Lesson 13 - What is Sin?

(Lesson 13)

What is Sin?

“… all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23

Discussion Guide:

Sin is an offense against God. If we sin against our neighbor, we also sin against God. The Bible tells us that all unrighteousness is sin. Sin can be in the form of words, deeds, thoughts and omissions. There are two kinds of sin: original sin and actual sin. Original sin is inherited from our first parents and its effects lead us to commit actual sin. Actual sin is every sin that we ourselves commit through our own fault. There are also two kinds of actual sin. They are called venial sin and mortal sin. Mortal sin is a grievous offense against God. It is called mortal because it kills the life of grace in the soul. If mortal sin is not repented of and confessed, it can lead to eternal punishment. Venial sin is an offense against God that does not kill the supernatural life of the soul. Venial sins can lead to mortal sins and should not be taken lightly. Venial sins are less serious or less deliberate in nature than mortal sins. Satan entices us to commit sin. There is nothing that pleases Satan more than to lead a soul into mortal sin. If we commit a mortal sin we can repent and seek forgiveness at the foot of the cross. Jesus gave us the sacrament of confession to restore grace to our soul. Christ conquered sin and death but we must cooperate with his grace.
Discussion Points:

· All unrighteousness is sin

· Life is much happier and more satisfying when we avoid sin

· Society does not have the same moral standards that we must have as Christians. We must follow God no matter what is common in society

· The two broad categories of sin are venial and mortal sin

· There are seven deadly vices (Pride, Covetousness, Lust, Anger, Gluttony, Envy, and Sloth) that lead to sin

· There are six sins against the Holy Spirit (Presumption, Despair, Resisting the Known truth, Envy of spiritual goods, Obstinacy in sin, Final impenitence)

· Sin is a serious matter; it was the reason Christ died for us

· God is forgiving if we repent and have contrition

· We deceive ourselves when we fail to obey Church teachings regarding sin

· We cannot pick and choose what is a sin and what is not a sin. If we have faith, we will obey the teachings of Jesus Christ

· Try to avoid the things that lead us into temptation




The Imitation of Christ

Resisting Temptation

Thomas A. Kempis

So long as we live in this world we cannot escape suffering and temptation. Whence it is written in Job: "The life of man upon earth is a warfare." Everyone, therefore, must guard against temptation and must watch in prayer lest the devil, who never sleeps but goes about seeking whom he may devour, find occasion to deceive him. No one is so perfect or so holy but he is sometimes tempted; man cannot be altogether free from temptation.

Yet temptations, though troublesome and severe, are often useful to a man, for in them he is humbled, purified, and instructed. The saints all passed through many temptations and trials to profit by them, while those who could not resist became reprobate and fell away. There is no state so holy, no place so secret that temptations and trials will not come. Man is never safe from them as long as he lives, for they come from within us -- in sin we were born. When one temptation or trial passes, another comes; we shall always have something to suffer because we have lost the state of original blessedness.

Many people try to escape temptations, only to fall more deeply. We cannot conquer simply by fleeing, but by patience and true humility we become stronger than all our enemies. The man who only shuns temptations outwardly and does not uproot them will make little progress; indeed they will quickly return, more violent than before.
Little by little, in patience and long-suffering you will overcome them, by the help of God rather than by severity and your own rash ways. Often take counsel when tempted; and do not be harsh with others who are tempted, but console them as you yourself would wish to be consoled.

The beginning of all temptation lies in a wavering mind and little trust in God, for as a rudderless ship is driven hither and yon by waves, so a careless and irresolute man is tempted in many ways. Fire tempers iron and temptation steels the just. Often we do not know what we can stand, but temptation shows us what we are.
Above all, we must be especially alert against the beginnings of temptation, for the enemy is more easily conquered if he is refused admittance to the mind and is met beyond the threshold when he knocks.

