What are the
SEVEN DEADLY SINS?

Q. What are the Seven Deadly Sins and where are they listed in the Bible?

A. The teaching or listing of "seven deadly sins" is not found in the Bible. This particular classification of sins is believed to have been started by a Catholic Church monk around the 4th century A.D.

The seven deadly sins are not so much a collection of the worst sins man can commit as it is a list of what Catholics consider are the seven sinful attitudes that are the basis for all OTHER sins. The most common list of seven sins (attitudes) considered "deadly" are:

Wrath  -  Greed  -  Lust  -  Pride

Envy  -  Sloth  -  Gluttony

The nearest thing in the Old Testament to a list of worst sins is found in the book of Proverbs. Solomon writes that "God hates:"

1. "A proud look"

2. "A lying tongue"

3. "Hands that shed innocent blood"

4. "A heart that devises wicked plans"

5. "Feet that are swift in running to evil"

6. "A false witness who speaks lies"

7. "One who sows discord among brethren"
   (Proverbs 6:16-19, NKJV throughout unless stated)

The only sin clearly in common, however, between the list of what God hates and the Catholic's deadly sin list is the attitude of Pride. There are in the New Testament at least two lists of sins that certainly are bad. These lists, once again, are very different from the seven deadly sins list: "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God." (1Corinthians 6:9-10) 'Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like;  of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD." (Galatians 5:19-21) What the Bible DOES teach is that ANY sin brings the death penalty. God does not grade sin as we humans tend to do. In a very real sense ANY sin is a "deadly" sin!		The Seven Deadly Sins - Vanity Oil on panel by Hieronymus Bosch (c. 1480 A.D.) A wealthy woman stares into a mirror as she adjusts her headdress. She fails to recognize, however, that a devil sporting a similar headdress is holding her mirror!

"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." (1John 3:4, KJV)

"Now by this we know that we know Him (God), if we KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. He who says, 'I know Him,' and DOES NOT keep His commandments, is a LIAR . . ." (1John 2:3-4)

All mankind, from the greatest to the least, sins:

"But the Scripture has confined ALL under sin . . . " (Galatians 3:22)

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. " (1John 1:8)

And the penalty for sinning is:

"For the wages (what it ultimately produces) of sin (ANY sin) is DEATH . . ." (Romans 6:23)

Thankfully, God has provided a way to be forgiven of ALL our sins:

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

"Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out . . ." (Acts 3:19)

"I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake." (1John 2:12)

And God does not stop at "just" forgiving our sins. He promises there will come a time when He will decide NOT to remember our sins FOREVER!:

"No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they ALL shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, AND THEIR SIN I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.” (Jeremiah 31:34)