Venial and mortal sins

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So, my husband just told me that a sin is a sin and all are equal in God’s eyes. He does not believe in different degrees of sin. (He is Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran) Why do we believe in different degrees of sin - is it biblical?
 
1 John 5:16-17 makes the distinction between mortal (sin that leads to death) and venial sin.
 
Asking him this might help him understand mortal vs. venial:

There are 2 brothers and they both decided that they need $5.00. However, neither one worked nor had their OWN money, so they decided to “steal” the money.

The first brother stole $5.00 for HIS mother’s purse and the second brother stole $5.00 for a TOTAL stranger’s purse.

Are both brothers’ actions the SAME?

Honestly, most will answer that the brother that stole the $5.00 from HIS Mother did something worst then the other brother.

And if he answers that the brother that stole from his mother was worst, then you can ask him WHY? After all he only took $5.00 like his brother.

This is just a simple example how not all sin are the same, or that sin is a sin. The things around the sin can change it and make it worst…

The CCC section regarding sin might also help: click here
CCC paragraph 1854:
Sins are rightly evaluated according to their gravity. The distinction between mortal and venial sin, already evident in Scripture, became part of the tradition of the Church. It is corroborated by human experience.
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The footnote for the paragraph sites: 1 John 5:16-17
1 John 5:16-17:
If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly.
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Deadly Sin = Mortal Sin
Non-Deadly Sin = Venial Sin

Also keeping this in mind might help when talking to your husband or to any Non-Catholic:
Apologetics for the Masses - Issue #20:
Well, the main strategy that I employ in this instance is the “But That’s My Interpretation” strategy. That strategy is this: Protestants believe that we should go by the Bible alone in determining what is and is not authentic Christian teaching. Furthermore, they believe that each person has the right to read and interpret the Bible for themselves to determine what is and is not authentic Christian teaching.

What I do is give them my interpretation of these passages, and, if they try to tell me that my interpretation is wrong, I simply ask them if, according to their theology, I have the right to read and interpret Scripture for myself so as to determine what God is saying to me through Scripture. And they say, “Of course you do.” Then I tell them, “That is MY interpretation!” They can disagree with my interpretation if they want to, but, by their own theology, I have a RIGHT to my interpretation. Therefore, they cannot say my interpretation is wrong…the best they can do is disagree with it.

This is a very important point to remember…they, by their own theology, cannot tell me my interpretation is wrong, unless they wish to be hypocrites. They can disagree with my interpretation, but they cannot say it is wrong…not if they believe in the right of each individual to read and interpret Scripture on their own so as to determine true and false teaching. And, remember, you can use this strategy every time you discuss the Bible with a non-Catholic, regardless of the particular doctrine or dogma you are talking about. Source: click here
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In short read the CCC section, review the footnotes, many of them are from scripture. Read the article and more that others have posted here and look for more at www.catholic.com or www.ewtn.com Show him 1 John 5:16-17 and simply tell him this is how YOU interpret the verse, use other scripture if needed…

At best when you are done the only thing he can say is that he DOES NOT agree with YOUR interpretation…
 
Another example:

A sin againts Jesus can be forgiven
On the other hand, a sin againts the Holy Spirit can never be forgiven.
 
water said:
Another example:
A sin againts Jesus can be forgiven
On the other hand, a sin againts the Holy Spirit can never be forgiven.
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Not to be picky, but I think it is “the sin against the Holy Spirit”, not just a sin against the Holy Spirit.
 
if all sin is the same why was noah saved from the flood or lott saved from sodom and gamora being destroyed. ask him that. Here’s another one. if i steal a hundred atom bombs and purposley set them off destroying almost the whole world killing billions and billions of people is that the same as someone littering. Sounds the same to me!!!
 
The “sin is a sin” belief is one of many unbiblical beliefs of “Bible-only” Christians:

The Bible makes a clear distinction between venial and mortal sin?

1 John, chapter 5:16-17 shows that there are sins that “kill” your soul and those that injure but are not mortal.

If any one sees his brother committing what is not a
mortal sin, he will ask, and God will give him life
for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which
is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that.
All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal.

Also

James, chapter 14-15

*but 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. *

St. James distinguishes from beginning sin and mature sin, which brings death to the soul. So there are sins that are mortal on those that are venial.
 
Also, is stealing to feed your family if you are very poor the same as stealing to get a new playstation?
 
The belief that ‘a sin is a sin’ seems to stem from James 2:10 "10: For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. " If one reads that passage only without reading the other scriptures already mentioned then one might be lead to the wrong conclusion that all sin is equal. Clearly, in light of the other scriptures already mentioned all sin is NOT equal. But, then, what does James 2:10 mean? It was explained to me in this way. If you break a plate in half… you have broken the whole plate. However, repairing a plate that has been broken in half is fairly easily done. This is like venial sin. Now, if you shatter a plate into a thousand pieces you have yet again broken the whole plate. But this time the damage is much greater. This is like mortal sin. In both cases, both can be overcome by the mercy and forgiveness of God. However, it is supremely foolish to believe that all sin is equal. Ask your husband if he thinks that a kid stealing a pencil from WalMart has offended God as much as someone who has committed repeated murders. That doesn’t even make sense! Especially in light of all the scripture taken in context.
 
