The Lutheran Church: Grading Sin?

The Lutheran Church makes a distinction between mortal and venial sins. Mortal sins are those that result in the death of the sinner, including all sins of unbelievers. Venial sins, on the other hand, are involuntary sins of believers that are forgiven through Christ. While all sins are equal in God's eyes, leading to damnation, some sins are considered greater than others in terms of their consequences and the level of knowledge and consent behind them. For instance, Jesus states that those who delivered him to Pilate committed the greater sin (John 19:11). Additionally, the Bible mentions that some sins lead to death, while others do not (1 John 5:16-17).

Mortal and venial sins

The Roman Catholic Church categorises sins into mortal sins, capital sins, and petty sins. Mortal sins are those that imperil your soul and are committed with full knowledge of wrongdoing and deliberate consent. They are considered a deliberate turning away from God and destroy charity in the heart of the sinner. Examples of mortal sins include breaking the Ten Commandments, suicide, induced abortion, and murder.

On the other hand, venial sins are less serious breaches of God's law. They are committed without full knowledge or complete consent and do not destroy the relationship with God but wound it. Examples of venial sins include giving an obscene gesture or telling a white lie.

From a Lutheran perspective, the distinction between mortal and venial sins exists but is not applied in the same way as in Roman Catholicism. Mortal sins are those that kill faith and drive the Holy Spirit from the heart, and venial sins are involuntary sins of weakness committed by believers. While venial sins are forgiven through faith in Christ, mortal sins require repentance and cannot exist alongside true faith.

The root of all sin

In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve's decision to eat the fruit from the tree was an act of iniquity with grave consequences for humanity. Breaking any of God's commands is an assault against the divine Lawgiver.

However, some sins are considered greater than others. For instance, in John 19:11, Jesus states that those who delivered him to Pilate committed "the greater sin". This suggests that Caiaphas, the Jewish high priest, bore greater culpability than Pilate, the Roman governor, due to his broader knowledge and opportunity to believe.

The Bible also speaks of mortal and venial sins. Mortal sins are those that result in the spiritual death of the sinner, driving the Holy Spirit from one's heart and destroying faith. Venial sins, on the other hand, are involuntary sins of weakness committed by believers. While they are deserving of eternal death, they are forgiven through faith in Christ.

The consequences of sin also differ. While all sins are equal in God's eyes, leading to eternal damnation, the temporal consequences vary. For example, murder and sexual immorality are considered worse than gossip or stealing in our morally broken world.

Additionally, greater knowledge brings greater responsibility. Jesus taught that those with greater knowledge of the Master's will would be treated more harshly if they failed to act accordingly.

In conclusion, while all sins are acts of rebellion against God, some sins are considered greater than others due to their nature, the knowledge and intent of the sinner, and the consequences they bear.

The immediate consequences of sin

Mortal and venial sins are another way to understand the immediate consequences of sin from a Lutheran perspective. Mortal sins are those that result in the death of the sinner and include all sins of unbelievers. They are committed intentionally and willfully and drive the Holy Spirit from one's heart, destroying faith. Mortal sins include pride, murder, rape, blasphemy, adultery, and fornication.

On the other hand, venial sins are involuntary sins committed by believers and are forgiven through their faith in Christ. They are considered sins of weakness and do not extinguish faith or drive the Holy Spirit from the heart. However, they are still real sins and are worthy of death.

It is important to note that the distinction between mortal and venial sins should not lead to a casual attitude towards venial sins. All sins are offensive to God and require forgiveness.

The unpardonable sin

The Bible states that:

> "Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come." (Matthew 12:31-32)

According to Lutheran theology, the unpardonable sin is not merely speaking against the Holy Spirit as a person of the Trinity but is a sin against the office or operation of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is responsible for working faith and forgiveness through the means of grace. When an individual, against their better knowledge, continues to reject the testimony of the Holy Spirit, they risk hardening their heart to the point where repentance and faith become impossible.

However, it is important to note that the conditions for committing the unpardonable sin were specific to the time of Jesus' earthly ministry. Today, an individual can still reject the gospel and fall into apostasy, but this does not necessarily constitute the unpardonable sin as described in the Bible.

The distinction between mortal and venial sins is also important in Lutheran theology. Mortal sins are those that drive the Holy Spirit from one's heart and destroy faith, leading to a state of spiritual death. Venial sins, on the other hand, are involuntary sins of believers that are forgiven through Christ's sacrifice. While all sins are equal in God's eyes, the immediate consequences may differ, and some sins may be considered greater than others based on their impact and the knowledge of the sinner.

The sin leading to death

The concept of "sin leading to death" is mentioned in 1 John 5:16, where the apostle John distinguishes between two types of sin: those that do not lead to death and those that do. This idea has been interpreted in different ways by theologians.

One interpretation is that the "sin leading to death" refers to a professing believer who, through habitual sin, demonstrates that they are not a genuine Christian. This interpretation suggests that the sin in question is one of unbelief, resulting in eternal death. Such a rejection of Jesus is considered apostasy, which is unforgivable. Praying for restoration in this case is seen as futile because God has already sealed the rejecter's fate.

Another perspective is that the "sin leading to death" could pertain to a true believer whose life brings shame to Christ, leading to God's discipline in the form of premature death. In this case, the believer's sin is so grave that God takes their life as a form of chastisement. Examples of this can be seen in the Bible, such as the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira after they lied to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-11), and Paul's instruction to deliver a sinning church member involved in immorality "to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 5:5).

It is challenging to determine conclusively which interpretation John intended. However, both views emphasize the seriousness of sin and the need for repentance and faith in Christ for forgiveness.

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