195 - CFED 1023 Christian Morality in Our Times - sw-1

13/05/2022, 13:38 195 - CFED 1023: Christian Morality In Our Times - https://usl-tuguegarao.neolms.com/student_lesson/show/3143660?
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195 - CFED 1023: Christian Morality In Our Times
FINAL: WEEK 3
SIN: A BROKEN RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND NEIGHBORS
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13/05/2022, 13:38 195 - CFED 1023: Christian Morality In Our Times - https://usl-tuguegarao.neolms.com/student_lesson/show/3143660?lesson_id=155789398ion_id=58536167
SIN: A BROKEN
RELATIONSHIP WITH
GOD AND NEIGHBORS
Week 15
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One would always wonder — why is it easier to err than to act rightly? Is it
human nature to commit sin? Even St. Paul, in his letter to the Galatians
exhorts Christians to make a conscious effort to direct their freedom and
actions in choosing to do the right thing since committing sin seems to
have been imbedded in human nature (Galatians 5:13-26).
Reflections on sin, its nature and consequences, provide a better tool in

understanding Christian morality. Sin is never acted upon with the
absence of human choice. A person commits mistake as a deliberate
choice to defy standards.
WOIVINVWS3IONS
In the Gospels, Jesus teaches that love of God and love of

neighbor are intimately connected (Mt 22:3839; Mk 12:29-31).
When we sin against those in need by failing to act
compassionately toward them, we ignore Christ himself (Mt
25:31-46). In the words of Pope Benedict XVI, “Closing our eyes
to our neighbor also blinds us to God” (Deus Caritas Est [God
ls Love], no. 16). Sin ruptures our relationship with God and also
with other members of the Body of Christ (Catechism of the
Catholic Church [CCC], no. 1440). Take a moment to consider
ways that you have broken any of the Ten Commandments:
Are there any false “gods” (e.g., material things, pleasure, etc.)
that you place above God and other people? Have you treated
family members or others with disrespect? Have you lied,
WOIVINVWS3IONS
gossiped, cheated, or stolen?
Time and again, the beginning of sin is traced from the

Garden of Eden, when the first man and woman willfully
decided to defy the only restriction God has imposed
despite the abundance He graciously bestowed upon them.
In Genesis, Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command not

to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. As a consequence,
they were banished from the garden forever, and the reality
of sin continuously existed as a hindrance to a loving
relationship with God. This is popularly described as the
original sin. Adam and Eve assumed to be like God —- a
manifestation of pride, an abuse of freedom (Genesis 3:1-
WOIVINVWS3IONS
19).
The Old Testament used three Common Hebrew terms pertaining to sin which are hatta,
pasha, and awon. Hatta literally means “missing the mark.” This stresses that sin is a willful
rejection of God’s known will. Pesha, meaning rebellion, shows how, in sinning, human
persons reject God and His love. Awon, iniquity or guilt, refers to the way sin twists and
distorts the sinner’s inner being.
In the New Testament, the principal Greek terms used to refer to sin are anomia, adikia
and skotos. Anomia or lawlessness stresses that sin consists in a spirit of rebellion and
contempt for God and His law. Adikia, meaning justice, emphasizes that sin is a refusal to
accept God and His reign revealed in Christ and to live in the justice that God has given.
Skotos, meaning darkness, shows that sin is an opposition to the truth of God, to Jesus
Christ --- who is the way, the truth and the life, to one’s fellowmen/women,
WOIVINVWS3IONS
and to the truth of being a human person.
Nature of Sin
Sin separates human beings from God. It is a person's failure to respond to God's invitation and
love. It breaks one’s relationship with Him. It traces itself from the abuse of human freedom. It is
through the act of turning away from God that sin exists and continually persists.
1. Sin as the Absence of Goodness in an Action
Action should always aim towards what is good; good for the one doing it and good for others
who will be affected by such act. Once the nature or the intention of an action lacks goodness
then sin enters into the scene. Such action can result to harming oneself, destroying nature and
even damaging human community which will all result to destroying the relationship between
human beings and God.
WOIVINVWS3IONS
Nature of Sin
2. Sin comes in various forms depending on its gravity. Traditionally, the Church
classified sin as either venial or mortal.
a. Venial sin
The following conditions must be considered for a certain behavior or action to be called
venial:
i. The action is not grave matter, or not serious in nature — in contrast to killing, adultery and
others. il. Action is impaired by ignorance, thus the lack of full knowledge of the circumstances
of a situation, ill. Action has been committed in the absence of deliberate and complete
consent.
lf often committed, venial sin weakens the will which eventually lessens one’s power to
WOIVINVWS3IONS
resist eviland makes it easier for him/her to commit a mortal sin.\
Nature of Sin
2. Sin comes in various forms depending on its gravity. Traditionally, the Church
classified sin as either venial or mortal.
b. Mortal sin refers to an action that is seriously bad/evil. An individual makes a decision to proceed
with the action despite the knowledge that it is a grave violation of God's law. The nature of the action
as seriously bad and the existence of full consent qualify it as mortal. The commission of a mortal sin,
when not properly addressed, continues to pile up, weakens the will of an individual, and eventually
darkens his/her intellect.
Three important features must necessarily surround a certain action to qualify it as mortal sin:
i. The nature of thoughts, desire or action must be seriously bad or grave. The action is morally bad
and not permissible. Examples are stealing, robbery, cheating, lustful actions, killing, and others.
il. The individual is fully aware of the gravity and seriousness of the action and decision.
WOO VINVWS3IONS
ill. Despite the full knowledge, the person still consents to perform the action. One does it with freewill.
Nature of Sin
3. Sin of Commission and Omission
sin is most often understood as bad actions being done without realizing that the non-
performance of a needed action that results to a damage of a thing, person or relationship is also
another dimension of sin. So, sin is either a bad action being committed or a good or needed
action which Is omitted or willfully not being done
a. The sin of commission: a bad action being committed/done.
The sin of commission is usually reflected in the negative precepts of the Ten Commandments
such as,
“You shall not kill” and “You shall not steal”, and the likes. The clue there is the word NOT.
WOIVINVWS3IONS
Nature of Sin
3. Sin of Commission and Omission
b. The sin of omission is the failure to perform a certain good/needed

action. This is an offense against the positive precepts or the Do’s such
as, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy” or “Honor your father and
mother.” Omissions are also manifested when an individual neglects
his/her professional responsibilities, social obligations or religious duties.
An example of how serious this is intentionally not constantly checking
the condition of a certain bus or car which can result to a great accident
later.
WOIVINVWS3IONS
Nature of Sin
4. The Three-Fold Dimension of Sin
The act of sinning, willfully

deviating from what is required
of an individual affects the
individual three-fold —
personal, social and
transcendental.
WOO WINYWS30NS

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13/05/2022, 13:38 195 - CFED 1023: Christian Morality In Our Times - https://usl-tuguegarao.neolms.com/student_lesson/show/3143660?

195 - CFED 1023: Christian Morality In Our Times

SIN: A BROKEN RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND NEIGHBORS

Reflections on sin, its nature and consequences, provide a better tool in

In the Gospels, Jesus teaches that love of God and love of

gossiped, cheated, or stolen?

Time and again, the beginning of sin is traced from the

In Genesis, Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command not

and to the truth of being a human person.

1. Sin as the Absence of Goodness in an Action

resist eviland makes it easier for him/her to commit a mortal sin.\

a. The sin of commission: a bad action being committed/done.

b. The sin of omission is the failure to perform a certain good/needed

The act of sinning, willfully

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