Someone has said very aptly: "Resist the beginnings; remedies come too late, when by long delay the evil has gained strength." First, a mere thought comes to mind, then strong imagination, followed by pleasure, evil delight, and consent. Thus, because he is not resisted in the beginning, Satan gains full entry. And the longer a man delays in resisting, so much the weaker does he become each day, while the strength of the enemy grows against him.

We should not despair, therefore, when we are tempted, but pray to God the more fervently that He may see fit to help us, for according to the word of Paul, He will make issue with temptation that we may be able to bear it. Let us humble our souls under the hand of God in every trial and temptation for He will save and exalt the humble in spirit.

What is Sin?

“… all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23

Opening Prayer:

Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner! Amen

Theme:

We are all sinners in need of a savior. What is a sin? What is the difference between a venial sin and a mortal sin?

Bible Readings:

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 John 1:6-10 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Matt 5:17-22 "Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

"You have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of fire.

Matt 5:27-30 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

1 John 5:16-17 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.

Explanation of the Bible readings: Romans 3:23 makes it clear that every one of us is a sinner. To one degree or another, every human being, because of our fallen nature, is a sinner. There is a tendency to believe that we are all “good people” and not guilty of any sin. If we examine our consciences in reference to Jesus Christ and his gospel, we will quickly find ourselves agreeing with St. Paul that “we all fall short of the glory of God”.

St. John first tells us that there is hope in Christ. We must first admit that we are sinners. If we say we have no sin, we make a liar out of God! If we seek God with a contrite heart and ask for forgiveness, we will receive that forgiveness. When we confess our sins in the sacrament of reconciliation, we receive forgiveness through the merits of Jesus Christ. If our sins are mortal, we must confess them in the sacrament. St. John clearly states that there is a difference between venial and mortal sins.

St. Matthew tells us that there are sins of the heart. Not only is it wrong to commit an evil deed, it is also a sin to have evil intentions, thoughts and desires. Jesus wants us to seek his grace in order to purify our hearts. These sins can lead to evil deeds and a restless conscience. Jesus also makes it plain that Hell is a real place and there is a real possibility of going there if we die in a state of mortal sin. Any sin can be forgiven and we must never despair. We need to take advantage of the free grace that God gives to us through faith, repentance, and the sacraments of the Catholic Church.

Sirach 10:12-13 Pride is the beginning of sin
James 4:17 If you do not do what you know is right, it is a sin. (Omission)
Luke 12:45-48 Some sins are worse than others.

Teaching:

The Bible makes it clear that all of us have sinned and are in need of a savoir. It also makes clear that we must repent from our sins. Repentance is a life long process. As we grow in faith and grow in knowledge of the Church’s teachings, we should also grow in holiness of life. We should never deceive ourselves into believing that we are good enough to conquer sin on our own. We need to call upon Jesus everyday for his grace, attend Mass on Sundays, receive the sacraments frequently, and read the Sacred Scriptures to grow closer to the Lord. If we do these things, we will grow in holiness; if we do not do these things, we may easily fall into mortal sin. The Church gives us the revelation of Jesus Christ handed down through the ages. Its teachings regarding sin must be followed with faith and should never be ignored for any reason. If any person tells another that it is all right to disobey Church teachings in any area, that person is guilty of the grave sin of scandal. Never confirm anyone in his or her sins and do not let yourself be deceived by anyone when it comes to following what the Church teaches.

Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1849 Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity. It has been defined as "an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law."

1850 Sin is an offense against God: "Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight." Sin sets itself against God's love for us and turns our hearts away from it….

1852 There are a great many kinds of sins. Scripture provides several lists of them. The Letter to the Galatians contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit: "Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God."

1853 Sins can be distinguished according to their objects, as can every human act; or according to the virtues they oppose, by excess or defect; or according to the commandments they violate. They can also be classed according to whether they concern God, neighbor, or oneself; they can be divided into spiritual and carnal sins, or again as sins in thought, word, deed, or omission. The root of sin is in the heart of man, in his free will, according to the teaching of the Lord: "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a man." But in the heart also resides charity, the source of the good and pure works, which sin wounds.

The Gravity of Sin: Mortal and Venial Sin

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.