The belief that ‘a sin is a sin’ seems to stem from James 2:10 "10: For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. " If one reads that passage only without reading the other scriptures already mentioned then one might be lead to the wrong conclusion that all sin is equal. Clearly, in light of the other scriptures already mentioned all sin is NOT equal. But, then, what does James 2:10 mean? It was explained to me in this way. If you break a plate in half… you have broken the whole plate. However, repairing a plate that has been broken in half is fairly easily done. This is like venial sin. Now, if you shatter a plate into a thousand pieces you have yet again broken the whole plate. But this time the damage is much greater. This is like mortal sin. In both cases, both can be overcome by the mercy and forgiveness of God. However, it is supremely foolish to believe that all sin is equal. Ask your husband if he thinks that a kid stealing a pencil from WalMart has offended God as much as someone who has committed repeated murders. That doesn’t even make sense! Especially in light of all the scripture taken in context.
 
These are great, and very helpful answers! So, he is taking James out of context?
 
Though I would say some sin is worse for the soul, and for our relationship with God than others, to God all sins are equal.

After all, God is complete, and we are incomplete. The bridge between these two worlds (as with the infinite and the finite) cannot be changed by finite things.

So either we put up something which God refuses to remove or bridge, or we put up something which is infinitely more powerful, so that the power of the sin would be comparable to the power of God. But this cannot be so.

Rather, I see that to us, sins are large or small, even some are deadly and some are not (mortal and venial). But to God, all of these sins are as easy to forgive and repair, in the end, and all we must do is ask Him for His blessing and His grace. And for His absolution.

With or without a priest.
 
To deny the existence of mortal sin, or in other words the ability of man to freely choose to reject God and choose a life without Him, is to deny free will itself. This essentially makes us predestined slaves of God, or predestined to spend eternity in Hell. Either way this is not the action of a loving God. You must see that, as contradictory as it may intially seem, mortal sin exists out of God’s mercy and love for us. He loves us so much that He gave us the ability to freely choose Him with the help of His grace, and also the ability to freely reject Him and His grace. It is simply illogical and not in accordance with the whole of scripture to claim that all sin is the same, and thus mortal sin impossible.
 
Struggle said:
These are great, and very helpful answers! So, he is taking James out of context?
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I would say so, since mortal sin is clearly revealed in other scripture. We know that the truth cannot contradict itself. Only that fallible human beings can misinterpret truth. In this case, your husband has seemingly looked at a singular passage and ignored other passages and so he has come to a wrong conclusion. This is why we are warned by Peter against personal interpretation of scripture.

As far as scripture is concerned the concept of “all sin is equal” is rather easily refuted. Remember to tell him, we are not saying that venial sin is not offensive to God. It is offensive to God as all sin is, however, venial sin does not do the same amount of damage to our relationship with God as does mortal sin.
 
noma said:
But to God, all of these sins are as easy to forgive and repair, in the end, and all we must do is ask Him for His blessing and His grace.
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Easy? Depends on whether the cross was easy.
 
noma said:
Though I would say some sin is worse for the soul, and for our relationship with God than others, to God all sins are equal.

After all, God is complete, and we are incomplete. The bridge between these two worlds (as with the infinite and the finite) cannot be changed by finite things.

So either we put up something which God refuses to remove or bridge, or we put up something which is infinitely more powerful, so that the power of the sin would be comparable to the power of God. But this cannot be so.

Rather, I see that to us, sins are large or small, even some are deadly and some are not (mortal and venial). But to God, all of these sins are as easy to forgive and repair, in the end, and all we must do is ask Him for His blessing and His grace. And for His absolution.

With or without a priest.
Click to expand...
now this is ABSOLUTELY wrong :confused:

at least according to Catholic beliefs MORTAL sins…
MUST BE CONFESSED TO THE PRIEST or risk eternal damnation…

Venial damages but not destroys/damns you to hell
Mortal does

Priests and the holy sacrament of Confession is the only…well “safeguard” (forgive me for using the wrong word…it’s 1 AM …) for the mortal sins.

“So either we put up something which God refuses to remove or bridge, or we put up something which is infinitely more powerful, so that the power of the sin would be comparable to the power of God. But this cannot be so.”
^ this… well is right, because of the “cannot be so” as God’s power is always above the power of sin, no matter the gravity as long as it is confessed, and actually though, God would ALWAYS forgive the sin, no matter what (ok take the no matter what, I’m not too good of a source right now…as I should be killing my brain over studying…BUT…)

“Though I would say some sin is worse for the soul, and for our relationship with God than others, to God all sins are equal.”
^ sins have a certain gravity to each one. certain ones are more than others. the ones that are extremely more than others are known as “mortal sins”

certain sins are lessened because of the one of the definitions of mortal sin → “GRAVE SIN” as some things (taking *some *money from someone rich … verses taking *some *money from a poor person)

too much talking for now, I’ll keep looking into this thread if needed, for now, back to studying…
 
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