Gnostics pride themselves on their “Christian freedom” to do anything they please, including freedom to sin. The enigmatic mention of a sin leading to death, a sin undeserving of intercessory prayer (5:16–17), probably refers to the apostasy warned against in Hebrews, exhibited by the Gnostic heretics, and resulting in irrevocable condemnation. Alternatively, John refers to physical (not eternal) death as a chastisement for disobedient Christians (compare 1 Corinthians 5:5; 11:27–34).