Continued review of (Dis)Ordered by Rev. Christopher S. Esget.
Immanuel LCMS Fairview Podcast
Bible Class - August 25, 2024
This here was a little meme, I guess, that popped up, kind of a little bit concerning what we're talking about. In our discussion, we were talking about postmodernism, and postmodernism says there are no absolutes, and we refuted that by asking the question back and saying, well, isn't that an absolute? A self-defeating argument. And so this little meme had several of these that I thought were pretty funny, and these are two, or some of them, I try to remember who's who, are some well-known atheists, like Richard Dawkins and things like that. It's AI generated, of course, this picture. But nonetheless, there is no truth, and you ask back, well, is that true? An atheist says truth is unknowable. You ask back, how do you know? There are no absolutes, right? When you're playing tennis, right? Are there any tennis players in here? Does anybody know how to play tennis? Does anybody, has that been a hobby or anything like that? No? OK. Yeah, OK. I'm looking for a tennis coach that'll get your kid into the professionals. So I can sit at Wimbledon. Oh, that's right. Yeah, tennis is fading because of pickleball. Yeah, that's true. Are there any tennis courts still here to drink? Are they all pickleball courts now? Still is it? OK. Well, there are no absolutes. And the question you ask back, absolutely. Then, only your five senses provide real knowledge says which of the five senses? Interesting. Logical arguments are not evidence. What is your evidence for that? Only the physical realm is real. That claim itself is not physical, so it is self-refuting. So you can't really do theology by bumper stickers, but every once in a while, a meme is pretty fun and gets it pretty close. So springboarding off of some of the topics that we discussed about postmodernism, we were in. And I think we were war, war, war. We were jumping into chapter three already. Can you believe it? We're flying through this book. Chapter three on page 65. And the discussion is going to be over pages 43 to 65. And there are a couple of things that I want to cover in here that I think were important. First, that one sentence in the introduction paragraph on page 43, the fact that man craves the very things that will destroy him. Isn't that an interesting thought? Man craves the very things that destroy him. Can you think of some real world examples of that? Where do we see that unfold? In a little thing we call addiction? Cell phones. Cell phones. Yeah, I saw that on the back of a truck one time. Something like, if you want to meet Jesus, keep texting or something like that in the back of a semi while you're driving. Any other examples of that? Man craves the very things that will destroy him. Money. OK, money. Some famous philosopher said something to the effect of that. The love of money is the root of all evil. OK, yeah, the natural outcome, diseases and things like that, a promiscuous life, indeed. Craving the very thing that kills you. Power. Yeah? Our good friend Caesar, gluttony. Yeah, a lot of things. It's not that shocking, but indeed to the world, that's going to be strange. Not to say something that the very thing that you desire will destroy you, the very thing that your sinful flesh desires will destroy you. What I wanted to get to also in this chapter before we move on are a couple of definitions. One, turn to page 55, page 55, the top paragraph there. These terms, venial sins and mortal sins. Have any of y'all heard this distinction before in regards to sin? [INAUDIBLE] OK, you heard it in the Catholic Church growing up. Yep, anybody else heard of these references? Yeah, the Catholics still retain this language as do we. We still keep this language. But of course, the difference is I'm pointing this out because this is going to be one of the different ways we look at this. Did you pick up on how the author taught the difference between these two? How did the author speak to the differences of these two? And how these retaining these two terms, mortal and venial, are helpful? Or do you think they're helpful at all? It would be a mortal sin. And tell me if you're giving the Catholic definition or the biblical definition. Selling your soul to the devil? OK, yeah, I'd say that's pretty bad. [LAUGHTER] Remember, you are not your own. You're about with a price. You can't sell that which isn't your own. [INAUDIBLE] All right, let's turn. Yeah, let's jump. [INAUDIBLE] OK, let's jump into the text. Let's get a good definition for all of us here. Top of page 55. While everyone is born with the same inherited contagion, we can distinguish between different types of sins that people commit, particularly the sins of the regenerate. And that, of course, is going back to that Bible passage Titus 3 and 5 that we know and memorize about baptism, that we are regenerated by the Holy Spirit. So here, the definition, different types of sins in the distinction between the regenerate and the unregenerate, the saved. And faith and not faith. Because the sinful nature, top of page 55, that inherited impulse to sin and reject God's law is always raging within us. We are tempted a thousand times a day, even every moment of our lives, to reject God's will for us and succumb to our unholy instincts, those desires which will destroy us. When these sins are done reflexively, without consideration or contemplation, they're called venial sins, as distinguished from mortal sins. No, the Roman Church uses the categories of mortal and venial sins in a very different way. Venial sins are those done out of weakness. Thus, they are sometimes called sins of impulse, or, quote unquote, daily sins. Mortal sins, by contrast, are