Concerning sin not leading to death, there are instances where friends or family members have left God's church and His way of life due to offenses or other circumstances. Though they may have sinned by departing, it is not always clear if their actions were willful. A sin not unto death is one that is confessed, repented of, and does not involve a deliberate violation of God's law. For those who have strayed, we should not give up on them entirely. Instead, we ought to pray that God, according to His will, might heal any offenses, restore their faith, and bring them back to Him. While it may be difficult to discern the state of their hearts, we are encouraged to err on the side of praying for our errant brethren rather than refraining, trusting that God hears our petitions. Within the church, if we see a fellow member sin a sin not unto death, often out of ignorance or weakness, we should ask God to help them recognize their error and repent, knowing that He may grant them life through our intercession. Thus, we are called to pray fervently for both those within and those who have left God's truth, bearing one another's burdens in fulfillment of Christ's law.

A sin which does not lead to death is one that is genuinely repented of and for which forgiveness is available because the attitude of the sinner is meek and truly sorrowful. A person may have this attitude, yet still sin on occasion out of weakness, ignorance, bad judgment, or even inadvertently. Both greater and lesser sins can fall under this category. Our genuine confession admits to God that we are guilty of breaking His law and seek to be cleared of it by Christ's sacrifice. This true repentance leads to a fierce desire not to sin and to building righteous character. God thus lifts the penalty of the second death, and once again, we, by His grace, are back on the road to salvation.