Mortal sin

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Letsgofishing

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I really need you to tear this teaching to pieces for me, because it scares the heck out of me and seems to be degrading Jesus's death.for those who don't know what the teaching is the catholic church believes that there are venial( nonserious sins) and mortal ( serious sins.) It believes that if you commit a mortal sin and don't mean for it to be forgiven you go to hell. Heres the best argument for Mortal sin. Mortal & Venial Sin: The Garden-Variety Objection Answered, + Strong Biblical Support Tuesday, April 11, 2006A Protestant asked me this question in an e-mail:A faithful Catholic very suddenly dies while committing a mortal sin (say lying). Assume every other time he has committed a mortal sin he would faithfully go to confession and receive forgiveness. However in this case his death is quite ill-timed. Does he go to heaven or hell? The consensus is he goes directly to hell . . . do not pass go . . . do not receive $200. No one knows where he would go, first of all, because that is God's determination, not ours. The Catholic Church has not (to my knowledge) even stated that Judas is in hell (or anyone else, except the devil and other fallen angels who are there - or will be - by definition). All we say is that those committing a mortal sin place themselves in danger of hellfire, if it is unrepented-of. That's nothing more than what the Apostle Paul does, in a number of passages (see below).But you should understand exactly what a mortal sin is, too. It requires three things: 1) grave or serious matter; 2) sufficient reflection; and 3) full consent of the will. In the scenario above one or more of these things may not be present (it may have been a relatively minor "white Lie," etc.), in which case the person would definitely not be damned because of this one thing. There may not have been time enough for the person to be responsible for all these. God knows what the person would have done if he had had more time, and takes that into consideration, I believe (because He knows all things, which includes hypotheticals and all possible future scenarios).Moreover, we believe that because God is sovereign and ultimately rules over all things in His Providence (Catholics believe this, too) - and above all, merciful -, that He would "arrange" things so that this person was not unjustly judged for a momentary lapse, so to speak. Therefore, it is not as simple as this classic, garden-variety objection to Catholicism would have it.SALVATIONThere is no such thing as mortal and venial sins Whoever fails in one sin is guilty of breaking all of the Law (Jas. 2:10)Initial reply The Bible plainly teaches that there is such a thing as a mortal sin (1 John 5:16-17), and often refers to lesser and greater sins, thus supporting Catholic theology.Extensive reply Some non-Catholic Christians think that all sins are exactly alike in the eyes of God: everything from a white lie or a child stealing a cookie to mass murder. They believe this not out of common sense, but because they erroneously think that the Bible teaches it. This mistaken notion is decisively refuted by the following biblical passage:1 John 5:16-17 (RSV): "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. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is a sin which is not mortal."People are not always completely aware that certain acts or thoughts are sinful. In Catholic theology, in order to commit a grave, or mortal sin, where one ceases to be in a state of grace and is literally in potential, but real danger of hellfire, three requirements are necessary: 1) it must be a very serious matter, 2) the sinner has to have sufficiently reflected on, or had adequate knowledge of the sin, and 3) he must have fully consented in his will. Scripture provides many indications of this difference in seriousness of sin, and in subjective guiltiness for it:Luke 12:47-48: "And that servant who knew his master's will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating. But he who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light beating. Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more." (cf. Lev. 5:17, Lk. 23:34)John 19:11: "'. . . he who delivered me to you has the greater sin.'"Acts 17:30: "The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all men everywhere to repent," (cf. Rom. 3:25)1 Timothy 1:13: "though I formerly blasphemed and persecuted and insulted him; but I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief."Hebrews 10:26: "For if we sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,"The Bible also refers to (mortal) sins which - if not repented of - will exclude one from heaven (1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 1:8; Eph. 5:5; Heb. 12:16; Rev. 22:15).ObjectionBut what about James 2:10?: "For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it." Doesn't that prove that all sins are the same; equally destructive and worthy of judgment?Reply to Objection This passage deals with man's inability to keep the entire Law of God: a common theme in Scripture. James accepts differences in degrees of sin and righteousness elsewhere in the same letter: "we who teach shall be judged with a greater strictness" (3:1). In 1:12, the man who endures trial will receive a "crown of life." James also teaches that the "prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects" (5:16), which implies that there are relatively more righteous people, whom God honors more, by making their prayers more effective (he used the prophet Elijah as an example). If there is a lesser and greater righteousness, then there are lesser and greater sins also, because to be less righteous is to be more sinful, and vice versa.John Henry NewmanThis distinction in the character of sins, viz. that some argue absence of faith and involve the loss of God's favour, and that others do not, is a very important one to insist upon, even though we cannot in all cases draw the line and say what sins imply the want of faith, and what do not; because, if we know that there are sins which do throw us out of grace, though we do not know which they are, this knowledge, limited as it is, will, through God's mercy, put us on our guard against acts of sin of any kind; both from the dread we shall feel lest these in particular, whatever they are, may be of that fearful nature, and next, from knowing that at least they tend that way. The common mode of reasoning adopted by the religion of the day is this: some sins are compatible with true faith, viz. sins of infirmity; therefore, wilful transgression, or what the text calls "departing" from God, is compatible with it also. Men do not, and say they cannot, draw the line; and thus, from putting up with small sins, they go on to a sufferance of greater sins. Well, I would take the reverse way, and begin at the other end. I would force upon men's notice that there are sins which do forfeit grace; and then if, as is objected, that we cannot draw the line between one kind of sin and another, this very circumstance will make us shrink not only from transgressions, but also from infirmities. From hatred and abhorrence of large sins, we shall, please God, go on to hate and abhor the small.Mortal vs. Venial SinEND
 