sins done with consideration in the full knowledge that it is contrary to God's law. A common myth is that committing a single mortal sin results in irrevocable exclusion from the kingdom of God. In other words, it is unforgivable. This is not, however, what is meant by mortal sin. To be mortal is to be subject to death. As an adjective, here modifying sin, the term mortal means lethal, deadly, or killing. Mortal sins affect the soul in such a way that trust in Christ's righteousness is damaged. It is not the particular thing done or omitted that destroys faith, rather. It is the willful rejection of God's word. When a man purposefully deliberately rebels against God's will, the law, he denies the truth and asserts independence from God. The injury done to the soul is severe. It is possible that the person is no longer a Christian, although only God can see the heart and know this for certain. If not, the mortal sin has certainly harmed the person in such a way that he is closer to turning entirely away from Jesus whose disciple he was made in holy baptism. Confession is necessary. Okay, so there are some sins that are more damaging than others. Can you think of, if you've read this chapter, you know where he's gonna go with this, can you think of any Bible passages that speak to different categories of sins? Why would we use this distinction, venial, and mortal? Well, we need to say, well, it's in the Bible, so does anybody know some of these verses? Anything come to mind. In that paragraph right there, right? If you're looking, if you read, you see Psalm 19, right? Keep back, who can discern his errors? Top of page 56, who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless and innocent of great transgression, Psalm 19. So here, even the Psalmist says, right? Declare me innocent from hidden faults, right? These sins that we are told that the human heart is deceitful above all things, who can understand it? That we sin each day, we don't even see them all, we don't know them. And so the Psalmist is making this distinction and saying, Lord, forgive me for even my hidden faults as opposed to what we might see, but also, right? John, in his epistle, in first John, also makes some of these distinctions. If you turn to first John chapter two, we're gonna be in first John chapter two, all right, at the very beginning. If someone would read first John two versus one and two. - My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin, but if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. - Okay, so here we have this recognition that we will sin, right? When you do sin. We tell you, right, I'm writing these things to you so you may not sin, but if anyone doesn't. When you sin, right, where should you turn? Oh, why don't you try harder? If you sin, why don't you try harder? Now John says you turn to what, the gospel, right? This is where we turn. Now go one chapter later, same author, and look at this. Oh, dug on it. This technology, I tell you what. First John three, look at that. First John three, verse four. Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning. No one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, again that phrase, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteousness, righteousness is righteousness, whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil. For the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning. For God's seed abyson him and he cannot keep sinning because he's been born of God. Do you see that distinction? Some people can take this John passage, this first John chapter three passage out of context, out of its meaning because they don't know the distinction between mortal and venial sins and says this is where some of these holiness movements come where you have these televangelists who will be on TV and they will say, man, I am such a great guy. I didn't sin today, well maybe I sinned once, but I am much better today than I was yesterday. I did not sin as much. I think I've gone a whole day without sinning, right? They will take this, right? They will take this out of context, right? No one, right? No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, right? Little children, whoever practices, that's how I know the phones are from the devil. (audience laughs) - Nick, no, you pray for your marriage that you never pray. - What? (audience laughs) No, my phone. - I know the answer. - Oh, oh yeah, yeah, right, yeah. That's always a good thing to see that picture. Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness. Some of these holiness movements will say that this shows you that you should be able to attain a life where you do not sin because they don't know this distinction, that there are venial sins, sins of weakness, hidden faults that we don't know, that we don't see who can discern the heart's error, but then there are mortal sins, that the Bible actually sets these apart, that there are sins that you can commit willfully, knowingly, and you jump into them, those, all sin is dangerous, right? But jumping into those sins and committing them is especially dangerous to your faith. This is why we talk about suicide, right? Being so dangerous. It's because it's self-murder. And the scripture speaks of murder as one of these, it pulls it out, labels it as a very dangerous faith-destroying sin. But of course, any venial sin can become a mortal sin. We have that understanding too. That's where this language of practice of sinning comes in. This venial sin of where your sins rule over you and take you and you finally come to the conclusion where you say, oh, yeah, this isn't a sin. This is where St. Paul warns and Romans, right? He talks about these unnatural relationships between men and women, right? And