The Definition of Actual
Sin
The Baltimore
Catechism defines actual sin as “any willful thought, desire, word, action,
or omission forbidden by the law of God” (64). One characteristic of sin is
intentionality. In order to be culpable (that is to bear responsibility) one
must intentionally offend God. When someone knowingly consents to sin they are
said to commit a formal sin, as opposed to a material sin when someone is not
mindful of the offense. Sin is also defined according to its severity. If
someone knowingly exercises the full consent of the will in a grave matter
commits a mortal sin. However, if someone commits a sin that is not severe, or
of a serious matter but does not know its severity, believes that it is not
severe, or does not give full consent of the will commits a venial sin.
Concerning our question the Council of Trent states: "If any one says that a man once
justified can sin no more…” or “that he can during his whole life avoid all sins,
even those that are venial, except by a special privilege from God, as the Church holds in regard to
the Blessed Virgin,
let him be anathema" (Canon 23, On
Justification). Again, the Council of
Trent states: "For though during this mortal life, men, however holy
and just, fall at times into at least light and daily sins, which are also
called venial..." (The Council of Trent
Our Struggle with
Concupiscence
One of the main sources of sin in our life lies deep within
our hearts. This source is known as concupiscence and is one of the temporal
consequences of original sin. The Catechism defines concupiscence as “the
movement of the sensitive appetite contrary to the operation of the human
reason (CCC 2515).” Concupiscence is
the propensity to fall captive to sin, an inclination to become sinfully
enflamed, a susceptibility to unhealthy attachments to created things.
According to this definition, someone might ask if concupiscence is sin. Ludwig
Ott states in his Fundamentals of
Catholic Dogma: “…through baptism everything is taken away which is a true
and proper sin, and that the concupiscence which remains behind after baptism
for the moral proving is called sin in an improper sense only” (110). Likewise,
the Council of Trent states: “This
concupiscence, which the apostle sometimes calls sin, the holy council declares
the Catholic Church has never understood it to be called sin in the sense that
is truly and properly sin in those born again, but in the sense that it is of
sin, and inclines to sin” (Paragraph 5,
On Original Sin).
Even though concupiscence is not considered “as being truly
and properly sin in those born again” we, nevertheless, “must continue to
struggle against concupiscence of the flesh and disordered desires” (CCC 2520). Likewise, concupiscence is
always inherent in our fallen nature, “is left for us to wrestle with…”, and
that even after baptism… “we must still combat the movements of concupiscence
that never cease leading us into evil” (Paragraph
5, On Original Sin; CCC, 978). Concupiscence
is always present in our human nature on this side of heaven as an internal
constraint. Even though our first parents were free from concupiscence by the
complete subjection of the sensuous appetite to the higher faculties of their
reason and the will, however, for us, there remains a strong tendency and
attraction to sin... this concupiscence is primarily rooted in the soul.
Sanctification and
Christian Perfection
If we struggle against concupiscence then what hope is there
to overcome sin in our lives? The Council of Trent states that concupiscence “cannot
harm those who do not consent but manfully resist it by the grace of God”. The Catholic Encyclopedia states: “…according
to the common opinion we can avoid all [sins] such as are fully deliberate."
In other words, no one can claim that God does not give sufficient grace in
order to avoid deliberate venial sins. Thankfully, a Christian can grow in
holiness to the point where they do not habitually commit deliberate venial
sins. In fact, the possibility exists that one could totally avoid all
deliberate venial sins, with the help of God’s grace.
Our understanding of a cleansed heart, a heart so full of
the love of God that there will be no room in the heart for sin, refers to
contrariety and full intentionality. If
we live in Christian Perfection, which needs to be accurately and clearly
defined, then we will not harbor things contrary to the love of God, which is
to commit mortal sins, but we will still need to work through things in our lives
which are incompatible with love. Along these lines, however, we can not
refrain from semi-deliberate venial sins for an extended period of time, that
is, to commit a venial sin without full consent of the will. Even further, over
time, as we grow more sensitive to the Holy Spirit we will be made aware of areas
of material sin that are not yet known to us, which we are not fully aware of
the infraction against love, where the action, word, thought, or omission is
incompatible with the love of God and our love for man. In other words, we will
at least always commit venial sins which are not fully deliberate. This is
Christian perfection, that we can avoid all contrariety and full
intentionality, though this perfection clearly rules out the possibility of
avoiding all incompatibility. It is in this sense that Christ tells us: “You,
therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt 5:48).
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