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78. What sins are trivial and what are grave,
however, is not for human but for divine judgment to
determine. For we see that, in respect of some sins,
even the apostle, by pardoning them, has conceded
this point. Such a case is seen in what the venerable
Paul says to married folks: "Do not deprive one
another, except by consent for a time to give
yourselves to prayer, and then return together lest
Satan tempt you at the point of self-control."(173)
One could consider that it is not a sin for a married
couple to have intercourse, not only for the sake of
procreating children--which is the good of
marriage--but also for the sake of the carnal
pleasure involved. Thus, those whose self-control is
weak could avoid fornication, or adultery, and other
kinds of impurity too shameful to name, into which
their lust might drag them through Satan's tempting.
Therefore one could, as I said, consider this not a
sin, had the apostle not added, "But I say this as a
concession, not as a rule." Who, then, denies that it
is a sin when he agrees that apostolic authority for
doing it is given only by "concession"? Another
such case is seen where he says, "Dare any of you,
having a case against another, bring it to be judged
before the unrighteous and not the saints?"(174) And
a bit later: "If, therefore, you have cases
concerning worldly things," he says, "you appoint
those who are contemptible in the Church's eyes. I
say this to shame you. Can it be that there is not a
wise man among you, who could judge between his
brethren? But brother goes to law with brother, and
that in the presence of unbelievers."(175)
And here it might be thought that it was not a sin
to bring suit against a brother, and that the only
sin consisted in wishing it judged outside the
Church, if the apostle had not added immediately,
"Now therefore the whole fault among you is that you
have lawsuits with one another."(176) Then, lest
someone excuse himself on this point by saying that
he had a just cause and was suffering injustice which
he wished removed by judicial sentence, the apostle
directly resists such thoughts and excuses by saying:
"Why not rather suffer iniquity? Why not rather be
defrauded?"(177) Thus we are brought back to that
saying of the Lord: "If anyone would take your tunic
and contend in court with you, let go your cloak
also."(178) And in another place: "If a man takes
away your goods, seek them not back."(179) Thus, he
forbids his own to go to court with other men in
secular suits. And it is because of this teaching
that the apostle says that this kind of action is "a
fault." Still, when he allows such suits to be
decided in the Church, brothers judging brothers, yet
sternly forbids such a thing outside the Church, it
is clear that some concession is being made here for
the infirmities of the weak.
Because of these and similar sins--and of others
even less than these, such as offenses in words and
thoughts--and because, as the apostle James
confesses, "we all offend in many things,"(180) it
behooves us to pray to the Lord daily and often, and
say, "Forgive us our debts," and not lie about what
follows this petition, "As we also forgive our
debtors."
79. There are, however, some sins that could be
deemed quite trifling if the Scriptures did not show
that they are more serious than we think. For who
would suppose that one saying to his brother, "You
fool," is "in danger of hell-fire," if the Truth had
not said it? Still, for the hurt he immediately
supplied a medicine, adding the precept of brotherly
reconciliation: "If, therefore, you are offering a
gift at the altar, and remember there that your
brother has something against you,"(181) etc.
Or who would think how great a sin it is to
observe days and months and years and seasons--as
those people do who will or will not begin projects
on certain days or in certain months or years,
because they follow vain human doctrines and suppose
that various seasons are lucky or unlucky--if we did
not infer the magnitude of this evil from the
apostle's fear, in saying to such men, "I fear for
you, lest perhaps I have labored among you in
vain"(182)?
80. To this one might add those sins, however
grave and terrible, which, when they come to be
habitual, are then believed to be trivial or no sins
at all. And so far does this go that such sins are
not only not kept secret, but are even proclaimed and
published abroad--cases of which it is written, "The
sinner is praised in the desires of his soul; and he
that works iniquity is blessed."(183)
In the divine books such iniquity is called a
"cry" (clamor). You have such a usage in the prophet
Isaiah's reference to the evil vineyard: "I looked
that he should perform justice, yet he did iniquity;
not justice but a cry."(184) So also is that passage
in Genesis: "The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is
multiplied,"(185) for among these people such crimes
were not only unpunished, but were openly committed,
as if sanctioned by law.
So also in our times so many evils, even if not
like those [of old], have come to be public customs
that we not only do not dare excommunicate a layman;
we do not dare degrade a clergyman for them. Thus,
several years ago, when I was expounding the Epistle
to the Galatians, where the apostle says, "I fear for
you, lest perchance I have labored in vain among
you," I was moved to exclaim: "Woe to the sins of
men! We shrink from them only when we are not
accustomed to them. As for those sins to which we are
accustomed--although the blood of the Son of God was
shed to wash them away--although they are so great
that the Kingdom of God is wholly closed to them,
yet, living with them often we come to tolerate them,
and, tolerating them, we even practice some of them!
But grant, O Lord, that we do not practice any of
them which we could prohibit!" I shall someday know
whether immoderate indignation moved me here to speak
rashly. |