marriage and St. Paul says the Holy Spirit gave them up to their desires. That finally, you can push and push the Holy Spirit and God finally says, okay, you don't want the Holy Spirit, fine, and he removes his hands. The Holy Spirit gave them up to their desires. Did you think, does that, did the author sort of clear up a little bit why the use of venial and mortal is helpful that gives us sort of a framework for understanding some of these Bible passages? This is why the Lutherans actually retain this definition of mortal and venial. When you think mortal and venial, you shouldn't think Roman Catholic Church. You should think Bible, but a right understanding of it because it is helpful, because you can get bogged down in these sins of weakness and think there is no hope. You can look at your sins and think, well, I must not be a Christian. If I keep being jealous, if I keep doing this, there are sins of weakness that we are just weak. We have sins where we fall for the temptation of the devil and we are reminded. That's why we keep hearing the gospel, keep repenting, right? Some of these things that Jesus instructs us. Yes. - There's another way of saying it. It's just sins and co-mission. - No, not similar, but not really. Sin of co-mission is a sin that you, I steal Kim's cup because I don't like the Lakers. Sin of o-mission would be, I see that Kim's cup has a crack in it and all her precious water is coming out and I do nothing to help her. Sin of o-mission is avoiding doing something that you should. Co-mission is doing something you shouldn't. Does that make sense? - For me, I mean, I obviously understand the things that would be more seriously because I think a little bit of eternity maintained the definition more than be. - Yeah, really, it's really just a way to sort of understand these different uses of sin in the epistles and by Jesus. What does it mean to be practicing sin? What does it mean to just commit a sin? You know, forgive me my hidden faults, right? It means that these sins that you aren't intentionally planning or trying to commit. Yes? - Can I see kind of a slippery slope to like different kinds of sins that's being less bad or worse than the others? Because people can look at others and be like, oh, I haven't committed that more than that. And I think, you know, like the Pharisee. Oh, I think I'm not like this. - Yeah. - Yeah. - Sexual, this. - Yep. - Yes, you know, I haven't committed adultery. I haven't murdered anybody. I haven't committed those or no sins. I'm... - Is that the fault of defining sins as mortal or venial or is it the fault of you? - I think it's the fault in teaching that some sins could be potentially construed as worse than others. - But does the Bible teach that? - The Bible teaches that blasphemy and the sin spirit right is given the sin. Okay, now you moved categories, right? You moved to, you changed words. You moved to unforgivable sin versus venial and mortal. - So then is, is, how do you define whether or not you actually want to sin when you sin? - Look at your life. (laughing) - But isn't every sin something that you want to do? - Well, you'd have to wrestle with the words. Right of Psalm 19 and the words of John. That's why we go to these passages to consider these. That yeah, it can be a danger, but is that the danger with the teaching of categorizing sins? Does the Bible, are there certain sins that the Bible speaks of that are more dangerous than others? It sure does. It talks about- - It's a nice thing. - Go ahead. - In first John three of the verse within the verse of eight, this is the reason the son, the reason the son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. So in a sense, not categorizing sin. Not saying sin. - Yep, yep, yeah. Both can be true. You can, you can make a distinction between sins. You do this in real life, right? If somebody runs into you, right? And they just bump into you, right? Walking in the hall, right? And they say, oh, I'm sorry. And you say, well, I forgive you, right? That's treated a little different than if somebody murders you. And this is, and these distinctions, right, are made throughout various vocations that some sins are more damaging than others. And some people, is it different if a pastor commits a very public sin than if just a member of the congregation does? - Yeah, usually it's broadcasted. - It's, yeah, that's why there is, and as a parent, right, as a parent, can you, can you sin in a more damaging way than somebody who doesn't have kids? Absolutely, in each vocation, not that a single person can't commit a mortal sin, right? And this is with an understanding. It's not just, hey, you commit mortal sins, you're an unbeliever, right? It says nobody, nobody can judge. But if somebody is committing a sin of weakness, right, we don't jump right out and say, oh, you're an unbeliever. If we categorize and treat it every sin is the same, there's really no hope. But yeah. - Isn't that the point of Christ that there is no hope because all of our sins are? - No, because there is hope. - Right. - Like our sins are dandy, right? Without Christ, we can't do squat. - Right. - So all of those sins are gonna be, without Christ, all those sins are touched, sin of need going five over the speed limit or, you know, and perfect. (laughing) - Yeah, but you see, yeah, you see in this is, this is where the distinction comes in. But you're talking about the regenerate, right? You have to watch your categories, right? Who are you talking about? You're talking about the regenerate or the unregenerate, okay? So that's why this distinction is helpful. Yes, every sin is damning, but you commit a sin, right? Lord, that's why Psalm 19 is so important and it was used even in the Reformation. That's