American culture may have changed and moved past constricting, antiquated ideas like hell and sin, but God hasn’t.
Hell still exists, sin is still serious, and people who commit it still end up there. Or, as St. Paul put it, “the unrighteous won’t inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6.9).
But there’s hope! By the Lord’s grace, we can turn from our sinful ways and find salvation in Jesus Christ. But to do that, we must first openly acknowledge our sins and the fact that we need saving. And once we’re given new life in Christ, the holy journey has just started, and we’re called to cooperate with the Lord’s grace to grow in holiness.
Here’s a list of ten sins that are widely accepted nowadays as normal but that the Bible sees as deadly sins, so a Christian should aim to stay away from them.
1. Theft
Theft is the taking of someone else’s property against the reasonable will of that individual. Not only the taking, but the keeping or use of what belongs to another person against their will, is to be considered theft.
As Exodus 20.15 tells us, “You shall not steal.” Stealing is frequently mentioned in the Bible, yet many people tend to forget that it’s a deadly sin. We, as Christians, must not rationalize the fact that we must obey the Lord’s moral law.
We’re bound by the moral law, which forbids stealing. Living as if you’re not obligated to follow God’s ethical standards is damaging to your walk with Christ.
Some people steal because of covetousness or greed. They want to have more than what they already own, and in their desire to obtain more, they no longer care for morals to get what they want. But greed is a heinous sin. It causes us to do various evil things, including stealing.
Stealing isn’t limited to money or material things. When you commit adultery, you steal someone’s spouse; when you murder someone, you steal their life; and when you cheat on a test, you basically steal information from someone else.
The first thief was Satan, who tried to steal God’s throne. By stealing His people and taking them into the kingdom of darkness, the devil became the ruler of this world. We must not go in the serpent’s path because the Lord has stripped him of his power and set us free in Christ.
2. Lying
A lie is a false statement made to purposefully deceive someone. But it’s possible to lie without any intention of deceiving or without making a false statement.
If someone makes a statement that they think is false but that in reality is true, they certainly lie since they intend to say what is false, and although a great liar may have no intention of misleading others—for they know that no one believes a word they say—yet if they speak at variance with their mind, they don’t cease to lie.
One of God’s great attributes that make us trust Him is that He is the truth and that He always tells the truth. If you’re a liar, you’re not like God in truth-telling, but instead you’re like The Fater of Lies, Satan.
But what if the person you lie to never finds out? What if it’s for a greater mood? Or what if it’s for convenience?
No, lying is still lying, and it’s still ungodly.
3. Gluttony
Gluttony is defined as the lack of self-restraint or overindulgence in drinks, foods, or wealth objects, especially as status tokens. The English term comes from the Latin and means “to gulp.” According to the Bible, gluttony worships food to feed our own self-love. Some have also called this a forgotten vice.
Of course, we need to eat, and there’s a time for feasting. Also, food can be wonderfully enjoyable. However, like alcohol, everything must be enjoyed in moderation. Not only can gluttony have serious consequences for our health, but it also harms our souls.
Gluttony also weakens the will, which is why the latter stands at the foundation of putting an end to desires for overindulgence. One must replace the disordered desires with higher aims like love, contribution, and faith.
4. Drunkenness
Jesus turned water into wine, and Christian monks were known to make the best beer in the world, so it’s safe to say that alcohol is a great gift from God.
However, intentionally drinking too much to get intoxicated and lose control is a sin. Alcohol abuse deprives the drinker of the use of reason, which means that the person no longer has the freedom to deliberate responsibly about what they should or not do.
“Don’t get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery,” tells us God in the Bible.
It’s important to remember that even if gravely wrong behaviors (violence, fornication, etc.) displayed while intoxicated weren’t freely willed in themselves, they were willed in their cause—that is, deliberate drunkenness—and so the drinker is fully responsible for them as though they had chosen them deliberately.
5. Physical immorality
As the Bible teaches us, a true Christian feels herself of himself from carnal pleasures. But can’t we do whatever we want with our bodies? One may say that as long as you give your consent, anything goes, right?
False. As St. Paul says, every other sin someone commits is outside the body, but an immoral person sins against their own body. We’re not our own; we were bought with a price, and we should glorify the Lord in our body.
The Bible shows us that people can sin against their own bodies. But God has created us and our bodies with value, order, and dignity—all of which should be cherished and respected.
And keep in mind that the Lord extended this teaching even to lust in a person’s heart. Adultery is a deadly sin, and everyone who looks at a woman with lustful desire has already “committed adultery with his or her heart.”
6. Revenge
Justice is important, and any justice the government fails to provide will be rectified by God in the end. But when it comes to us right now, the Lord calls us to a higher plane. Scripture shows us that we shouldn’t repay someone’s evil with evil, never avenge ourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God.
Moreover, if your enemy is hungry, Jesus teaches us to feed them, and if they are thirsty, to give them something to drink. Those consumed by wrath may become fixated on getting revenge against those they believe have wronged them. This can only lead to a cycle of hostility and violence.
Keep in mind the Lord’s teachings about forgiveness, which tell us that if we forgive others their trespasses, our heavenly Father will also forgive us. However, if we don’t forget others trespasses, neither will our Father forgive our trespasses.
7. Murder
Murder is the direct and voluntary killing of an innocent human life. This also holds when it comes to a baby developing in their mother’s womb or when the person has a serious disability. Even if the person is old and may pass away soon anyway. Even if the person is very sick and difficult to care for.
Euthanasia and abortion are widely accepted and practiced throughout society, but they are gravely sinful and an offense against God because humans are created in His image. In other words, murder is a capital offense and a strike at the Lord Himself. When someone kills another person, the former is, at the root of the matter, seeking to murder God.
If you liked our article on deadly sins, you may also want to read Top 7 Most Powerful Bible Verses Explained.
