=BA11;10462491]It’s either contrasting sins that have been repented of versus those that have not, or discussing the unpardonable sin
No, 1 John 5 means what it says. All wrongdoing is sin. There is sin that is mortal and sins that are not mortal. Just read the plain text.
The bible clearly describes three types of sins: Those repented of which are forgiven, those unrepented of which are not forgiven and the unpardonable sin, blasphemy of the holy ghost
Those are not “types” of sins. Those are not degrees of sins. Those are simply sins that are repented of and sins that are not repented of.
In John 19:11 Jesus says to Pontius Pilate, “Therefore he who delivered me to you has the
greater sin. "
The book of James shows us the progression of how sin can grow from venial to mortal.
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.”
The conept of mortal and venial sins contradicts numerous other passages in scripture.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The introduction of sin into the world brought about the consequence of sin which is death of the body.
Sin can also lead to the death of the soul. A sin that causes spiritual death is a mortal sin. Venial sins do not cause the death of the soul
Do you believe that stealing 5 $ from you neighbors wife is the same sin as committing adultery with your neighbors wife?
Do you believe that lying to your spouse is the same sin as murdering your wife?
Do both deserve equal punishment, that is hell?
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
That has nothing to do with the existence or non-existence of mortal and venial sins.
“For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.”
That has nothing to do with mortal and venial sins. All wrongdoing is sin. You have broken the law but that doesn’t mean the punishment is the same. If you speed through a red light at 100 mph you are going to get a greater punishment that if you have a broken tail light. You HAVE broken the law but the punishment is not the same. The punishment in the Old Testament was not alway stoning. Different punishments for different transgressions.
Same with God’s punishments.
This is exactly what Paul tells us about the existence of purgatory where our lesser sins are “burned up” and we will suffer but we “will be saved but only as through fire.”
1 Corinthians 3:15
“The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty.”
Again, that text isn’t addressing the different degrees of sin
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit”
Yes, Jesus died for all sins. Mortal and venial. That verse doesn’t deny the existence of mortal and venial
“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses”
Where does that deny venial sins? They were dead in sin. That is all it is saying
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
Not addressing different degrees of sins
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
That is not addressing sin. The word “sin” is not in that verse. No external thing can separate us from God’s love. Not physical death, or an angel or ruler.
Are you claiming that an un-repented sin, like murder, will not separate us from God?
You could murder someone, not confess and repent, and still be in union with God?
Romans 7:14–25 describes the struggles all believers will have with sin, and follows it with "“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Yes, those who are IN Christ. An unrepentant murderer is not “IN” Christ.We must be in the state of grace to be in Christ.
Unless you are born again you will be subjected to the second death
. According to scripture we are “born again” in baptism (John 3:5)
The argument of mortal vs venial is like saying I only have a little terminal cancer vs I have a lot of terminal cancer and that one will not ultimately lead to death.
Not all cancer is “terminal.” Likewise not all sin is “deadly.”
The only distinction God makes is that some sin will merit greater punishment in hell than others for those who do not repent.
If you do not repent of stealing a piece of gum will you go to hell?
Nowhere in the bible does anyone suggest that unrepetant sin is not damning, no matter how small.
I John 5 clearly states that not all sin is deadly. All wrongdoing is sin but not all is mortal
In contast, it is littered with verses describing how believers will continue to fall short and how there is no damnation for those who believe and cry out for forgiveness.
Yes, you must cry out for forgiveness and any sin will be forgiven but that doesn’t negate that there are mortal and venial sins.
Common sense tells us that stealing a piece of gum, cheating on a test, not having patience with your children or spouse is not the same sin as fornication, adultery, murder, child abuse etc.
**I pray that God shapes my beliefs as I read his word. I’ve been convicted of more than a few wrong beliefs I had over the years that contradicted scripture.
