Sin & Conversion

1. What is sin? What is the nature of sin?
Ans.
Sin: Sin is considered as disobedience against God’s will and as an
offence against Him. When someone knowing his duty in any kind of
situation does not do accordingly but disobey with free consent then
he commits sin.
Nature of sin: Sin and guilt this two is closely related. Sin and
moral guilt designate the same reality, though under different
aspects. Sin always involves moral guilt, and moral guilt always
presupposes sin. Sin expresses the truth that a wrongful act is
morally evil and an offence against God. Guilt on the other hand
denotes the fact that a man is liable for the evil he has done and
that it is attributed to him as the responsible agent. Moral guilt
must be distinguished from guilt feelings. The more tender a person’s
conscience, the more readily will it react with guilt feelings at a
person’s sin.

2. Explain the Biblical notion & Theological reflection on the nature of sin.

Ans. Biblical notion of sin: The Bible always conceives of sin in the
framework of man’s relationship to God. Its deepest nature appears as
refusal to respond to God’s initiative of love. For the Greeks, sin
was an error, ignorance or a foolishness, by which men harms himself.
For the latter, sin is an offence against God and unfaithfulness to
him.
OT: Sin is a transgression of God’s law and will. (hata = missing an
aim or falling from a known path).
a)    Sin is disobedience against the commandment of the Lord.
b)    Sin is regarded as hatred towards God.
c)    Sin is considered as the forgetfulness of the God of the alliance.
NT: NT. calls upon man in all its books to repent of his sins and to
convert his heart and ways.
a)    Sin is considered as ungrateful deserting of the Lord. (Prodigal Son)
b)    Sin is considered as deprivation of the very meaning of existence
by separation from God. (Lost ship)
c)    Sin is presented as the antithesis to charity and an offence
against love. (as selfishness and hatred)
d)    Sin is regarded as refusal of the light and of the truth.
e)    Man’s wickedness a denial of the glorification due to God and the
presumptive attempt to be one’s own lord.
Therefore Christ calls to conversion, renunciation and, love, and
charges his Churches to continue the forgiveness of sins on earth.
Theological Reflection on the nature of sin:
The possibility of sin lies in the character of man’s free will during
his earthly pilgrimage. The possibility of declining from the true
good and of deciding for the illusory good of sin results from the
fact that the finite reason and will of man can never grasp the
infinite good fully and completely. He can regard the true good as
less valuable and prefer a lesser or illusory good, even while he
knows in the depths of his conscience that it is only a transitory,
evanescent value and not the real, lasting good. This is the
contradiction inherent in sin.
Triple Injury of sin: Every sin contains a triple injury. These are-
1. An injury against God is the first triple injury that as human
being we are not fully perfect. We have limitation. That is why we
attempt to sin. By doing sin it mean that we reject God and his divine
plan. The rejection of God and his aim by the sinner disturbs and
breaks a loving fundamental relationship. In sin man refuses to accept
his dependence on God. He denies the obedience disregards the order
and law and separates himself from the love and communion with God or
on the other hand we can say sin leads us to deny the supremacy of
God.
2. An injury against fellowmen as well as human community is the
second injury that a person sin against another person. God himself
teaches us to love our neighbor as He loves us. If we say that we love
God but we do show our love to the others, we become liar. So as
children of God and the faithful we are the body of Christ. No one
live alone, we need a company of others to be a good man. By loving
others, sharing other we need to make good relationship and help each
other to be human so that we may creates a good society. So this is a
sin Lovelessness, injustice, evil action or desire, corruption
thoughts of revenge affects our fellowman directly or indirectly.
3. An injury against the sinner himself is the third injury that is
sin against the person himself. When a do not think the welfare of
other, is must suffer in his life. A person cannot do anything without
the help of other person. A man cannot bring happiness and fulfillment
for himself. By sinning, a man falls short of his ultimately end or
refuse it by turning to other goals of his preference. Thus he suffers
disharmony and frustration. If he disregards his existence he destroys
his personal spirituality and betrays his true vocation.

