Different Kinds of Sin?

1. Different Kinds of Sin?

2. A friend of my tells me there is only one kind of sin and all sins are the same to God. • Why do Catholics have two different kinds of sin? • Are venial and mortal sin Biblical? • To answer that question let’s turn to Leviticus 5:20-24 (NAB) it says that if you defraud your neighbor you have to return the item or the money and as a penalty you need to also give him an additional one-fifth of its value. • If you defraud him of a hundred dollars, you would have to return one hundred and twenty dollars. • In Leviticus 20 we see that the punishment for incest, adultery, idolatry is death. • As St. Paul points out in Romans chapter 7 as Christians we are not subject to the old law. • In any case the Old Testament law demonstrates God’s view that some sin is more serious than others.

3. The present day legal system agrees that some sin is more serious than others. • Some are sentenced to death while others pay a traffic find. • Speeding is more serious than illegal parking, thus the fine for a speeding ticket is greater than that of a parking ticket. • In Mt. 16:27 we see Jesus say that the Son of Man will repay everyone according to their conduct. • This implies that there is good conduct and better conduct. • It also implies that there are those who are more sinful than others. • In Revelation 22:12 we read: “12 Behold, I am coming soon. I bring with me the recompense I will give to each according to his deeds.” • Jesus tells us about the severity of punishment in the Gospel of Luke 12:47-48 • 47 The servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely;

4. 48 and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more. • The first servant: • Knew the master’s will was a serious matter. • He knew what he was doing was wrong. • He freely chose to ignore the master’s will. • By definition the first servant committed a mortal sin. • The second servant: • Didn’t know the master’s will. • He acted in a way that he should have known by natural reasoning was wrong. • But because he acted out of ignorance his crime is not as severe as the first servant. • Clearly, God has shown us in the Bible that some sin is more severe than others. • Clearly, the concept of mortal and venial sin is Biblical.

5. There isn’t any good in sin. • Nothing good can come of a bad intention. • If all sin were considered to be equal than a momentary feeling of jealousy toward a neighbor’s good fortune of owning a new BMW would be punished in the same way as if you had murdered your neighbor. • As Scripture teaches, not all sin leads to spiritual death. • If the sin leads to spiritual death it is mortal and the person: • Knew the law • Knew what he was doing was wrong. • Chose to go against God’s will. • If the sin does not possess all three of these tests at the same time then the sin is venial, a lesser, sin. • Stealing a grape, is not a grave, or serious matter, and it is not punishable by death but is punishable.

6. Summing up • In the first letter of John chapter 5:16-17 he tells us. • 16 If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray. • 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly. • Is venial and mortal sin Biblical? • Yes • Is all sin the same? • No! • Is the Church correct in making a distinction between the two types of sin? • Yes, God showed us how to make the distinction.