From the previous verses, we know that God hears our prayers, and when we pray in accordance with His will, we can know with certainty that He hears and will answer. Today's verses are not the easiest to understand. Many commentators and students of the Word have varying opinions about what John was saying. Regardless of what we think John was saying, we have a responsibility to pray for one another. Jesus told us that the unpardonable sin was the sin of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit. However, none of us truly know what sins are sins unto death and which ones are not. All sin is sin, and many of them could lead to physical death, even for a believer and follower of Christ. The only sin that can never be forgiven is the sin of rejecting the God's offer of eternal life, and closing our eyes in death before accepting that gift. After death there are no second chances to receive life eternal. At that point it is eternal condemnation in a place that was not created for man, but for the devil and his angels. We know that the Word of God tells us that God desires that none should perish, and therefore He has delayed His return. However, that delay will not last forever. The bottom line is that we just don't know what we don't know. What we do know is that we are accountable to watch out for each other, pray for each other, and carry one another's burdens. In the end, it is not for us to decide who we should pray for or not pray for; and as one dear pastor once told me, "If you're gonna err, err on the side of grace." Just keep praying until we see an answer, Jesus takes us home or He returns returns. Until then...just keep praying.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13).
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