1855 Mortal sin destroys charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God's law; it turns man away from God, who is his ultimate end and his beatitude, by preferring an inferior good to him.

Venial sin allows charity to subsist, even though it offends and wounds it.

1856 Mortal sin, by attacking the vital principle within us - that is, charity - necessitates a new initiative of God's mercy and a conversion of heart which is normally accomplished within the setting of the sacrament of reconciliation:
When the will sets itself upon something that is of its nature incompatible with the charity that orients man toward his ultimate end, then the sin is mortal by its very object . . . whether it contradicts the love of God, such as blasphemy or perjury, or the love of neighbor, such as homicide or adultery. . . . But when the sinner's will is set upon something that of its nature involves a disorder, but is not opposed to the love of God and neighbor, such as thoughtless chatter or immoderate laughter and the like, such sins are venial.

1857 For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: "Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent."

1858 Grave matter is specified by the Ten Commandments, corresponding to the answer of Jesus to the rich young man: "Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and your mother." The gravity of sins is more or less great: murder is graver than theft. One must also take into account who is wronged: violence against parents is in itself graver than violence against a stranger.

1859 Mortal sin requires full knowledge and complete consent. It presupposes knowledge of the sinful character of the act, of its opposition to God's law. It also implies a consent sufficiently deliberate to be a personal choice. Feigned ignorance and hardness of heart do not diminish, but rather increase, the voluntary character of a sin.

1860 Unintentional ignorance can diminish or even remove the imputability of a grave offense. But no one is deemed to be ignorant of the principles of the moral law, which are written in the conscience of every man. The promptings of feelings and passions can also diminish the voluntary and free character of the offense, as can external pressures or pathological disorders. Sin committed through malice, by deliberate choice of evil, is the gravest.

1861 Mortal sin is a radical possibility of human freedom, as is love itself. It results in the loss of charity and the privation of sanctifying grace, that is, of the state of grace. If it is not redeemed by repentance and God's forgiveness, it causes exclusion from Christ's kingdom and the eternal death of hell, for our freedom has the power to make choices for ever, with no turning back. However, although we can judge that an act is in itself a grave offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God.

1862 One commits venial sin when, in a less serious matter, he does not observe the standard prescribed by the moral law, or when he disobeys the moral law in a grave matter, but without full knowledge or without complete consent.

1863 Venial sin weakens charity; it manifests a disordered affection for created goods; it impedes the soul's progress in the exercise of the virtues and the practice of the moral good; it merits temporal punishment. Deliberate and unrepented venial sin disposes us little by little to commit mortal sin. However venial sin does not break the covenant with God. With God's grace it is humanly reparable. "Venial sin does not deprive the sinner of sanctifying grace, friendship with God, charity, and consequently eternal happiness."

Faith words:

Sin: Sin is a morally bad act; an act not in accord with reason informed by the Divine law. An act that is contrary to an informed conscience.

Unintentional Ignorance: When an individual sincerely does not know that an objectively sinful action is wrong.

Grave matter: Grave matter refers to the breaking of any of the Ten Commandments as interpreted by the Catholic Church.


Reflection Questions:

List some examples of sins of the heart?







Describe a situation that would entail a sin of omission.







Which one of the seven deadly vices is the most difficult for you to overcome? (Pride, Covetousness, Lust, Anger, Gluttony, Envy, and Sloth)






Deuteronomy 30:15-20

"Here, then, I have today set before you life and
prosperity, death and doom.

If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God,
which I enjoin on you today, loving him, and walking in his
ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees, you will live and grow numerous, and the LORD, your God, will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy.

If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not
listen, but are led astray and adore and serve other gods,

I tell you now that you will certainly perish; you
will not have a long life on the land which you are crossing
the Jordan to enter and occupy.

I call heaven and earth today to witness against you:
I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse.

Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may
live, by loving the LORD, your God, heeding his voice, and
holding fast to him.

For that will mean life for you, a long
life for you to live on the land which the LORD swore he would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."