Actual sin
Encyclopedia
According to Christian
tradition, "actual" sin as distinguished from original sin
is an act contrary to the will and law of God whether by doing evil (sin of commission) or refraining from doing good (sin of omission). It can be either "mortal
," faith destroying, or "venial
," not faith destroying. In Roman Catholic theology an actual sin is specifically any willful thought, desire, word, action or omission forbidden by the law of God.
There are three things that make a sin mortal:
Sin is made venial in two ways:
A venial sin weakens our power to resist mortal sin, and a venial sin makes us deserving of God’s punishments in this life or in purgatory
.
A near occasion of sin is any person, place or thing that leads us into sin.
" are the main roots of sin. They are called capital sins not because they are the greatest sins, but because they are the main reasons that people commit sins. These sins are:
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
tradition, "actual" sin as distinguished from original sin
Original sin
Original sin is, according to a Christian theological doctrine, humanity's state of sin resulting from the Fall of Man. This condition has been characterized in many ways, ranging from something as insignificant as a slight deficiency, or a tendency toward sin yet without collective guilt, referred...
is an act contrary to the will and law of God whether by doing evil (sin of commission) or refraining from doing good (sin of omission). It can be either "mortal
Mortal sin
Mortal sins are in the theology of some, but not all Christian denominations wrongful acts that condemn a person to Hell after death. These sins are considered "mortal" because they constitute a rupture in a person's link to God's saving grace: the person's soul becomes "dead", not merely weakened...
," faith destroying, or "venial
Venial sin
According to Roman Catholicism, a venial sin is a lesser sin that does not result in a complete separation from God and eternal damnation in Hell...
," not faith destroying. In Roman Catholic theology an actual sin is specifically any willful thought, desire, word, action or omission forbidden by the law of God.
Mortal sin
A mortal sin is mortally harmful to the soul. That means that it is deadly to the soul. It is a major act of disobedience to God and His law.- It takes away sanctifying grace which we need to get into heaven.
- Makes the soul an enemy of God.
- Takes away all the merit we earn from good worksGood worksGood works, or simply works, within Christian theology are a person's actions or deeds, contrasting with interior qualities such as grace or faith.The New Testament exhibits a tension between two aspects of grace:...
. - Makes the soul deserving of hellHellIn many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
.
There are three things that make a sin mortal:
- Serious matter ("It is a very bad sin.")
- Sufficient reflection ("The person committing it knows it is wrong to do.")
- Full consent of the will ("The person does it anyway.")
Venial sin
A venial sin is in the soul. It is not deadly in itself, but can eventually lead to the death of the soul by making us weaker to resist mortal sin.Sin is made venial in two ways:
- The sin is not seriously wrong.
- The sin is seriously wrong, but the sinner honestly believes that it is only slightly wrong, or does not give full consent.
A venial sin weakens our power to resist mortal sin, and a venial sin makes us deserving of God’s punishments in this life or in purgatory
Purgatory
Purgatory is the condition or process of purification or temporary punishment in which, it is believed, the souls of those who die in a state of grace are made ready for Heaven...
.
To avoid actual sin
The Christian should:- PrayPrayPray may refer to:* Prayer, an active effort to communicate with a deity or spiritIt may also refer to:-Places:Italy* Pray, Piedmont, a comune in the Province of BiellaUnited States* Pray, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community-People:...
- Receive the Sacraments frequently
- Remember that God is always with us
- Remember that our bodies are temples of the Holy SpiritHoly SpiritHoly Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
- Keep occupied with work or play
- Resist temptationTemptationA temptation is an act that looks appealing to an individual. It is usually used to describe acts with negative connotations and as such, tends to lead a person to regret such actions, for various reasons: legal, social, psychological , health, economic, etc...
the moment it strikes - Stay away from near occasions of sin.
A near occasion of sin is any person, place or thing that leads us into sin.
Capital vices or the Seven Deadly Sins http://www.vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html#MOTU%20PROPRIO
The "Capital vices" or sins, also known as the "Seven deadly sinsSeven deadly sins
The 7 Deadly Sins, also known as the Capital Vices or Cardinal Sins, is a classification of objectionable vices that have been used since early Christian times to educate and instruct followers concerning fallen humanity's tendency to sin...
" are the main roots of sin. They are called capital sins not because they are the greatest sins, but because they are the main reasons that people commit sins. These sins are:
- LustLustLust is an emotional force that is directly associated with the thinking or fantasizing about one's desire, usually in a sexual way.-Etymology:The word lust is phonetically similar to the ancient Roman lustrum, which literally meant "purification"...
- GluttonyGluttonyGluttony, derived from the Latin gluttire meaning to gulp down or swallow, means over-indulgence and over-consumption of food, drink, intoxicants or wealth items to the point of extravagance or waste...
- Greed
- SlothSloth (deadly sin)In the Christian moral tradition, sloth is one of the seven capital sins, often called the seven deadly sins; these sins are called sins because they supposedly destroy the charity in a person's heart and thus may lead to eternal death.-Definition:Sloth is defined as spiritual or emotional...
- Wrath
- EnvyEnvyEnvy is best defined as a resentful emotion that "occurs when a person lacks another's superior quality, achievement, or possession and either desires it or wishes that the other lacked it."...
- PridePridePride is an inwardly directed emotion that carries two common meanings. With a negative connotation, pride refers to an inflated sense of one's personal status or accomplishments, often used synonymously with hubris...