Catholics talk about mortal sin and venial sin. Aren't all sins equally bad?

Question

I John 5:16 If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.

Answer 1

If you read 1 John 5:16-17 closely it is describing sin that leads to death (mortal) and sin that does not lead to death (venial).

Sin is a deliberate thought, word, deed, or omission contrary to the eternal law of God.

A mortal sin is a grave infraction of the law of God that destroys the divine life in the soul of the sinner (sanctifying grace), constituting a turn away from God. For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must be present: grave matter, full knowledge of the evil of the act, and full consent of the will.

Most of the sins we commit are venial sins. Venial sin is a sin which does not destroy the divine life in the soul, as does mortal sin, though it diminishes and wounds it. Venial sin is the failure to observe necessary moderation, in lesser matters of the moral law, or in grave matters acting without full knowledge or complete consent.

However consistent unrepentant venial sins can slowly destroy your relationship with God and become mortal sin.

People die all the time with venial sins on their conscience and they will go to heaven.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 1854 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt3sect1chpt1art8.htm#1854

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

The scripture you give proves there is a difference in sin!

Remember- they are talking about SPIRITUAL death here.

Deadly and mortal mean the same thing. Venial means pardonable.

If there is sin that does not lead to death, that is venial sin. Sin that leads to death(even if spiritual) is mortal.

Answer 3

You answered your own question. In the verses you posted, it refers to sin that does not lead to death and sin that leads to death. The first is what Catholics call venial sin. The second is what Catholics refer to as mortal sin.

Answer 4

There is the view that the "sin that leads to death" is not just a single act. It refers to a state of rebellion against God's plan.
This was the sin of Lucifer. A less serious sin that does not "lead to death" is one committed by ignorance or under duress by a superior influence. This was the sin of Adam and Eve.
Eve was simply deceived by the superior cunning of the devil himself.

Answer 5

Beliving and living as if all sins were equal is not only contrary to the Bible,Apostolic teaching and its handing down(Tradition) and the Church Christ founded,but also all reason and any real lived morality.

Refusing to confess serious sins to another( "Confess your sins to one another...James 5;16) and to receive the objective gift of absolution("Whose sins you shall forgive..." John 20:22-23)is usually a sign of lack of repentance or contrition . It is also dangerous to let pride get in the way and to tell myself that '"All I need do is admit this to God and say I'm sorry to Him" since I can delude myself or rationalize that something that is serious is not or visa versa and without objective absolution from Christ in the Holy Spirit through the Church I would be just presuming.

Answer 6

Sin is not good no matter how you look at it but some sins tear us away from God and Charity and these are mortal sins, some sins injure but do not take us away from the friendship of God - these are venial.

The seriousness of sin is still in place. I would rather die than commit one deliberate venial sin.

Answer 7

Wait a second -- the way I read that, you should pray for someone who commits a lesser sin but not pray for them if they commit the biggie? I can see how "sin that leads to death" equals "mortal"; what I don't get is why you would NOT pray for someone in worse trouble than the first guy?

Answer 8

No. Mortal sin is "sin that leads to death" of the soul. Catholics believe that if separates you from God's grace. Venial sin is a failure to live up to God's standards of conduct. We are all sinners, but only mortal sin excludes you from heaven.

Answer 9

St. John tells us, "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." (1 John 5:16-17). Thus St. John distinguishes between mortal and venial sin. Jesus also warns us that "Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned" (John 15:6).

The Catechism describes two main types of venial sin. First, one commits venial sin when "in a less serious matter [than mortal sin], he does not observe the standard prescribed by the moral law" (CCC 1862). In other words, if one does something immoral but the matter is not serious enough to be gravely immoral, he commits only venial sin.

For example, deliberate hatred can be venial sin or mortal sin depending on the seriousness of the hatred. The Catechism explains, "Hatred of the neighbor is a sin when one deliberately wishes him evil. Hatred of the neighbor is a grave sin when one deliberately desires him grave harm" (CCC 2303).

Another example is abusive language. "Abusive language is forbidden by the fifth commandment but would be a grave offense only as a result of circumstances or the offender’s intention" (CCC 2073).

The second type of venial sin involves situations in which the matter is serious enough to be gravely immoral, but the offense lacks at least one of the other essential elements required for mortal sin. The Catechism explains that one commits only venial sin "when he disobeys the moral law in a grave matter but without full knowledge or without complete consent" (CCC 1862).

Answer 10

No. Murdering somebody is the same serious sin as telling your mom that her jeans don't make her butt look fat? People who say all sins are equal should use some common sense.

The Church (Catholic) knows that mortal sins totally block God's grace from you. Venial sins only partially block grace. Of course enough venial sins could totally block God's grace the same way mortal sins do. That's why it's important for a Catholic to receive the sacrament of reconciliation often. Esp. a mischievous one like me. :)