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Why the Church Distinguishes Between Mortal and Venial Sin, Part I
NC Register ^ | May 8, 2015 | MARK SHEA

Posted on 05/08/2015 2:03:24 PM PDT by NYer

Many supposed "theological differences" between Catholics and Evangelicals are, I think, founded in semantics rather than in substantial disagreement.

For example, when I was an Evangelical one of the periodic arguments I ran across against Catholic moral theology was that the concept of mortal and venial sin is unbiblical. Sin is sin, say Evangelicals, and there's no good in trying to make out some sins as "minor." To us Evangelicals such nice distinctions smelled a great deal like rationalization and looked like an escape clause from the commandment "Be holy, for I, the Lord, am Holy." After all, James wrote, "Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not murder.' If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker" (James 2:10-11). So the forthright and honest Evangelical attitude was "We'll take our forgiveness straight, thanks! Let's have no plea-bargaining at the foot of the Cross."

Such an attitude to purity before God is, I think, entirely commendable. And, truth to tell, it contrasts very favorably to the lax Catholic who really does say "It's just a teensy-weensy little sin" as an excuse for doing whatever they like. Such Catholics need to be reminded that "Whoever can be trusted with a teensy-weensy little thing can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with a teensy-weensy little thing will also be dishonest with much" (Luke 16:10).

(Excerpt) Read more at ncregister.com ...


TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Moral Issues; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: evangelical; markshea; mortalsin; ncr; ncregister; sin; venialsin
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1 posted on 05/08/2015 2:03:24 PM PDT by NYer
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To: Tax-chick; GregB; SumProVita; narses; bboop; SevenofNine; Ronaldus Magnus; tiki; Salvation; ...
But in so reminding them we are confronted with a question: namely, what does Jesus mean in making a distinction between "little" and "much?" Why did He say that the one who knows his Master's will and does not do it will be beaten with many blows but the one who does not know his Master's will and does not do it will be beaten with few blows (Luke 12:47-48)? If "sin is sin," why this distinction? Moreover, if all sin is really identical in God's eyes, what on earth is the Apostle John getting at when he writes: "If anyone sees his brother commit sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those who sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death"? (1 John 5:16-17)

Ping!

2 posted on 05/08/2015 2:04:04 PM PDT by NYer ("You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears." James 4:14)
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To: NYer

1, you’re gonna walk around Purgatory for a bit; 2, if you don’t confess pretty soon, the heat is going to get a little bit hotter.


3 posted on 05/08/2015 2:13:54 PM PDT by miss marmelstein (Richard the Third: "I should like to drive away not only the Turks (moslims) but all my foes.")
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To: miss marmelstein

Mortal sins and venial sins are not in the bible.


4 posted on 05/08/2015 2:34:20 PM PDT by Cry if I Wanna
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To: Cry if I Wanna

Oh, boo-hoo-hoo! So, you don’t distinquish between murder and masturbation?


5 posted on 05/08/2015 2:42:31 PM PDT by miss marmelstein (Richard the Third: "I should like to drive away not only the Turks (moslims) but all my foes.")
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To: Cry if I Wanna

1 John 5:16-17 (RSVCE):

16 If any one sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal.


6 posted on 05/08/2015 3:06:14 PM PDT by vladimir998
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To: Cry if I Wanna

The Bible written and given to you by Catholics. Did Peter and Paul have the New Testament scriptures? Sola Scriptora....blah, blah, blah. There is much, much more to Christianity than the Bible. The Bible is just the basics.


7 posted on 05/08/2015 3:15:03 PM PDT by Sea Warrior (Who's the enemy?)
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To: vladimir998
Mortal sin.....you mean like killing a baby in the womb...

No doubt about it!

8 posted on 05/08/2015 3:21:56 PM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: miss marmelstein
Oh, boo-hoo-hoo! So, you don’t distinquish between murder and masturbation?

In terms of salvation, even one sin, no matter how "minor," brings you short of the glory of God, and thus makes you unfit and worthy only of damnation.

9 posted on 05/08/2015 7:50:18 PM PDT by Greetings_Puny_Humans (I mostly come out at night... mostly.)
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Comment #10 Removed by Moderator

To: NYer; All

From the article, he writes:

“What did not satisfy me was the claim that this is somehow different from what Catholics mean by mortal vs. venial sin. For I realized that, whatever else John was saying, he was very clearly making a distinction between “sin that leads to death” (that is, mortal sin) and sin which “does not lead to death.”

This is pretty sloppy exegesis, as the scripture he is referencing explicitly declares that these “sins unto death,” in other words, “mortal sins,” are not forgivable:

“If anyone sees his brother commit sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those who sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death”? (1 John 5:16-17)

That is why there should be no prayer made, because there is no hope for such a person.

This can only refer to the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, which Christ identifies as the only sin that cannot be forgiven man:

Mat_12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

Therefore, we can only acknowledge either sins that can be forgiven, and that sin which cannot be forgiven, which is the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost.


11 posted on 05/08/2015 7:55:33 PM PDT by Greetings_Puny_Humans (I mostly come out at night... mostly.)
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To: Cry if I Wanna
Perhaps you might want to study some more.

