John is not prohibiting us from praying for the salvation of our lost family and friends. Rather, he is saying that we cannot pray for salvation apart from Jesus Christ. That would be the unanswerable prayer in the face of the unforgivable sin. Rejection of Jesus is unforgivable because God has given no other name under heaven by which one can be saved. 

There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that (1 John 5:16, NKJV).

John continues to lead us in prayer but his instruction takes a surprising twist. He has just assured us that, “And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:15). He has opened wide the gates of prayer but now goes on to say: “If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death” (1 John 5:16–17).

How can something be off-limits for our prayer? If it is on our minds and burdens our hearts, should it not find a place on our lips? Aren’t we to cast our burdens on the Lord, all our burdens? What are we to make of this exception to our prayer list?

The place to start is to identify what this sin is that leads to death that prohibits our prayer. John distinguishes between sin leading to death and sin not leading to death. The latter sin he links to unrighteousness. That sort of sin is fair game for our prayer.

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