Asking and giving
John says, “If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he will ask and he will give life” (1 John 5:16). Some commentators suggest a change of subject in the main clause: The brother “asks” but God “gives life.” That’s grammatically awkward, and Stott bites the bullet to say that John is attributing a life-giving efficacy to our prayers: “under God, he who asks life for a brother may be said not just to gain it for him but actually to ‘give’ it to him.”
The righteous man, the Proverb says, is a tree of life; and the prayers of the righteous man are the fruit on that tree.
Peter Leithart
Peter J. Leithart is President of Theopolis Institute. He is the author of numerous books on theology, literature, and culture, including Theopolitan, Defending Constantine, and Baptized Body.
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