Why the Church Distinguishes Between Mortal and Venial Sin, Part I
Mortal and Venial Sin
Five Biblical Lists of Mortal Sins
On Jimmy Akin and mortal sin
Who to believe about mortal sin: Our Lady or Jimmy Akin?
Lists Every Catholic Should be Familiar With: Conditions for Mortal Sin
Nuns, Habits, Disobedience, and Mortal Sin
"Grave Sin" = Mortal Sin [Catholic Caucus]

12 posted on 05/08/2015 7:56:35 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: NYer; All

Going further, which I should have mentioned in my previous post, he writes:

“The question immediately answered itself with another question: Do Evangelicals—does anyone—really believe that a five year old who steals a cookie is the moral and spiritual equivalent of Jeffrey Dahmer?”

This really demonstrates a lack of understanding of what sin is, since whether it is stealing a cookie, or putting a head into a fridge, it is still sin, and therefore repugnant to the eyes of an absolutely holy God.

The Catholic must downplay sin in this way because he believes that he must be justified by his works— but if we acknowledge all sin as damning, that, indeed, breaking the law even on one point makes you “guilty of all,” then their project of self-justification is in vain.


13 posted on 05/08/2015 7:59:05 PM PDT by Greetings_Puny_Humans (I mostly come out at night... mostly.)
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To: Greetings_Puny_Humans

That includes the sin of pride.

See you in hell.


14 posted on 05/08/2015 8:23:47 PM PDT by Crim (Palin / West '16)
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To: Crim

Luckily salvation is not by works, or by attaining a sinless state, but by grace through faith. Therefore I will not be seeing you in hell.


15 posted on 05/08/2015 8:27:02 PM PDT by Greetings_Puny_Humans (I mostly come out at night... mostly.)
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Comment #16 Removed by Moderator

To: miss marmelstein

Actually, to be clear, both of those are mortal sins.


17 posted on 05/08/2015 9:29:46 PM PDT by FourtySeven (47)
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To: Greetings_Puny_Humans
**The Catholic must downplay sin in this way because he believes that he must be justified by his works— but if we acknowledge all sin as damning, that, indeed, breaking the law even on one point makes you “guilty of all,” then their project of self-justification is in vain.**

The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus died for every human being, from Adam and Eve to the last person to be conceived. The interpretation here of no one coming to the Father but through Jesus means that He as the promised Messiah made it possible for mankind to enter Heaven.

To us, faith and good works go hand-in-hand and not mutually exclusive. A devout Jew, though he may not acknowledge Jesus, was still redeemed by His Passion and death. His faith in the Father, as well as any good works, and suffering accepted as God's will is what he will have with him when he stands before God. Then it is Good who decides. The same works for everyone else. That's what Catholics believe.


From: Lumen Gentium: "Light of Nations"

The Second Vatican Council speaks of salvation outside the Church in Lumen Gentium, nos. 14 and 16. Here are the pertinent sections from those two articles: 14. This Sacred Council wishes to turn its attention firstly to the Catholic faithful. Basing itself upon Sacred Scripture and Tradition, it teaches that the Church, now sojourning on earth as an exile, is necessary for salvation. Christ, present to us in His Body, which is the Church, is the one Mediator and the unique way of salvation. In explicit terms He Himself affirmed the necessity of faith and baptism (cf. Mk 16:16; Jn 3:5) and thereby affirmed also the necessity of the Church, for through baptism as through a door men enter the Church. Whosoever, therefore, knowing that the Catholic Church was made necessary by Christ, would refuse to enter or to remain in it, could not be saved. [. . .] 16. [. . .] Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience. Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life. Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel. She knows that it is given by Him who enlightens all men so that they may finally have life.

18 posted on 05/08/2015 9:55:31 PM PDT by Grateful2God (Because no word shall be impossible with God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord...)
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To: Grateful2God
To us, faith and good works go hand-in-hand and not mutually exclusive. A devout Jew, though he may not acknowledge Jesus, was still redeemed by His Passion and death. His faith in the Father, as well as any good works, and suffering accepted as God's will is what he will have with him when he stands before God. Then it is Good who decides. The same works for everyone else. That's what Catholics believe.

Then Catholics spread false teaching.

First, Jews are damned, as are all other unbelievers, regardless of how many good works they do, if they do not believe in Christ.

1Jn_2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father:

All are condemned under Adam, having inherited origin sin, being born dead in sin and unable to see the Kingdom of Heaven.

Joh_3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Furthermore, salvation cannot be won by "good works," which play absolutely no role in our justification. As Grace cannot be earned by our merits, and all our righteousness will always fall short of God:

"Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works," (Rom 4:4-6)

19 posted on 05/09/2015 12:27:36 AM PDT by Greetings_Puny_Humans (I mostly come out at night... mostly.)
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To: Greetings_Puny_Humans

Nice to see the moderator is on your pocket...and I see you are condemning people to hell again.

You can sure dish it out....but you cant take it.


20 posted on 05/09/2015 1:27:46 AM PDT by Crim (Palin / West '16)
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