Is a mortal sin still mortal if not completed

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Is a mortal sin still grave if someone does not complete the act?
Some examples
If someone is planning on thievery but they back down?
What if two people are having premarital sex, but they stop before completing the act?
Is someone guilty of mortal sin if they contemplate abortion, but don’t go through with it.
And my own that has been troubling me, is masturbation still a mortal sin if I was able to stop before completing the act?
 
That’s what the sacrament of Confession (or Reconciliation) is for. Discuss it in the confessional with your priest.
 
zjl56 said:
Is a mortal sin still grave if someone does not complete the act?
Some examples
If someone is planning on thievery but they back down?
What if two people are having premarital sex, but they stop before completing the act?
Is someone guilty of mortal sin if they contemplate abortion, but don’t go through with it.
And my own that has been troubling me, is masturbation still a mortal sin if I was able to stop before completing the act?
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It is my understanding, I don’t have access to my references right now, that once you consent to a sinful act, it is a sin. Whether you actually carry it out may only affect your culpability. Then to determine whether it is mortal - you apply the 3 principles.
  1. Grave matter
  2. Full knowledge that it is grave
  3. Full consent.
 
It is also healthy to distinguish between seriously contemplating a sin and merely being tempted. Temptation is always around the corner. Luther described the difference with the analogy of vultures: you can’t keep them from circling overhead, but you can keep them from landing on you. Once we freely initiate an act of sin, however, we are culpable. If we stop short of completion, that, in and of itself, is an act of grace and a victory against habitual vices, but we still must confess the sin.

Reality says that deeply-entrenched sins are not going to disappear just because we confess them. We can be resolved not to do them again, but what we must commit ourselves to is the struggle against the world, the flesh, and the Devil. We have to jump back into the fray, even if that means we mess up again. Virtue comes about by consistent cooperation with grace. The struggle is what is critical because you will always have concupiscence. God’s grace is always sufficient to conquer sin.

IOW, don’t ever say, “Well, I’ve started this sin, so I might as well complete it.” No, that moment’s pause is grace acting even during your falling from grace. Take that opportunity, and confess your sin to an all-loving God who wants to help you work out of this hole you have dug for yourself.
 
It is an act of repentance, for the desire of the heart. We see that the sin begins in the heart. Often people will imagine a thing before they do it. Temptation in and of itself isn’t an act of the will so can’t be a sin, if resisted. It becomes a sin for wanting a thing with all the heart. It is repented when you don’t fulfill it with the deed, instead resisting. But if you then after contemplating the sin, go and do this, that’s an act of the will. Premeditated, and you know it is wrong, but do it anyway. This must be then repented and amends made for damage done. If as in your example you steal something, you should in repentance replace what you took.

Personally i find the sin of stealing rather a measure of property. As all things belong to GOD. If you have a need for it GOD would want you to have it. But it is better to ask for what you need, humbly begging. Because you’d want the same done unto you, not to have people take what is yours, but if in need ask. I assume most people would want it that way. forgiveness is given as we forgive. Therefore if you wouldn’t have a problem with forgiving it, i don’t know why you would wrestle with your conscience about it when tempted.

LOVE your neighbor as yourself.
Amen.
 
I would say if you stop, then full consent of the will is not in play…as if you had full consent, you would go through with it. In the case of stopping your will is being affected by grace, and you are accepting that grace and stopping the act. If the urging of the Spirit was there, and telling you to stop, but you keep on anyway, then I think that would satisfy #3.

Thoughts?
 
ForwardProgress said:
I would say if you stop, then full consent of the will is not in play…as if you had full consent, you would go through with it. In the case of stopping your will is being affected by grace, and you are accepting that grace and stopping the act. If the urging of the Spirit was there, and telling you to stop, but you keep on anyway, then I think that would satisfy #3.

Thoughts?
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If, however, you have had sufficient reflection and made the decision to go ahead with the act then at this point we have sufficient matter for a mortal sin: we’ve made the decision to do it. If we change our mind before going through with the event (robbing a bank, shooting a person), we aren’t guilty of the physical acts but since the decision was solidly made to do it, we have to go to confession.

Another thing: if you’re not sure that what you’re about to do is a mortal sin but you do it anyway, then you’ve committed a moral sin on the grounds that you’re willing to put your soul in grave danger and yourself in a voluntary, proximate occasion of mortal sin, which we never have the right to do.
 
parvenu74,

I have read multiple moral theology books that give exception to those who suffer from scrupulosity when acting in moral uncertainty (mortal or venial).
 
Windmill said:
parvenu74,

I have read multiple moral theology books that give exception to those who suffer from scrupulosity when acting in moral uncertainty (mortal or venial).
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Since scruples weren’t part of the thread, I didn’t see the need to address it. For the scrupulous it’s important to seek out a spiritual director who is capable of dealing with scruples (from what I understand it’s the moral theology equivalent of brain surgery – not every priest can do it).
 
zjl56 As to your own problem I would and have considered that a mortal sin and confessed as such. You’re sexual stimulating yourself for your pleasure and not avoiding the near occasion of sin.
 
Upon further reflection/research, I can say anything that you do that gets you to the point of wanting to sin mortally is considered grave matter. I can’t judge moral culpability, but it is definitely grave matter to make the decision to start an act that is grave.
 
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