Christina

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Apr 10, 2006
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I just give you my thought hereyou are right we do believe all sin is equal, For one main reason that only God can read ones heart so only he can judge man can not.However our common sense wants tells us surleyAdlutry is worse than a lie though both are forgivable. I think what we misunterstand about sin is it has much to do with our heart,our state of mind, thats why only God can judge as we can not know ones heart only God canLets say a friend asked to borrow money for medicine one lies and says I dont have any money later the man dies because he didnt have his med'sAnother has been a good spouse for 15 years but the marriage has been miserable for years because the spouse is mentally ill in a weak moment after to much drink to he comits adultry one nightWhich is the worse sin the lie or the adultry? I dont think a human has the answer each would answer depending on their own experience or relation to the sinnerIn both of these cases if the people died without repenting which would God hold more responsable?If we can pretend to know the hearts of these two examples I would think the liar the bigger sinner as he acted out of malice and self first whereas the the adulter made a mistake caused by years of lonelyness caused by his spouse illness which he had no fault inThe point being that it was what was in the heart at the time of sin that only God can judge. In the Catholic way the adulter would be guilty of the more serious sin because they can only judge what is outward not what is inwardTo God because he looks at our hearts if a man should die and he was determined to go comit a sin in his heartHe is as guilty as the guy that died actully commiting the sin they are equalI dont quite see how the church can think it can decide these things that God says are his to judge
 

Jordan

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Apr 6, 2007
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I just give you my thought hereyou are right we do believe all sin is equal, For one main reason that only God can read ones heart so only he can judge man can not.However our common sense wants tells us surleyAdlutry is worse than a lie though both are forgivable. I think what we misunterstand about sin is it has much to do with our heart,our state of mind, thats why only God can judge as we can not know ones heart only God canLets say a friend asked to borrow money for medicine one lies and says I dont have any money later the man dies because he didnt have his med'sAnother has been a good spouse for 15 years but the marriage has been miserable for years because the spouse is mentally ill in a weak moment after to much drink to he comits adultry one nightWhich is the worse sin the lie or the adultry? I dont think a human has the answer each would answer depending on their own experience or relation to the sinnerIn both of these cases if the people died without repenting which would God hold more responsable?If we can pretend to know the hearts of these two examples I would think the liar the bigger sinner as he acted out of malice and self first whereas the the adulter made a mistake caused by years of lonelyness caused by his spouse illness which he had no fault inThe point being that it was what was in the heart at the time of sin that only God can judge. In the Catholic way the adulter would be guilty of the more serious sin because they can only judge what is outward not what is inwardTo God because he looks at our hearts if a man should die and he was determined to go comit a sin in his heartHe is as guilty as the guy that died actully commiting the sin they are equalI dont quite see how the church can think it can decide these things that God says are his to judge
I agree with you whole heartedly Kriss. But may I add that we are allowed to judge the fruits whether there are of God or not. (Matthew 7:16-20) (I John 4:1)JagLovest thou in Christ Yahshua, Lord and Saviour of the world.
 

