hebrews 6:4-6
  2. Impossible to renew one to repentance who doesnt want to be renewed!

CONCLUSION:

  1. We can have great confidence and assurance in the fact that God does hear the prayers of His righteous Saints.
  2. They are righteous because they confess their sins and God forgives them.
  3. These know they have eternal life because their sins are not unto death!
  4. We repent, confess and pray, we can know that our sins are forgiven.
  5. Therefore we call, "Come home oh wandering prodigal, come home to the security of the Fathers open arms."