3. What are the different dimensions of sin?

Ans. A) Social dimension of sin:
1. St. John- If any one says, “I love God, and hates his brother, he
is a liar ---------” Many sins affect our fellowmen more or less
directly by causing harm to them. This is true for all the sins of
lovelessness and injustice, of scandal and evil cooperation.
2. Another reason for the social dimension of sin is revealed by the
teaching of St. Paul on the mystical body of Christ. According to St.
Paul, Christians “are the body of Christ and individually members of
it.” All the members of a body depend upon each other, and if one
member is sick or does not function, all the others suffer from it.
3. Christians are concerned; their unfaithfulness to their vocation
questions the vitality of their religious convictions before those who
live with them.
B) Personal dimension of sin:
1. Man is indeed cruel to himself by sinning. If he does not repent,
he gradually destroys his own liberty for the good. He ruins his own
inner wholeness, loses his integrity, and opts for slavery. ‘Everyone
who commits sin is a slave’ (Jn.8: 34).
2. Man cannot find his happiness and fulfillment in goals for which he
is ultimately not meant and created. By sinning a man falls short of
his ultimate end or refuses it by turning to other goals of his
preference. Thus he misses his proper aim, and this failure must
inevitably result in disharmony and frustration.
3. “He who finds me finds life and obtains favour from the Lord; but
he who misses me injures himself; all who hate me love death.”
Disregarding the structures of his existence, man finally destroys his
spiritual personality through sin.
4. Sin is the refusal to grow up to one’s full stature and to a
perfect man. By sinning a man betrays his true vocation, because he
does not realize himself the way he is willed by God.
5. Sins are symptoms of a sick personality and of a spiritual disorder
and disease. According to the Holy Scripture Christ is the one who
came to take from us the sickness of our sins.

4. What are the different gradations of sin?

Ans.St. John distinguishes two kinds of sin- 1. Sins, which are unto
death. 2. Sins, which are not unto death.
According to teaching of the Council of Trent- 1. Mortal sin: All
mortal sins must be confessed, because those who are guilty of such
sins are “children of wrath” (Ephe. 2:3) and enemies of God. 2. Venial
sin: Venial sins must not be confessed, although it is recommendable
to do so (DS-1680). For venial sins do not destroy the state of grace
(DS-1537).
Recently distinguished between the three gradation of sins-
1.    Mortal sin: Mortal sin is a complete aversion from God. Mortal sin
is a morally wrong decision, which is so intensive that it gives a
wrong orientation to man’s entire life.
2.    Grave sin: Grave sin is a serious offence resulting from a certain
weakness, be it a deficient sense of value or a lack of moral
strength.

