One sin not greater than another

[Jestocost]

My guess would be it came from Martin Luther. It kind of follows once you reject purgatory.

The thing is though, that God’s moral law is written on every human heart. And nearly every code of justice anywhere has a principle of proportionality – “let the punishment fit the crime”. The greater and more accurate the proportionality, the more just people judge the law to be. Where does this principle come from, if not God?

 

[Jerry-Jet]

PC Master: What were the sins that separated Enoch and Elijah from God?

The scriptures don’t “Specify” that they died.

If the statement that “the wages of sin is death” is All Inclusive then why did Elijah go to Heaven on a firey chariot? When did he die PC Master?

The bible doesn’t “Specify” that Enoch died either it only says"and he was not for God took him".

Wouldn’t you agree that it is quite silly to extrapolate that the bible is saying one particular thing anytime it doesn’t “specify”?

No–all sins do not separate, in fact even though Jesus bore all the sins of the world on the cross he was not Separated from God the Father.

Is the concept of venial sin being less than perfection but not yet a separaing transgression against God too Nuanced for the either/or mind of protestants to fathom?

 

[Teflon93]

It is particularly odd since Christ himself clearly distinguishes between sins when he notes that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the sole unpardonable sin.

This is likely an artifact of the Reformers’ need to abhor Catholicism in totality, and a useful propaganda device for undermining support for the sacrament of penance.

 

[Genesis315]

In theory then…if venial sins don’t separate you from God, then there’s no need to be in the Roman Catholic Church unless you’ve committed a so-called mortal sin.

Not true–since all salvation comes from the body, apart from the Body of Christ there is no remission of sins at all–there is no salvation.

Think of it this way. If I have a lamp, before I plug it into the socket it is always off–it cannot shine any light no matter how you turn the little switch or knob. Yet, when I plug it in, it can be on or off.

Joining the Catholic Church is being plugged into the Body of Christ, through which salvation flows. Being in the state of grace is having your lamp lit. Being in mortal sin is having your lamp extinguished, while still being plugged in.

 

[clmowry]

In theory then…if venial sins don’t separate you from God, then there’s no need to be in the Roman Catholic Church unless you’ve committed a so-called mortal sin.

Except that knowingly and purposefully separating yourself from the Catholic Church “is” a mortal sin.

Chuck

 

[clmowry]

I have no idea where the idea came from but mortal/grave sins are definitely greater than venial sins.

Oh come on your kidding right?

Everyone knows that saying “No of course not” when my wife asks “Do these jeans make my butt look big” is not really any different than the serial killing of a dozen young women.

God looks at the two the same way right?

Chuck

PS For the sarcasm challenged, no, I’m not serious.

 

[Contarini]

Though this is just speculation, It seems more like an attack on Venial/Mortal sin.

Yes, that’s where it comes from. Luther claimed that all sin is, in itself, mortal, and all sin is forgiven for those who believe. However, in practice he reintroduced the concept of venial/mortal, as did other Reformers, by teaching that if you were a believer there were certain acts that you would not deliberately commit (or if you did you would feel terrible about it and repent). In his sermons on the Sermon on the Mount he actually quotes approvingly the traditional wisdom about sexual temptations, that if you don’t fully consent it is not a mortal sin.

Edwin

 

[Teflon93]

Yes, that’s where it comes from. Luther claimed that all sin is, in itself, mortal, and all sin is forgiven for those who believe. However, in practice he reintroduced the concept of venial/mortal, as did other Reformers, by teaching that if you were a believer there were certain acts that you would not deliberately commit (or if you did you would feel terrible about it and repent). In his sermons on the Sermon on the Mount he actually quotes approvingly the traditional wisdom about sexual temptations, that if you don’t fully consent it is not a mortal sin.

Edwin

Edwin-

Did Luther’s thinking evolve on this? Did Lutherans add penance back into their sacraments at some point?

I’m fuzzy on how this developed but I seem to recall Luther’s view being a bit more ambivalent on mortal and venial sins at different points, perhaps owing to some extent to scrupulosity.

 

[inthecloud]

My usual answer is that if all the sins are equal them is the same to steal some pennies from a friend that kill 20 millions people?
What kind of God is your god?

 

[PC_Master]

If the statement that “the wages of sin is death” is All Inclusive then why did Elijah go to Heaven on a firey chariot? When did he die PC Master?

What in scripture leads you to believe that it isn’t all-inclusive? Where does the passage say “but some of these sins lead not to death”? Where does the passage (or any passage) say “confess your sins to a priest”?

Is the concept of venial sin being less than perfection but not yet a separaing transgression against God too Nuanced for the either/or mind of protestants to fathom?

Nope…it’s just not factual. It’s a nice theological blanket, like so many other Roman Catholic beliefs. But you have to support such thinking with evidence to convince people.

It is particularly odd since Christ himself clearly distinguishes between sins when he notes that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the sole unpardonable sin.

Would you care to define that particular sin for us? If it’s the sole sin which is unpardonable, surely we should be allowed to understand what it is, and thus, why it’s unforgivable.

 

[Teflon93]

What in scripture leads you to believe that it isn’t all-inclusive? Where does the passage say “but some of these sins lead not to death”? Where does the passage (or any passage) say “confess your sins to a priest”?

Arguing with Christ is a bad idea. Matthew 12:

31: Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
32: And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Christ distinguishes between sins.

Nope…it’s just not factual. It’s a nice theological blanket, like so many other Roman Catholic beliefs. But you have to support such thinking with evidence to convince people.

Yes, evidence such as the Gospel. Shame on us!

Would you care to define that particular sin for us? If it’s the sole sin which is unpardonable, surely we should be allowed to understand what it is, and thus, why it’s unforgivable.

Read Matthew 12. Then ask yourself how it squares with the notion that all sins are equal when Christ says they are not.

That puts paid to the original question, unless anyone cares to torture Scripture to attempt to get Christ to confess to the opposite of what he says.