“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: 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 what we asked of him. If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death” (1 John 5:13-17).
Follow the apostle’s thoughts link by link.
1. He writes so that believers would be assured of eternal life (v. 13). That’s what the letter is about: How can I know that I have the Son and have life. Assurance of our fellowship with God, of His love for us, of our love for Him is the birthright of all those who have been born of God.
2. Along with assurance, God wants us to know that He hears our prayers when we “ask anything according to his will” (v. 14). We are to be confident of this when we approach God. Believing, confident, God’ will-dependent prayer is also our birthright, for we know He hears us.
3. Since God hears us, we know that we have whatever we ask of Him (v. 15). Wow. Savor that for a moment: we have life in the Son, we have an audience with the Father, and we have anything we ask for in accord with God’s will.
4. But then John tells us one thing in keeping with God’s will that we should pray for specifically. Imagine: The attention of heaven is riveted to our prayers and God is leaning forward desiring that we should ask something specifically in keeping with His will. What should that be? Pray for any brother we see committing a sin so that God will give him life! “Anyone” who sees a brother in such sin and prays will be answered by God. The effectiveness of the prayer isn’t limited to some special, select “prayer warriors.” Anyone in Christ may move heaven to grant life by interceding for any brother caught in sin.
Oh, we should pray fervent, believing, confident prayers for one another’s deliverance from sin to life! Who can you pray for today? What brethren do you know committing sin and in need of life?
