What are the 7 deadly sins? Who never sinned to throw the first stone. Regardless of the religious position of each, we all have a notion of what is considered a sin, especially within the Christian universe.
For Christianity, sin is all that defies the sacred precepts of God, and among all that can be done wrong, there are seven sins that are considered mortal. Have you ever wondered why this happens?
The What Christians Want to Know website often publishes content intended to clarify Christianity. Columnist Jack Wellman explained some questions about King Solomon’s capital sins, and we resolved to share them with you.
First of all: why seven?
According to the Bible, God created the world in six days and rested in the seventh. In the calendar, a week has seven days. Already for the faithful of ancient Israel, the pause took place during the Sabbath – the seventh day of the week was both for rest and for religious worship.
In the Hebrew root, the word “seven” means “to be complete,” and precisely because of this, he does not need anything to be withdrawn or added.
It is a number considered perfect and well finished. Following the logic of sin, the person who commits the seven mortal sins named by King Solomon ultimately disrespects God directly. Know these sins below:
What Are the 7 Deadly Sins?
1 – A proud look
For the Bible, pride is the sin that makes people look at others with pride and superiority. The Holy Book further explains that pride was the motive that led to Lucifer’s expulsion from paradise and, consequently, the change of his name – Lucifer means “bearer of light.”
The pride of being considered the greatest angel in heaven made Lucifer begin to plan ways to steal God’s place. When he was expelled from paradise, his name became Satan – in Hebrew, means “adversary” and “accuser.”
It is by Lucifer’s behavior that pride is seen by Christians as the root of all the sins of the world, and so it appears always listed first.
2 – A lying tongue
The lake of fire of the second death, filled with angels that were cast out of paradise, is the fate of liars, according to Wellman’s explanation. There, the eternal torment is guaranteed, and, of course, pride is taken as the fuse for a lying mouth.
For Christianity, when we lie, we are trying to hide a situation and display a good appearance, even if it is not true. Lying is also seen as an excuse given by those who are not doing the right thing – all to make the liar seen positively, even when he does not deserve it.
In the Bible, the tongue is compared to a small spark, able to spread the fire through an entire forest. Although it is a small part of the body, it is capable of promoting great events. “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and a curse,” says one passage from James (3: 7-10).
3 – Hands that shed innocent blood
Just as Jesus Christ was killed even though he was innocent, anyone who harms or kills an innocent is considered a great sinner. Wellman explains that there are now more behaviours that fit this capital sin.
Besides killing and hurting, it is also guilty that encourages the consumption of drinks and drugs, for example, because it is facilitating the occurrence of some tragedy. And guess what! Pride is again seen as the root of yet another capital sin.
4 – Hands that invent evil plans
It is not just who kills who sins. If the crime was planned by another person, that person would also be convicted. In addition to murder cases, crimes, in general, are also considered deadly sins.
Whoever robs or plans any kind of crime is going against the divine precepts as well. Wellman cites cases of rape, murder, assault, and other offences that are illegal under the justice of men.
5 – Feet that rush
The sin here is to volunteer to help someone do wrong. The logic is that if the feet are willing to run toward evil, they will do evil as well. Wellman also emphasizes the ambition within this sin.
They are people who do not hesitate to do something wrong in search of their own good. They lie, cheat, mug, steal, and kill without thinking about the gravity of what they do. It is individuals who take advantage of those who are vulnerable.
In current times, Wellman compares the action of someone who finds a lost purse, for example, and decides to stay with it, even having the possibility of returning it to the owner.
It is people who have wrong attitudes without even thinking about them. They want the easy way, the bigger reward and believe that other individuals are just stones in the middle of the way.
6 – Who gives false testimony
And, once again, we return to root sin, which is pride, the motivation behind who lies about other people. He who gives a false testimony often puts other people in judgment, making them pay for something they have not done. It is a sin of those who have the habit of blaming others to get away from complicated situations.
Wellman contextualizes this sin by citing possible misunderstandings in the workplace. When something goes wrong, there is always that person who blames someone who is not even there to defend himself.
7 – Who stirs up conflicts
Here the author explains that the person who plants intrigues makes gossip, or creates conflicts is heading toward the sins that most offend God. According to Wellman, those who perform such acts are like one who throws flammable material into a fire that others are trying to extinguish.
What’s more, the gossipy, intriguing person is also full of pride – he wants to put others on bad sheets to show he’s superior.
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On the other hand, All About explored the social and literary vision of the seven deadly sins – it may be the version you’re most accustomed to. Check out:
1 – Lust: to have intense needs and desires. According to the Bible, he who looks at a woman with desire is already committing adultery.
2 – Gula: excessive appetite for food or drink.
3 – Greed: the excessive and abusive greed of having something or being with a certain person.
4 – Laziness: lack of energy and willingness to perform certain activities.
5 – Ira: strong or vengeful indignation.
6 – Envy: resentment for the conquest of others, followed by the desire to achieve the same thing.
7 – Pride: to feel proud and superior to others.
These are two possible readings of the seven deadly sins. If you know any more, tell us in the comments!