Do you believe in two types of sin Aieno?

The Bible teaches about two different kinds of sin.

In 1 John 5:16-17 we read:
"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."

So it is plain that there are two types of sin: deadly or "mortal" and not deadly or "venial".

A deadly (mortal) sin does just what its name says. If not repented from, it "kills" a person's chances of entering into heaven because the sinner has freely chosen by his own actions to turn his back on God.

A non deadly (venial) sin does not "kill" a person's chances of salvation. It still represents a rejection of God's Will to a lesser degree.

In Matthew, Jesus speaks about the deadly (mortal) sin of sinning against the Holy Spirit: "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 the age to come" (Matt 12:32).

Why would Jesus even bother to mention the possibility of forgiveness in the age to come if it were not possible for some less serious non-deadly (venial) sin?

Because....After a person dies, his/her soul goes to one of three places:

Heaven (if it is completely sinless and totally God-oriented)

Hell (if it is full of serious mortal sin and totally self-oriented)

Temporary place of cleansing, purgatory if the soul is basically God-oriented but still has some traces of venial sinfulness still left on the soul. The soul can benefit from the prayers of the living on earth
(2 Macc 12:38-46).


Calvin, the Protestant reformer of Geneva, had a woman whipped because she was discovered praying at the grave of her son and hence was guilty, according to Calvin, of "superstition."

German Lutherans at least have returned to it in practice and have found considerable theological justification for it. Praying for one's departed loved ones is a far too immediate urge to be suppressed; it is a most beautiful manifestation of solidarity, love and assistance, reaching beyond the barrier of death.


Peace