Seven Deadly Sins

As a result of fallen humanity’s tendency to sin the early church compiled a list of seven attitudes and activities which they warned against. The misconception of ‘deadly’ sins is that they are sins God will not forgive,

All sin is deadly so do something about it!

however the only sin God will not forgive is that of continual unbelief, because it rejects the only means to obtain forgiveness – Jesus Christ and His substitutionary death on the cross. The list, formulated in the sixth century, included pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed, and sloth (laziness). Although they are sins, the Bible does not call them more deadly than any others for all sin results in spiritual death which is separation from God (Rom 6:23). Praise God, when confessed and abandoned, all our sins, including the ‘seven deadly sins’ can be forgiven (Mt 26:28; Act 10:43; Eph 1:7; 1 Jn 1:9). In their place we should be developing godly virtues in our lives; humility instead of pride, gratitude in the place of envy, temperance replacing gluttony, purity instead of lust, patience being substituted for anger, charity and generosity instead of greed, diligence in preference to apathy.

See also: sin/sinners.