Two criteria for grave sins:
1)    External: Scripture speaks of four sin- murder, the sin of Sodom,
oppression of widows and orphans and defrauding the hired servant of
his earnings.
2)    Internal: Serious bodily mutilations, assassination, rape, robbery
of goods of greater value and seriously damaging calumnies.
3.    Venial sin: venial sin is a transgression in unimportant matters.
We commit venial sin 1) when we transgress God’s law in a small thing
or 2) when we transgress God’s law in an important thing, but without
full knowledge or without full freedom of the will.
Or OT: There three kinds of sin:  a) Sins that bring about a radical
breaks with God and loss of the divine favour: e.g. making idol or
casting image, dishonoring the parents living lying with Father’s
wife, with animal etc. ( Deut 27:15-26).  b) Sins enumerated by the
Prophets and accompanied by the divine menace: e.g. blood shedding,
defiling neighbor’s wife, oppressing the poor and needy etc. It is
said, “He has done all these abominable things; he shall surely die;
his blood shall be upon himself” (18:10-18). c) Other sins and
offences receive a milder judgment and can be atoned for by rites of
purification or good works: these are the sins done unintentionally of
any commandments about things not to be done and comes to be known,
sin offering should be offered to the Lord.
NT: There are three kinds of sin: a) Serious sins and baneful ways of
living which deserve death: Every king of wickedness, evil, envy,
covetousness, malice, murder, deceit rebellion toward parents,
faithless, heartless, ruthless ... etc. (Rom 1:28-32), those who does
not love (are haters, murderers) (1 st. John 3:14). b) Sins which
exclude from the kingdom of God: fornicators, idolaters, adulterers,
sodomists, thieves, male prostitutions.. etc (1Cor 6:9). John calls
these kinds of sins as ‘sin unto death’. c) Lighter sins which are not
fatal consequence: e.g. small transgressions of daily life for which
we say in Our Father ‘ forgive us our sins’. James says” for we all
make many mistakes, and if any one makes no mistakes in what he he
says he is perfect man” (Jas 3:2).
Paul gives a example of two kinds of Christians built on the same
foundation, Jesus. Those who built with hay, wood, stubble will suffer
loss when they are tested in fire, though they themselves will be
saved. This points to sin which one is not condemned, but from which
one is to be cleansed.
John distinguished 2 kinds of sins: a) sin unto death, b) sins not unto death.
“All wrong doings is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal (1 Jn 5:17).
So NT prepares the notions and indications of difference between the
present divisions: “venial” and “mortal’.
Church Teaching: It distinguishes between 1. grave offence against God
and the church community and 2. Smaller faults.
In the history of the sacrament of penance it is obvious.
For serious sins – penance was required
For  lighter sins – forgiveness night be obtained by the private
practice of penance, such as prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
Various in the opinions indicate which offences correctly constituted
a serious sin.
Council of Trent: The present distinction between mortal and venial
sin is taught expressly by the Council of Trent.
a) Mortal Sins: must be cleansed, because those who are guilty of such
sins are ‘children of wrath’ (Eph 2:3) and enemies of God. b) Venial
Sins:  must not be confessed, although it is recommendable to do so.
For venial sins do not destroy the state of grace.
4. Recent Attempts: Distinguishes into three. a) Mortal Sin: It is a
complete aversion from God.
b) Grave Sin: It is serious offences resulting from a certain
weakness. Be it a different sense of value or a lack of moral
strength.
c) Venial Sin: is a transgression in unimportant matters. It is also
divided into two: 1. Grave venial sins and 2. Light venial sin.
5. Practical Study: For the practical study and classification of
sinful actions sins the following distinctions are fundamental and
must be remembered:
1.  Mortal and Venial are gradations in view of the subjective
condition of the sinner. Namely, a) whether he has separated himself
from God in a sinful act and lost the divine life of grace, b) whether
he has only diminished the force of divine life in himself without
causing it loss.
2. Grave and light sin are gradations taken more in view of the
detriment caused in the objective order to the realization of ultimate
goal.
Signs of the Mortal and Light sins: a) The objectively grave
disturbance of the moral order is usually the sign of a mortal sin,
but not necessarily, sins lack of full insight or lack of free will
can subjectively prevent the origination of a mortal sin.
b) Equally  alight offence against the objective moral order is
usually a sign of a venial sin, although an objectively light offence
may sometimes be occasion for a deliberate rebellion against God and
hence a mortal sin.
6. Moral Theology: In investigating the gravity of certain offence, it
does so only in view of the objective detriment they cause to the
realization of the ultimate goal, that is to say in view of the
question whether this detriment is great or light. The judgment on the
subjective state of the sinner always depends on the concrete
conditions in which he exists.

5. What are the different kinds of internal sin?

Ans. There are three principal kinds of internal sins-
1.    Mental complacency: It is considered as sinful imaginations without
the desire to bring them into act. Mental complacency, which takes
pleasure in sinful fantasies and thoughts.
2.    Sinful joy: It is an accomplished evil deed, be it one’s own or
another person’s sin, and sinful regret of not having performed an
evil act.
3.    Evil desire: to perform a sinful action. Augustine said- “Bad will
alone is a sin, even if the effect is lacking- that is, if there is no
power to carry it out”.

6) What are the sins of omission and commission?

Ans: Sins of Commission: A Sin of commission is the performance of a
forbidden act. It is an offence against a negative precept, such as
You shall have no other god before me, You shall not still, You shall
not kill.
Sins of Omission: A sin of omission is the failure to perform an
obligatory act. It is an offence against a positive precept, such as
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, Love one another as I loved
you.
It is easier to avoid sins of commission than to do all the good,
which one ought to do. The possibilities of omissions are manifold:
neglect of one’s professional, social or religious duties; neglect to
reform oneself; neglect to fight deficient and evil public conditions,
neglect to show concern and fraternal love for one’s neighbor, etc.

7) What are the capital sins?
Ans. Christian tradition from the time of the Fathers put together a
catalogue of main sins, which are called capital sins. They are called
capital not because they are always necessarily grave, but because
they easily become vices and source of many other sins. Gregory the
Great (+604) drew up a list of seven-
1.    Pride/vainglory-is an inordinate desire of honour and opposed to
the virtue of humility.
2.    Avarice- is the inordinate pursuit of material goods and is
contrary to the virtue of liberty and equality.

