Preparing for sin?

[Bookcat]

But how can it be said that one had anything more than a temptation to rob a bank when one ‘chose’, voluntarily, in the end not to actually go ahead with the act - didn’t actually rob the bank?

If you think about sleeping with someone other than your spouse, but decide not to do it, then you don’t sin, because you haven’t given in to the temptation to commit adultery, true?

And surely it doesn’t matter whether one finally conquers that temptation a second after first thinking about it or a second before committing the act, does it?

Because one chose with the needed knowledge and consent to rob the bank. Mortal sin happened already at that point. One simply repented before carrying it out …

As to the second --such is not what is being discussed in the first.

Can someone be tempted in ones thoughts-say about the adultery noted there and not sin in the least? Sure. Can it be that one committed a venial sin via lack of the needed knowledge or the deliberate consent --but one had some knowledge and consent? yes.

But if one with full knowledge and complete consent chooses to think about the adultery or even to choose to do so…such are already mortal sins…(all things being equal)…(and the second worse than the first).

But if some thought say occurs to one and when one realizes it and rejects it --such is an act of virtue.

And sometimes one can be in the temptation (thoughts) a bit before one realizes it and can throw on the breaks…so just because some thoughts occurred to one does not mean that one committed a mortal sin. One needs the knowledge and deliberate consent fore that happens.

And heck -unwanted temptation can come again and again and again and be very persistent …be a real pest --and one may not sin at all but increase in virtue.

In the case though of someone choosing with the needed knowledge and consent to rob a bank – yes they have already committed mortal sin that needs to be confessed -even if they repent and they do not carry it into action. If they carried it into action that of course then is more sinful.