Biblical references for Mortal Sin

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Are there any biblical references that verufy the teaching of Mortal Sin?

1 John 5:16 is arguably the sin of final impenitence and complete apostasy from the truth: this is what the Douay Rheims suggests in its commentary.

Are there any other Biblical verses to support the view of Mortal Sin?
 
Tannhauser said:
Are there any biblical references that verufy the teaching of Mortal Sin?

1 John 5:16 is arguably the sin of final impenitence and complete apostasy from the truth: this is what the Douay Rheims suggests in its commentary.

Are there any other Biblical verses to support the view of Mortal Sin?
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Yes, there are. One of the best is James 1:14-15 – “Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. / Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death.”

“Full-grown [sin] brings forth death,” but not “smaller” sin. That proves that there are “smaller” sins and “greater” sins. “Mortal” sins and “venial” sins. Mortal or “full-grown” sins will kill your spiritual life, but “smaller” sins won’t.

Another good one is Galatians 5:19-21 – “Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, / idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, / envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

And I wouldn’t discount 1 John 5:16-17 either. If final impenitence excludes you from heaven, well, that’s 1 mortal sin at least. But there is no proof that it is referring to the sin of final impenitence alone. We can just as well say that the term “mortal sin” in that passage refers to the KIND of sins that exclude you from heaven, and I think that explains the text better than the theory that it refers to the sin of final impenitence alone.

Anyway, I hope that helps. God bless!
-Dan Marcum
 
*1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.*I think also:Proverbs 24:16 for a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again; but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.…suggests that the wicked are committing sins that lead to death while a righteous person commits sins that only result in a stumble.

There’s also a whole bunch of other passages describing different degrees of sin if you want to see them.
:o
 
I am not agreeing with these examples. James 1: 14-15 seems clearly to denote only that the ultimate and final end of sin is death (and indeed this is why we need Christ, because elsewise sin does inherit death, physical and spiritually).

I cannot see anything in the Scriptural quotes given to suggest a twofold nature of sin; one which is morally repugnant, and the other which causes an actual loss of justification before God.

I am not saying I disagree with the Church’s teaching - far from it; only that the examples given do not seem to clarify an idea of sin as being twofold.
 
Tannhauser said:
I am not agreeing with these examples. James 1: 14-15 seems clearly to denote only that the ultimate and final end of sin is death (and indeed this is why we need Christ, because elsewise sin does inherit death, physical and spiritually).

I cannot see anything in the Scriptural quotes given to suggest a twofold nature of sin; one which is morally repugnant, and the other which causes an actual loss of justification before God.

I am not saying I disagree with the Church’s teaching - far from it; only that the examples given do not seem to clarify an idea of sin as being twofold.
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What about the text saying that if one commits such-and-such a sin he will not inherit heaven? Does that not meet the very definition of the word “mortal” as in a spiritual death?
 
MarcoPolo said:
What about the text saying that if one commits such-and-such a sin he will not inherit heaven? Does that not meet the very definition of the word “mortal” as in a spiritual death?
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Oh this is a very good point now that I consider.

Paul is perhaps explaining here how these qualities, because they are in and of themselves against that vital principles of Charity, by which we love God for His own being, that such sinful actions - and I would add dispositions - will lead if unrepented to final damnation.

Which perhaps suggests that there are sins that do not lead, if unprepented, to such final damnation (and this is possibly where the idea of purgatory features).

What do you think?
 
Tannhauser said:
Oh this is a very good point now that I consider.

Paul is perhaps explaining here how these qualities, because they are in and of themselves against that vital principles of Charity, by which we love God for His own being, that such sinful actions - and I would add dispositions - will lead if unrepented to final damnation.

Which perhaps suggests that there are sins that do not lead, if unprepented, to such final damnation (and this is possibly where the idea of purgatory features).

What do you think?
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I agree with that assessment, particularly since Paul does describe works that must be burned away yet the person is still saved in 1 Cor 3:10-15. :o
 
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