Christian Living Education

Topic: Jesus Liberates Us from Slavery to Sin

A Reading from the Book of Genesis 19:15–26

As dawn was breaking, the angels urged Lot on, saying, “Come on! Take your
wife with you and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept
away in the punishment of the city.” When he hesitated, the men, because of
the Lord’s compassion for him, seized his hand and the hands of his wife and
his two daughters and led them to safety outside the city. As soon as they
had brought them outside, they said: “Flee for your life! Do not look back or
stop anywhere on the plain. Flee to the hills at once, or you will be swept
away.” “Oh, no, my lords!” Lot replied to them. “You have already shown
favor to your servant, doing me the great kindness of saving my life. But I
cannot flee to the hills, or the disaster will overtake and kill me. Look, this
town ahead is near enough to escape to. It is only a small place. Let me flee
there—is it not a small place?—to save my life.” “Well, then,” he replied, “I
grant you this favor too. I will not overthrow the town you have mentioned.
Hurry, escape there! I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” That is why
the town is called Zoar. The sun had risen over the earth when Lot arrived in
Zoar, and the Lord rained down sulfur upon Sodom and Gomorrah, fire from
the Lord out of heaven. He overthrew those cities and the whole Plain,
together with the inhabitants of the cities and the produce of the soil. But
Lot’s wife looked back, and she was turned into a pillar of salt.

Lesson: The story in Sodom and Gomorrah depicts the sinfulness of the
world and the consequence of sin. Sin brought them death. The
stubbornness of their heart brought death upon them. They did not listen to
Abraham. Today, some of us are like not only the people, but Lot who had
the chance to live. We let ourselves be tempted by sin when all we have to
do was to follow His commands.

What is sin?

Sin is acting or failing to act, or a power or force that leads us into evil. By
sinning, we:
a. refuse to follow our conscience’s call toward the good;
b. reject God, our Creator and Lord, and our own true selves and
others, by turning away from God, our true end
c. break God’s covenant with us, shown forth in Jesus Christ, dying and
rising for our sake; and
d. refuse God’s love
 “Sin as a moral reality is an attitude, an action or failure to act, or a
power or force that leads us into evil” (CFC 1803). It is something that we
commit or do such as stealing, lying, f ighting, etc. It can be an attitude that
affects how we look at things and people, eventually our dealings with them.
Sin is also a failure to do what we are obliged to do. Being a Christian is not
all about “not sinning” but “doing good.” We are here not merely to survive
but to live and make meaning. We are here for a purpose.
Sin is a “refusal to follow our conscience’s call towards the good” (CFC
762). Deep within us is the natural inclination to do what is good and avoid
what is evil. We are children of God who is Good. Everything we are is good.
To sin is to refuse to obey the voice of our conscience.
Sin is “rejecting God, our Creator and Lord, and our own true selves
and others, by turning away from God, our true end” (CFC 762). Sin is
against ourselves, others, and God. To choose sin is to reject our true identity
as image and likeness of God, others as our brothers and sisters and God as
Origin and Source of everything. Sin is turning away from them.
Sin is “breaking God’s covenant with us, shown forth in Jesus Christ,
dying and rising for our sake” (CFC 762). In the sacrament of Baptism, we
enter into a covenant with God made possible by the redemptive act of His
Son in the Holy Spirit. We become His adopted children and He our God. We
remain faithful to the covenant if we follow His command. “If you keep my
commandments you will live in my love. You are my friends if you do what I
command you” (John 15:10–14).
Sin is “basically a refusal of God’s love” (CFC 784). Our faith history
reveals God’s love for us. In spite of human unfaithfulness, He never
abandons us. He sent people, His Beloved Son, and His Spirit to keep us in
His loving arms. All He asks from us is to abide in His love and yet through
committing sin we forget and take for granted His love for us. Sin is
forgetting and taking for granted His love.

What is the Christian sense of sin?

Sin hurts and makes us stranger to ourselves, others, the community,
and God.
One of the dangers concerning morality is the loss of sense of sin.
Other people sin and remain unaffected. They are not bothered. They don’t
get troubled of the pain their evil acts caused others. They know by their
conscience that they sin but don’t get worried and become anxious of it.
They simply become callous. They just get used to it.
Sin hurts us and our loved ones. It is not a joke contrary to how it is
portrayed in some TV programs, movies, and comic books. It destroys,
dishonors, injures, perverts, and corrupts. It lessens trust and weakens good
relationship.
Sin alienates us from ourselves. St. Paul confessed “What happens is
that I do, not the good I will to do, but the evil I do not intend … What a
wretched man I am! Who can free me from this body under the power of
death?” (Romans 7:19–20) For us, we may have heard others saying, “‘Di ko
na maintindihan ang sarili ko.” (I can’t understand my self anymore). Sin
makes us strangers to ourselves.
Sin alienates us from others and the community. No one likes a person
who hurts. We hate disrespectful, unkind, selfish, greedy, envious, and
violent people. They are not good influences. We distance ourselves from
them. This is what happens when we sin. People step away from us.
Sin alienates us from God. It moves us away from Him. We lose the
courage to call God as our Father. We lose the confidence to pray before Him.
We feel nobody in spite of the gift of adoption, a treachery of sin that we may
continue to walk away from Him.
Sin, by all means, must be avoided. It is absolutely contrary to
ourselves, others, and God
What are the sins according to degree?

