Inferno?

In our Bible Seminar this morning we plan to read through First John, non-stop as it would have been read or preached to the first hearers perhaps 90 to 120 A.D. As we read aloud, folks will circle things they want to discuss when the reading is finished. It is not unlikely that someone will circle the term “mortal sin,” which occurs several times in chapter 5, toward the end. In the Greek, the term reads literally “sins unto death” or “sins toward death”, which leaves no doubt the writer took it seriously. 

What might be “sin unto death” then? What might be such a sin, and what might the writer mean by “unto death”? The church at times, and Christians glancing at Dante’s Inferno, sometimes have fiery torment in mind. 

Perhaps there will be discussion of it in class this morning.

TW+