Prayer for the Brethren

1 John 5:16-17
“If any man see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: not concerning this do I say that he should make request. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.”

“We have here the second of the deductions that the Apostle draws from this great doctrine of the assurance of salvation and the possession of eternal life. We must have this view of ourselves as Christian people: as members of the Church, in which we see ourselves as God’s household, God’s family. We must have a great and jealous concern about that family.

We should be deeply and gravely concerned about a brother who has fallen into sin. We should not be impatient. We should not say ‘why does this fellow let us down? Let him reap the consequences of his action. We will carry on whatever he may do.’

No.

‘Bear ye one another’s burdens,’ said the Apostle Paul, meaning exactly the same thing. Christ did not consider Himself, but considered you. That other man is a brother. We must be greatly concerned for him and his welfare.”