Sin can either be venial or mortal.

Venial sin is a sin that can be forgiven (from venia meaning “pardon
or forgiveness”). This is “excusable” for it does not lead us directly to
spiritual death. “All wrongdoing is sin, but not all sin is deadly” (1 John
15:17). It does harm our relationship with ourselves, others and God but not
destroy it. It makes us less fervent in the service of God. It weakens our
resistance to sin. It blinds us to see what is truly good. It makes us deserving
of God’s punishment. Though this kind of sin can be forgiven, it should not
be taken lightly. It is like a drop of ink in a glass of water. It does not turn the
water black. However little, it takes away its clearness.
Moral sin is a sin, which leads to spiritual death (Latin word “mors”
means death). It loses the promise of eternal life for us. It excludes us from
the Kingdom of God. It deprives us of sanctifying grace, the supernatural life
of the soul. It takes away the merit of all its good actions. It makes us weak
and unsafe. “God has forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is no one
to rescue him” (Psalm 70:11). It makes us deserving of everlasting
punishment in hell. “Then, he will say to those on his left hand, ‘Depart from
me, accursed ones, into the everlasting fire”(Matthew 25:41).
Perhaps, the next question in our mind is, “When is a sin mortal?” Sins
are mortal on the following context:
 First, the thought, desire, word, action, or omission (not doing what
we must conscientiously do) is seriously wrong. Saying bad words is not
seriously wrong compared to murder.
Second, the sinner has full knowledge of the evil act. He/She is fully
aware and mindful of its evilness.
Third, the sinner has full consent to it. He/She does it out of his/her
own free will. No one forces him/her.
However, we have to realize that it is not about which acts are mortal
and which ones are venial. Whatever an act is as long as a sin, it is
abominable before the Lord and must be avoided. Sin hurts and alienates on
whatever degree.
What are the occasions of sin?
The occasions of sin include persons, places, and things.
Bad companions are the people who lead us to sin. They may be
happy to be with, funny, knowledgeable, and skillful, enabling us to learn a
lot. But these people can be careless of our spiritual well-being. They do not
seem to take moral living seriously. It is in this regard, our loved ones
forewarn us. Sin can be contagious.
Dance hall or disco house can be an occasion of sin. Men and
women tend to dress with extravagance and immodesty. They tend to do
dance steps provoking sexual urges. Due to late hours, it tempts them to
indulge to other pleasure.
Bars are often hang-outs and meeting places of others. Drinking liquor
is a means to unwind, relax, and celebrate. With the alcohol content,
however, it weakens the body, both reason and will. They are most likely
involved in disputes, arguments, and troubles. It weakens their moral stance
giving in to the pleasure of the body.
Bad reading materials such as articles, newspapers,
magazines, and books may have violent or sexual content. Some of them
are not obvious making them even more dangerous to some young readers.
Their minds are indirectly and slowly corrupted, eventually affecting their
attitude and behavior.
Motion pictures, radio, and television are strong occasions of sin.
They themselves are good. They are remarkable inventions of the people.
Today, more than a few are immoral and indecent. Government agencies
must continue to work hard to review the violence in movies, television, and
radio programs for public listeners/viewers. On our part, we must choose the
good and avoid objectionable ones.
Cell phone and computer with Internet connection have played a
vital role to people. In an instant, they can talk and see each other, watch
movies, listen to music and radio, express their thoughts and feelings, and
research information. They are truly useful. This is another revelation of
ingenuity of human beings. Like other inventions, these can be used for evil
purposes – pornography, means for prostitution, avenue to destroy one’s
reputation and credibility, and other illegal activities. In line with this, people
have to remain wary.

How can we combat sin?

To combat sin, we need to remain in the state of grace and develop
virtues. When we were baptized, we receive the sanctifying grace.
Sanctifying grace confers on our soul, new life and made us holy and
pleasing to God. We become His friends and adopted children through His
Son Jesus Christ. “Now you have not received a spirit of bondage so as to be
again in fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by virtue of
which we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The spirit himself gives testimony to our spirit
that we are sons of God” (Romans 8:15–16).
But the devil will never stop to separate us from the love of God and
neighbor. It is “like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter
5:8). We need God’s grace to enlighten our mind and strengthen our will to
do what is good and avoid what is evil.
Virtues are good qualities or inclinations that can help us free from
sinning. They are good habits enabling us to be good and do good for the
love and service of God. They dispose us to lead moral or good lives. Once
we develop virtues, it makes easy for us to do what is right and avoid evil.
How did Christ save and free us from sin?
Christ saved us through His perfect self-giving love for his Father and
for us.
It is Christ’s love that we are saved and freed from sin. Clearly, it is not
just His sufferings and death. Salvation did not end by suffering and dying on
the cross but rising from the dead. His love gives life and frees us from
death. “The Father loves me for this: that I lay down my life to take it up
again” (John 10:17). “It was He who sacrificed Himself for us, to redeem us
from all unrighteousness and to cleanse for Himself a people of His own,
eager to do what is right” (Titus 2:14).

Key Understanding:
• Sin hurts and destroys relationships with oneself, others, and God.
• We need God’s grace to overcome sin.
• Christ saved us so that we may remain in His love.