I John 5:16 “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. 17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.”
In this context, “unrighteousness” refers to those behaviors that are contrary to God’s Commandments. Our Sovereign, Eternal, Holy God has the sole authority and power to, and has, determined what is “right” according to His will. Furthermore, He has published what is “right” in His Holy Word. Carnally minded men seek to establish their own will as the standard for “righteousness”; thus, our Lord condemned them for “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition” (Mark 7:13)! When men define “righteousness” according to their own will and “tradition”, they use their own standard of “righteousness” to exact control over the people and garner glory and wealth unto themselves. This carnally defined “righteousness” distorts the true “word of God” and allows corruption and deceit to take root and spread. Thus, Paul instructs preachers to “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (II Timothy 4:2); that is, we are to confine ourselves to the “word of God” and be very careful to not embellish it nor add to it nor diminish it in any way. Righteousness is living according to and obeying “the word of God”; but, “All unrighteousness is sin” and the penalty of “sin” is “death” (Romans 7:13; James 1:15)! But, we have great reason to rejoice; for, “If we confess our sins [to God], he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9)! Therefore, let us earnestly pray for ourselves and for one another that our Heavenly Father will “forgive us our sins” and “cleanse us from all unrighteousness”; that we may live to His Glory and Honor and not to our own!