The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-09-18
Sermon by tie Rev. John Shape

IS not unto death, he sha II ask, and
he shall give him life for them that
sin not unto death. There is sin
uJto death: | do not say that he
shall pray for it. All unrlghtcous-
ness is sin and there is a sin not un-
to death, -
The first chapter is wonderful
chapter. rs utlerances stand like
aphorsms, each complete IN its own
straight directed truth. No shafts
at random sent are to be found in this
chapter or indeed in the whole ep is
tie
1t is chapter easily disting usha-
bic by its well chosen and oft repeat.
ed key words Believe" and "know"
the former occurring seven times
and the latter eight times in this
short chapter. Hearken to the song
this word "believe" sings to every
believer. whatsoever that believeth
that Jesus il the Christ, is born of
God. Who is he that overcome tn
the world, but lie that belicveth that
Jesus is the Son OF God. BY believ-
ing, Christ's disciples becom es- his
own best testimony. He that belev-
eth on the Son of God hath the wit
ness in himself: he that belicveth not
God hath made him liar: because
he beieveth not the record that God
gave of his Son." This epistle is
very clearly written only to believers
"These things have written unto
you that believe OH the name OF the
Son Of God"
And listen to the chorus of ..knows"
with which the episle closes. "By
this we know that we love the child.
rem Of God when we love God and
keep his COMMANDING nts." "That
We may know that ye have eternal
life." ave know that whatsoever is
born of God siIneth not" "And we
know that we are OF God" "And
we know that the Son of God is come
aud hath given II san understanding,
that we may know him that is true. "
All this in this one short chapter of
81 verses and yet once more: land
If We know that he hear us, whatso.
ever we ask, we know hiatt We have
the petitions that we desired of him. "
This last Immediately precedes our
text and is inseparably connected
with it, The aim of the book is re-:
stated in verse - and there Is set
forth from l4-l7 this thought
'Thcre Is confidence born of union
with Christ and it Is illustrated by
GOODNESS and discriminating intelli-
,ence in prayer and before we are
through With that thought we must
20 through our teXt-"lf any man
see his brother sin sin, which is not
INTO death, he shall ask and he shall
rive him life, for him that sin not
INTO death: There is q sin unto death
do not say that he shall pray for 1t.
All unrighlcousness is sin: And there
S sin unto dCath.'
There are several wolds and phrases
hat need explanation before we take
~ the thread Of the text and weave !
'ut Of it our explanatory sermon. |
They are such words as any man, see
BROTHER, ask, pray, unrightcousness.
lcalh. what do these words mean? |
Vel! the any man, is Of course a !
christian man since this eplsLle was
Written to them that believe on the
lame of God and since no other sort
& Ian int
The brother, is according to the
Inalogy Of the episte brother in
he klnship of faith. The verb to
&c, calls attention to the fact that
he Christian must be personally cog
lizant Of the brothers Siu-must not
,et it by hearsay, must hear it for
ilmself before he MAY hope eilectu
lily to intercelc for him. There is
| difference between ask and pray
S used here ASK in this connection
means to beseech earnestly, to ask;
0 pray, is merely to make request
Without tervor or carnestness. UL-
righteousness Is Spiritual lowIesSuesS
lisobcying asa Christian the known
avs of God. Death here does not
mean physical death or even IIcll's
put simply that state or
which slpitIcssly des titute
t the new life Of which tn" Epistle
. often speaks.
Ana now with the words them.
elves explained, let US try to grasp
he thought Of the text and context.
here are three thugs that seem to
ather up the truth we hope to pre-
ent to night.
| The foundation and cilectualness
I lnterccssory Prayer. II What is
he true meaning CT "Sin unto
)cath'' Ill. A warning about the
in not unto death.
The Bible is full Of examples Of in.
C rccssory prayer The first record
d prayer o! Scripture is ali interces
Dry praycr-Abraham pleading for
he wicked cities of the plains. His
skiing is like the loving earnestness
Intcd at in the text. lie begins by
skiing God il he will not save the
ity for the sake OF fifty righteous
rho may be found there and then
Don comes to speak Of forty-fve,
Zen forty, then thirty, then twenty,
hen ten. And in 1t all revealing
lie agony of soul well wrought up
n with earnest fnterceSsion for others
And think too OF Moses, interced-
,g for Israel after lsrael's sin and
rying ION this people have sinned a
reat sin and have made them Gods
god: yet now if thou wilt forgive
heir sin: and if not, blot me |
ray thee, out of thy book which
nou has written" Exodus 1921, 80
Recall Paul exclaimlng (Romans 8:
81 could wish that myself ever ac-