How can even venial sin exist in the Church?

[blackfish152]

As Catholics we believe that when living in a state of grace, we are within the visible and mystical Body of Christ, that is the Church. We are in communion with the body of Christ,we are assimilated into it.

A christian fundamentalist asked me, if you are in communion with the mystical body of Christ,the real-non metaphorical body of christ, the church—how can you sin? Because logic dictates that Christ Can not sin.

He himself claimed that since his righteousness is imputed to him, and God the father only sees Christ when he looks at him because he has been washed completely in the blood of the lamb, he can somehow continue to sin in his flesh, but still be saved in spirit. (based loosly on john 13 and the different greek words for washing that are used).

My synthesis of the Catholic view.

As members of the new covanent family of God, God the father in his mercy has given us sacraments, which when used with correct disposition allow us to unite ourselves to Him via his grace. This leads to us becoming more holy, , *become partakers of the divine nature *(quotation from letters of peter, I think), but the reality is we have venial sins still. Although not cut off from his grace, the effects of venial sin still make our communion with christ imperfect on this earth. ergo purgatory, the fire of love that will purge all remaining imperfections is necessary.

So is it accurate to say that on this earth we can never truly have a full long lasting sustained 100% communion with the Church, that is the real mystical body of Christ,in effect we can not partake 100% of the divine nature, whilst in the flesh, due to the damaging effects of venial sin?

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Dear B,

It seems that you and your friend mean different things by ‘the Body of Christ’. As we speak of it, we are not in or out of communion with the Body of Christ. We ARE the Body of Christ by means of our Baptism. Our presence in the Body of Christ is not contingent on our behavior. Once we are baptized into Christ, we will always be baptized into Christ. Sin—even mortal sin, cannot un-baptize us. We still remain a part of Christ’s Body, though in great need of His grace.

In a human body, if the hand is injured, the whole body is affected, but this doesn’t cause the hand to no longer be a part of the body. So with the Mystical Body of Christ; through the mercy of the Head of the Body (Christ), the injured member hopefully will repent and be healed.

Mortal sin does cut us off from sanctifying grace which is Christ’s life within us. By attacking this vital principle within us, mortal sin necessitates a new initiative of God’s mercy and a conversion of heart with in us. This is normally accomplished by our repentance and reception of absolution (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1856).

Further, the Church consists of the ‘Church Militant’ (we who are still struggling), the ‘Church Suffering’ (those being purified in Purgatory) and the ‘Church Triumphant’ (those who are already in heaven).

The Catechism explains this quite well. Venial sin does not cut us off from the life of Christ, by the way. Only the Lord knows when we are in complete union with Him. By the time we are in heaven, this is certainly accomplished.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.