3.    Envy is discontent over the good of the one’s neighbour, which is
considered as a determent to one’s own person. It offends against
brotherliness and magnanimity.
4.    Lust- is the inordinate craving for sexual gratification and is
against the virtue of chastity.
5.    Gluttony is excess in the enjoyment of food and drink; the opposite
virtues are temperance and sobriety.
6.    Anger- is the intemperate outburst of dislike with the inordinate
desire for another’s punishment. It is in contrary to patience and
meekness.
7.    Sloth in the wider sense is laziness and opposed to diligence. In
the narrower sense it means spiritual sloth, a turning away from
spiritual things because of the effort which they require. It
contradicts the virtues of piety and love of God.

8. What are the nature and finality of temptation? What do you
understand by sinful distorted world?

Ans: Temptation- i) Concept and Nature: Temptation is the incitement
acted upon a man to do evil. Let us say that a certain food tempts me;
it tempts me because it tastes good, which means that it satisfies my
appetite. Nevertheless let us suppose that it will do me harm; it will
make me ill, and I am aware of this. Thus hesitate between the
immediate satisfaction that I will experience if I eat it. This good
leads to disorder and becomes an evil. So, therefore, the same object
is good or evil from different points of view. Thus temptation is a
sate of hesitation, where no definite decision for good or evil has
been made, and where the final consent is withheld.
Each one satisfies one tendency; not single good satisfies man
entirely and from every point of view. Having in mind the idea of the
absolute good and the happiness, man attempts to construct his good
and happiness in the concrete. This construction of one's life demands
a perpetual choice and a perpetual renouncement of certain goods for
the purpose of possessing others…I can exercise one profession I
renounce the exercise of others; I can find happiness in marriage if I
remain faithful to one person.
A man who desires a piece of land but has none of his own may feel
that he will be fully content once he has a few acres. But as soon as
he owns them, he will fast discover other needs and unfulfilled wishes
which deprive him of complete happiness.
ii) Provisions and means against temptation: According to traditional
asceticism, the two principal means for combating temptation are
prayer and penance. Prayer is understood in a broad sense as including
the sacramental life. If somebody is assaulted by temptations against
faith, chastity and charity and at the same time neglects prayer life,
he is not free of guilt for this state of affairs. He has not done
what is in his power to strengthen himself against temptation; on the
contrary, he has prepared the ground for it by his negligence.
To penance, one must aid in our day physical exercise, hygiene and
sports. Physical exercise has been discovered as a most apt means of
bodily hygiene. The body must be disciplined if one is to become its
master. Traditional asceticism insists on the avoidance of idleness as
another preventive means against temptation. The dissatisfaction
caused by an isolated life easily becomes a source of temptation. A
good friendship will help them to dispel them. The temptation for a
married man is to commit adultery and to endanger the happiness of his
family. Finally a man must try to purify ever more the intentions and
aspirations of his heart. As we see in the Gospel that it is the good
tree which bears good fruit. The intentions must be directed to the
root of the human life. Above all man must endeavor to gain a clear
and lucid notion of his personal calling of Creator. For example, a
priest must learn to realize that his calling is not that of a social
worker but of a minister of the mysteries of faith.
iii) Moral finality of temptation: All authors agree: God does not
tempt man, for does not lead man into evil and temptation arises from
the fact that evil presents itself as desirable. God abandoned Job to
Satan in order to prove his virtue, but it was Satan and not God who
tempted him. Ultimately the possibility of temptation is rooted in the
gift of freedom.
Sinful distorted world:
Solidarity in evil according to holy Scripture:
OT.
Prohibition of idolatry.
Collective influence of sin.
NT.
Following the norms of the world.
Sin becomes incarnate in social structures, in value systems, in
ideologies, in traditions, in habits, in collective behavior, and in
the mentality common to a group of individuals who compose a given
society.
These conditions result in a “fact of sin”.
Man’s situation in a sinfully distorted world:
Hostility to justice and faith, like oppression of religion in the
communist country.
Morally distorted environment structures and mentality.
Sinful social structures and conditions are sources of much injustice and evil.
Or
Nature of temptation:
a)    Temptation is the incitement acted upon a man to do evil i. e. Sweet
b)    The tempted man is a divided man. He is divided between two good,
one of which at the same time an evil.
c)    Man finds himself in the presence of many goods. “Each one
satisfies one tendency; no single good satisfies man entirely and from
every point of view. Having in mind the idea of the absolute good and
the absolute happiness in the concrete, man attempts to construct his
good and happiness in the concrete. This construction of one’s life
demands a perpetual choice, and a perpetual renouncement of certain
goods for the purpose of possessing others.”
Finality of Temptation:
a)    God does not tempt man. (Satan tempted Job in order to prove his virtue)
b)    The possibility of temptation is rooted in the gift of freedom,
with which God has endowed man.
c)    Positive role of temptation is that man learns to know himself and
forms himself through struggling with temptation.
d)    No one should look for temptation but pray- “and lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Mt. 6:13).
Provisions and means against temptation:
1. Prayer 2. Penance 3. Avoidance of idleness 4. Avoidance of
occasions of sin 5. Purified heart.
Sinful distorted world:
a)    Solidarity in evil according to holy Scripture:
OT. 1. Prohibition of idolatry. 2. Collective influence of sin.
      NT. 1. Following the norms of the world.  2. Sin becomes
incarnate in social structures, in value systems, in ideologies, in
traditions, in habits, in collective behavior, and in the mentality
common to a group of individuals who compose a given society. These
conditions result in a “fact of sin”.
b)    Man’s situation in a sinfully distorted world:
•    Hostility to justice and faith, like oppression of religion in the
communist country.
•    Morally distorted environment structures and mentality.
•    Sinful social structures and conditions are sources of much
injustice and evil.