followerofchrist

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These are really long quotes but I am pretty sure that your main question was, if someone dies after or during commiting a sin before they go to god to confess their sin do they go to hell?I don't think so, once we acknowledge that we are a sinner and ask Jesus to come into our hearts than our sins are forgiven. I believe that God wants us to confess our sins to him because it forces us to acknowlege our faults and weaknesses, not to resave ourselves. Once we confess our sins to God we, well I atleast usually think about what sins I had commited that I confessed to God and how I can use those to better myself. So to sum it all up, No. Once a sinner always a sinner, and God knows that. Also once we are saved and our sins forgiven than we are always saved and forgiven!
 

crooner

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God is looking at the blood of Jesus and does not see our sin. He forgives past present, and future. Gods grace is not cheap, he bought it on the cross for us.
 

Letsgofishing

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(followerofchrist;31798)
These are really long quotes but I am pretty sure that your main question was, if someone dies after or during commiting a sin before they go to god to confess their sin do they go to hell?I don't think so, once we acknowledge that we are a sinner and ask Jesus to come into our hearts than our sins are forgiven. I believe that God wants us to confess our sins to him because it forces us to acknowlege our faults and weaknesses, not to resave ourselves. Once we confess our sins to God we, well I atleast usually think about what sins I had commited that I confessed to God and how I can use those to better myself. So to sum it all up, No. Once a sinner always a sinner, and God knows that. Also once we are saved and our sins forgiven than we are always saved and forgiven!
Not quite were discussing the catholics belief in sin. ( I go to a catholic church so I am not bashing them or should I say us??)The catholics believe that there are venial ( nonserioius) and mortal ( serious sins)If you commit a venial sin and don't have it forgiven before you die your still able to be savedbut the catholics believe that if you commit a mortal sin and do not have it forgiven your not in gods grace and doomed to hell. (obviously if you have meant to get the sin forgiven than your still saved.)I of course don't believe in this. your brother in christRyan Fitz
 

DrBubbaLove

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Keep in mind when considering a "list" of mortal sins, as the first post suggested, that these acts are what the Church considers serious and grave error. Being a grave and serious matter is only one condition for an act to be considered mortal. There has to be free consent of the will (a personal choice to commit the acts excludes being forced as in self defense for example) and awareness of the act being a sin.And "mortal" comes from the commission of such acts having a mortal effect on our eternal end. We die to God in committing such sin. Christ suggestion that to deny Him before men would result in Him denying us before God is an example of an action that would have mortal consequence. Peter commits this serious sin after already professing publically who he believed Christ to be.The question arises because of the awareness that we all sin, sometimes seriously. Some faiths hold that such a serious fall can never happen to a "true" Christian. So the person in question must not have been a true Christian, and therefore needs to become one in order to be "saved". A smaller group of Protestants believe a Christian can fall mortally into sin, but essentially in that regard that view is similar to a Catholic view. Others, (not certain but this may be the largest group of Protestants), just hold this Christian in need of repentance and not in jeopardy of Hell. However even in this Once Saved Always Saved (OSAS) crowd there is a general consensus that the “true’ Christian, even sinning gravely will repent before death or at least have that desire (if not the time). Interestingly the effect or concept here for all groups is the same at least in outcome and for practical purposes; Catholics just call it something else.Had the person mentioned above never committed the serious sin, the question of fall or not fall does not arise and the person can be assumed to be a true Christian going to Heaven by all Protestant groups. Assuming already on good terms with God, the Catholic not committing a grave sin is in the same boat. Where we differ is in what we say the status of the person is with God (assumed to be speaking about a Christian here or one claiming to be) prior to the sin. Also, but to a much lesser degree, we differ on how we fix it. All views essentially break down into two groups. On one side the person is assumed to be faking it, so they are really lost - ie broken relationship with God. On the other the person is assumed to be trying, perhaps even doing very well - ie has a good relationship with God. In both cases the solutions are called different things, but essentially both mean the same thing - which is to repent, ask God for forgiveness in order to have a good relationship with Him (be in His Good Grace) - restore vertical alignment, fix what was broken.
 

Letsgofishing

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Hey BubbaLove ( sweet name)What is important to me is already knowm. You are my brother in christbut on a Much minor note- could you possibly be my fellow catholic????
 

DrBubbaLove

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Yes, am a convert from life long protesting (2002), mostly of the Baptist sort, starting as a child in the Southern variety, then more Independent, then short time as an Evangelical Presbyterian, then back to independent Baptist for about 10 years before final convert to the Church.