This morning I read 1 John 5:16-18 where John talks about "fatal" sin. He says, "There is such a thing as a fatal sin, and I'm not urging you to pray about that. Everything we do wrong is sin, but not all sin is fatal. We know that none of the God-begotten makes a practice of sin--fatal sin." Earlier in the passage he states that fatal sin is actually a practice of sin: "If we see a Christian believer sinning (clearly, I'm not talking about those who make a practice of sin in a way that is 'fatal'...)"

He says no God-begotten makes a practice of fatal sin, and then in the first chapter of this book he says that everyone sins, no question about it, but we have a mediator between us and God who cleanses us of our sin.

My question is, "What is fatal sin?"

Some have said it is homosexuality. I think this is just another way to attack the sin most people hate the most. Anyone's content to have stealers and judgmental people who have been forgiven with them in the eternal Kingdom, but how many will be content with having forgiven homosexuals at their side? I think viewing fatal sin as homosexuality is our own judgmental interpretation. We would think that if "fatal" sin were any certain sin, wouldn't it be hypocrisy or not loving others, sins that are a big deal to Christ (how many times does he ram homosexuality?)

I have come to believe that fatal sin is a lifestyle of sin. God-begotten do not practice lifestyles of sin. Lifestyles of immorality, I think, is what John is talking about. A lifestyle of immorality is akin to sexual sin on a common basis with no sense of guilt, or making a practice of theft or lust.