God will give life
“If anyone sees his brother committing a sin that does not bring death, he should ask, and God will give life to him — to those who commit sin that doesn’t bring death. There is sin that brings death. I am not saying he should pray about that.”
Are all sins created equal? I don’t think so. At the end of life, all sins bring the same penalty, death. And it does not matter if you sinned once or 123,456,789 times death is still at the end of the road. John seems to be saying that there are sins that do and do not lead to death, right away and that we as brothers and sisters in Christ should be praying for life in the individual.
“The Lord hates six things; in fact, seven are detestable to Him: arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet eager to run to evil, a lying witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up trouble among brothers.”
Proverbs 6:16-19 HCSB
Do any of these things bring immediate death? I would say about three may and one most definitely does. So what about the other three, arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, and stirring up trouble among brothers? We should be praying for our brothers for God to give them life! If we see a brother with arrogant eyes we should be asking God to give them a humble life so that at the end of life it has not grown into a heart that plots evil schemes. If we see a brother with a lying tongue we should be praying that God will give them an honest life so that it does not result in a lying witness. If we see a brother who is stirring up trouble for other believers we should be praying for unity in life so that they do not run toward evil schemes. In the end, each of these brothers could slip into shedding innocent blood if their hated sin leads to a greater hated sin.
Even in the Old Testament, there were degrees of sin. If someone was caught with a stolen cow they were to give it back plus one more cow. If a man steals a cow and kills it he must repay it with seven other cows.
“When a man steals an ox or a sheep and butchers it or sells it, he must repay five cattle for the ox or four sheep for the sheep.
If what was stolen — whether ox, donkey, or sheep — is actually found alive in his possession, he must repay double.”
Exodus 22:1, 4 HCSB
Let us begin to pray for our brothers in Christ for God will give them life for we know had it not been for the grace of God it could of, should of, would of been us!
“Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won’t be tempted. Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each person should examine his own work, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and not in respect to someone else. For each person will have to carry his own load.”
Galatians 6:1-5 HCSB
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