Sin and Mercy
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Simplified
Revealing His Mercy (1846)
The Gospel reveals God's mercy to us in Christ. Jesus' name means that "he will save his people from their sins" (Mt 1:21).
Receiving His Mercy (1847-1848)
"God created us without us, but he will not save us without us" (St. Augustine). To receive God's mercy, we must admit our sinfulness. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. If we confess our sins, he... will forgive our sins" (1 Jn 1:8-9).
God's grace is like a physician probing our wounds. Sin must be uncovered before it is forgiven. "Conversion includes an interior judgment of conscience which contains a double gift. First, the truth of conscience and secondly a gift of the certainty of redemption" (Pope John Paul II).
Defining Sin (1849-1850)
Sin offends reason, fails in love for God and neighbor, wounds man's nature and injures human solidarity. Sin is "an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law." (St. Augustine)
Sin is disobedience and revolt, "love of oneself even to contempt of God" (St. Augustine). This proud self-exaltation is totally opposed to Jesus' obedience which gains our salvation.
Sin Manifested in Christ's Passion (1851)
Sin manifested itself clearly in Pilate's cowardice, the soldiers' cruelty, the people's hatred, Judas' betrayal, Peter's denial, and the disciples' flight. However in that hour of darkness, Christ's sacrifice secretly became the source of the forgiveness of sins.
Works of the Flesh (1852)
Paul calls sin "works of the flesh" (fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing) and says that they exclude from the kingdom of God (Gal 5:19-21).
Sin of Various Kinds (1853)
Sins are defined according to the virtues they oppose or the commandments which they violate. Sins are committed against God, neighbor or oneself. They are spiritual or carnal; in thought, word, deed or omission. All sin comes "out of the heart and defiles a man" (Mt 15: 19-20).
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