9. What is seduction? Define scandal with examples.
Ans.
Seduction: It is the deliberate effort to lead others to sin.
Scandal: Unbecoming conduct that gives occasion of sin to others.
Seduction intentionally causes another to sin but scandal in the
proper sense only gives an occasion to sin and permits the sinful
deed. Scandal is always of a relative nature.
Active Scandal: Unbecoming conduct on the part of the one who causes scandal.
Passive Scandal: The scandal due to bad example. (A priest who wishes
to see a controversial movie)

10. How one can cooperate in the sins of others?
Ans. Cooperation in h\this sense is to assist in the execution of a
sinful deed by making the means available, advice and necessary
information.
Kinds of cooperation:
a)    Formal cooperation- when one externally concurs in the sinful deed
of another and at the same time internally consents to it.
b)    Material cooperation- when one externally concurs in the sinful
deed of another without internally consenting to it.

11. What are the natures, conditions and fruits of conversion?
Ans. Conversion means change of life.
Natures of conversion:
1.    Repentance of the past evil deeds
2.    Return to God’s salvific will.
Conditions of conversion:
1.    Humble admission of sin and guilt.
2.    Readiness for the efforts of moral renewal.
3.     Openness to the gift of grace.
Fruits of conversion:
      1. Penance:
•    Good and holy works.
•    Work of penance-
a)    Fasting.
b)    Almsgiving.
c)    Prayer.
2.    New Life.
3.    Apostolic zeal.
4.    Love and holiness (The best means).

12. How do you understand the sacrament of reconciliation?
Ans.
Definition:
Steps for the fruitful sacrament of reconciliation:

Fruits of the sacrament of reconciliation:

13. What are the nature and system of virtues?
Ans.
Definition of virtue: Virtue is a habit that gives both the
inclination and the power to do readily what is morally good.
A. Nature of virtues:
1. Genuine virtue flows from the correct fundamental option, which is
grounded in the unequivocal and definite orientation towards the
supreme goal. Virtue must centre in the in the love of God.
2. Man is elevated / infused by the supernatural virtues. Common
teaching of the Church (Trent)- faith, hope and charity are infused in
man.
3. Virtue does not centre in the human person. Christian virtue has
its source in Christ through the transforming grace of the Holy Spirit
for the glorification of the Father and imitation of Christ.
B. System of virtues: One principal virtue, which contains all other
virtues in itself. According to Socrates- it is Wisdom.
Plato- Justice.
Aristotle- Prudence.
St. Augustine- Love of God.
St. Thomas- Prudence ---- charity.
Kant- Universal sense of duty.
C. Diversity of virtues:
1.    Three theological virtues (St. Paul)- faith, hope and charity.
2.    Four important moral virtues- prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance.
3.    For the Christian (B. Haring) fifth basic virtues- prudence,
justice, fortitude, temperance and humility.

14. What are the nature, kind and dimensions of sin in Christian life?
Ans.

15. Discuss the universal call to perfection and holiness in the light
of the Sacred Scripture.
Ans.
a)    OT- Love of God wholeheartedly.
b)    NT-
-    Unreserved love
-    Ever surpassing love towards God and neighbors
-    Faithful obedience to the commandments of Christ.