5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sins not; but he that is begotten of God keeps himself, and that wicked one touches him not. 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in wickedness. 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. (1 John 5:16-21 KJV)

          I will put on a teacher’s hat and dive into John. Like Paul John established congregations throughout the area he traveled. Like Paul he found out evil had embedded itself into these congregations. As he wrote the letters, he referred to the congregation members as his children and attempted to teach and guide them.

          There are two sins, one that brings death and one that does not bring death. A person will sin, that is a given, but if that person does not continue to sin, death is not the punishment. When a person continues to sin as a normal way of life, then death will be the punishment.

          A person that occasionally sin must also believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and attempt to discontinue sinning. In this way the person separates themselves from the devil, who is the false prophet, and through Jesus Christ will have everlasting life. But those that continue to lie and does not have Jesus in their life will be doomed to the depths of hell.

          At the end of this chapter John tells the congregation to keep themselves from idols. He told them that whoever is born of God does not keep on sinning. He tried to tell them not to trust every person claiming to be a Christian but to test the spirits to see whether they are from God because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

          We have the same thing going on in our government, especially in Congress. There are many Congresspeople that almost every word that comes out of their mouth is a lie. There are far too many that will tell you one thing and do another. And there are those that love to cause division. They will not atone nor want anyone else to atone. They will eventually burn in hell and anyone with them or condone them will burn in hell with them.

          Do not idolize these false people and condemn yourself to burn in the depths of hell. Jesus is love and love will save your soul. Love Jesus and your soul by ridding yourself of these false idols.