What Is a Mortal Sin?
Share
Growing up in Sunday School, they taught us that sin is anything you say, do, or think that goes against what God wants you to do. It is amazing how the simple lessons of Sunday School remain true as we age. The Bible teaches us about sin. Some Christians believe in a category of sin known as a mortal sin. My objective is to define a mortal sin and then see how this aligns with Scripture.
What Is a Mortal Sin?
According to Catholic doctrine, a mortal sin is a serious offense against God. For a sin to fall into this category, it must meet three criteria. A mortal sin is a grave action someone commits with full knowledge, meaning they know it is a sin. It is done with the deliberate consent of the person committing the sin. The person committing the sin chooses to do it and is not forced to do it. You can’t say the devil made me do it.
When a person commits a mortal sin, they are cut off from God’s sanctifying grace until they repent. If they don’t repent, then when they die, they immediately go to hell and suffer for the mortal sin they committed.
While there is not one exhaustive list of mortal sins, here are some usually included. Some of these also appear on the list of the seven deadly sins.
- Idolatry
- Atheism
- Murder
- Fornication
- Prostitution
- Rape
- Stealing
- Pride
- Envy
- Anger
The other type of sin is called a venial sin, a lesser offense usually committed without full awareness of the sin. If you want more information about sin in general, this article will help you understand it.
What Is the Doctrine of Mortal Sin Based On?
One key Scripture used to support a belief in mortal sin appears in 1 John.
“If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them 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 you should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.” (1 John 5:16-17)
These verses raise some important questions. What is a sin that leads to death? What is a sin that does not lead to death? If you look at this verse through the eyes of Old Testament law, there were clearly sins punishable by death. These were capital offenses, including blasphemy, witchcraft, murder, and many others. There were many moments in the Old Testament where people sinned and died because of their sins. For example, Er in Genesis 38 or Achan in Joshua 7.
The New Testament records some other incidents involving fatal sins. We know Ananias and Sapphira died for lying about their offering (Acts 5). Paul also told us some people died based on how they partook of communion (1 Corinthians 11:28-30). Even with this information, it leaves the question unanswered. We can’t base our answer purely on Old Testament law because the old is gone, and a new covenant has come. We can’t base our answer purely on New Testament words because the writers don’t provide a clear description. John does not define what sins lead to death and what sins do not. Relying on this passage, you may make the case some sins lead to death, but you cannot define what they are.
For this reason, it is difficult to classify something as a mortal sin—because the Bible does not do it for us.
Is There Any Sin that Isn’t Mortal Sin?
The challenge with mortal sin is that all sin can fit into this category. In the book of James, he wrote this verse:
“For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” (James 2:10)
This verse establishes that committing one sin has the same effect regardless of how big or small it seems. All sin breaks your fellowship with God. Some sins may be more destructive than others, but all sin is grave action. From God’s point of view, all sin falls into the category of unrighteousness.
There is another problem with the definition of mortal sin. While not everyone has a Christian background that teaches them about sin, rarely does a person sin without knowing they are doing something wrong. We are born with a basic conscience and the moral law written on our hearts (Romans 2:12-16). Furthermore, James talks about how sin begins with a tempting, which we give into when we sin.
“But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” (James 1:14-15)
When we experience temptation, we are enticed to do things we know are wrong. That is why we call it temptation. When we sin, it reflects our choice to give in to temptation. Sometimes we do this well in advance. Sometimes we decide at the moment. Regardless, sin reflects our choices. This has been the case since Adam and Eve sinned by deliberately deciding to eat the fruit. In the end, all sin is grave, and all sin is deliberate. We cannot create a distinction between grave and non-grave sin.
How Does Mortal Sin Fit with God’s Grace?
A further problem with the idea of mortal sin is it assumes we can be cut off from God’s sanctifying grace. This not only deceives people but also loads them with shame. Telling people they are cut off from God’s grace does not draw them to Christ but makes them run away from him.
If you look at the list of mortal sins above, you will notice they are common. Many people have committed these sins before becoming Christians, and many people have committed them even after becoming Christians. These sins may interrupt your fellowship with God, but they don’t separate you from his grace. Any person who is separated from God’s grace has no hope. In this life, being unrepentant is the only thing that keeps you from God’s grace. However, if a person has sinned and seeks God for forgiveness, they will discover his grace again.
How Do We Forgive Ourselves If We Think We’ve Committed Mortal Sin?
I have spoken to many people who falsely believe God will not forgive them. They carry shame like a scarlet letter when they don’t have to. The Bible is clear Jesus is our sin-bearer—and not just for sins you committed before you received salvation but also for the ones you committed after.
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8-9)
We are all guilty of sin and can find forgiveness through Jesus Christ by confessing our sins to him and being willing to turn from them.
How Can We Help Each Other As We Struggle with Sin
Some have dubbed Hebrews 11 as the hall of faith. In this chapter, you will discover men and women of faith going back centuries. We would even call them heroes of the faith. As you read through the list, there is one thing they all had in common: they were all sinners. Some made grave mistakes, including things that would fit the mortal sin category. Yet the Bible does not remember them for their sin. It champions them for their faith.
We should not encourage or celebrate sin in people’s lives. Nor should we completely disqualify their sins. Whether or not that was the intention when they created it, the doctrine of mortal sin is a disqualifier that potentially robs people of the grace of God. We have been saved by grace, and God’s grace brings forgiveness when we sin. If you have sinned today, you don’t have to stay trapped in your sin. You can seek forgiveness, and Jesus will do what he promised: forgive and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. The key to forgiveness is confessing your sins to Jesus and repenting. When you do this, you will find a loving savior with abundant grace available to cover all your sins (regardless of how bad you think they are).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Thinnapat
This article is part of our Christian Terms catalog, exploring words and phrases of Christian theology and history. Here are some of our most popular articles covering Christian terms to help your journey of knowledge and faith:
The Full Armor of God
The Meaning of "Selah"
What Is Grace? Bible Definition and Christian Quotes
What is Discernment? Bible Meaning and Importance
What Is Prophecy? Bible Meaning and Examples