Verse 13
If a sinner continues in his sin, he may conclude that sin does not matter, as the Israelites at Kadesh Barnea did. Their unbelief there was the tenth instance of unbelief since they left Egypt (cf. Numbers 14:22). This is sin’s deceitfulness: we may think that because God does not punish the sinner immediately, sin really does not matter. Sin matters very much. The writer counseled his readers to encourage each other to continue to walk with God. He did this to help us avoid the rationalizing that we can get into when we do not confess and forsake our sins. Meeting with other Christians for mutual encouragement regularly can be a great help to any Christian in remembering that failing to continue to trust God will bring bad consequences. Mutual encouragement in godliness is something we all need frequently so we do not become hardened to sin.
"A hardened attitude is not a sudden aberration, but a habitual state of mind." [Note: Guthrie, p. 107.]
We need to get started "today," while there is still opportunity.
"One of the best ways of keeping ourselves true is to help other people, and the duty is here set forth of exhorting one another. There is scarcely anything more striking in Christian experience than the fact that in helping others we often help ourselves." [Note: Thomas, p. 44.]
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