why he goes here. And he puts a footnote there, if you want to read further on it, to go into to chemists, that it, to give us a framework for understanding the scriptures which make a distinction between declare me innocent from hidden faults, right? I don't know my sins. So the distinction of, hey, I'm going to intentionally and willingly do this, right? - And the person with hidden faults is the, with the algebra. - There's your, there is your distinction, right? - What distinction, there's no distinction. - You made the distinction, you said, without Christ. Yes, absolutely. Every sin is damning, yeah. - But you have to hold on to that, because people don't understand. We do that when we come to church, or where-- - Yeah, we confess our sins. - Yeah. - Church is due to say the scripture. - Right. - If we say-- - If we say we have a no sin. - Right. - It's not, it's not. - But if we confess our sins. - Right. It's not coming to church and saying, I have only committed veneal sins. We don't make that distinction in regard for forgiveness and in faith, right? Because yeah, you're right, there would be no hope, right? But there is a distinction in sins that we commit. This was part of the Reformation that the Roman Catholic Church said you had to confess every sin you committed, right? Because, right, you needed to be forgiven that. - That's why they had to be for categories, is it not? - No, no, no, it's not. But for them, for them, yes, but not for the Bible, right? - And that's why the Roman Catholic Church you're confusing to different parts here, too. - How so? - Because it's the Roman Catholic, so you have to condense all your sins. They're only saying you have to confess your morning sins. - No, you have to confess them all. - No, no, you get, you have to go into the confession and say, Father, I lied five times this week. Father-- - Yeah, it's not just confess mortal sins. - You also give account of how many times? - Yeah, no, mortal sins, right? This Roman Catholic view is different, right? But the use of mortal and venial, why the Lutherans kept it, is because it helps give a framework for understanding these different uses of sin in the scripture. These, whoever makes a practice of sinning, right? Whoever plans on sinning, right? And then Paul's discussion in Romans with the unnatural marriage, right? They didn't turn from it. They kept going at it, kept going at it. This is what is meant by not tempting God. So using the distinction, just because somebody uses a distinction incorrectly, doesn't invalidate its good uses. Do we have to use it? No, we don't have to use the distinction, right? If you don't like the distinction, you don't have to use it. But for having a framework for understanding some of these sins, like David, right? David, was he a sinner before Bathsheba in that incident in the murder? Well, yeah, absolutely. But what does he say? He says, "I kept sinning, I kept sinning, and I lost my faith." He doesn't say exactly which sin it was, but what did David do? He put effort into it. He planned. He saw Bathsheba and acted on it, right? He planned it, he set it up, he set all these things in place, and David himself confessed it. He says, "Hey, restore to me the joy of my salvation." Right. And I know that somewhere where you say-- or said in Scripture, and I don't know where, but Solomon, the descendants is at Matthew, that they said, "And was Uriah's wife." So constantly remind-- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, the wife of Uriah. And I guess that's the whole thing, and I'm not making any distinction, but thank God there's Christ Jesus and forgiveness of all. Yeah. And are you the, you know, sickness come to some? Some have been born against and come out and delivered, and isn't that what we do in our confession? We're trying to always be delivered of the sins that could hold us back. Yeah, yeah, and that's what the distinction between mortal and venial sin makes. It doesn't deny that all sin is damning. It doesn't deny that at all. But in the regenerate, in those who've been baptized, there is a distinction. Because you're acknowledged. Mm-hmm. And then where does the Scriptures indicate and point out, you know, like murder? Those who murder their parents, right? These specific statements where it makes a connection to a sin and says, you disqualify yourself from the kingdom of God. You do not belong in the kingdom of God. And that is for all sin, yes. But there's also a distinction of sins, of weakness, hidden faults. To the hell of fire, right? You know, you have said it all the whole. You shall not murder, but I say to you, you know. Who was he talking to? Everyone. Right, but he was specifically talking to Jews, right? Who were claiming... The law changes when I become a criminal. Who were claiming to be innocent. The law doesn't change, but our attitude towards the law changes, right? The under-generate say, oh no, I've never done that, right? I've never committed that sin, right? The Christian says, no, yeah, I have in my heart done that. There is a distinction in which Jesus does present the law, right? This is the whole practice of the proper distinction between law and gospel. We acknowledge every sin is damning. But there are also times when Jesus, when he came, what was it, the woman with the flow of blood, he didn't condemn her. Was she not as big of a sinner as a Pharisees? Yeah. And linked. But again, there's also forgiveness for the moral sins. Yes, absolutely. So... Mm-hmm. Yeah, that's what it said in the book, right? In this distinction between moral and venial, right? It says, yeah, these damage your faith. They're not necessarily, you see, they're not necessarily condemning. 'Cause we can't see the heart. I guess my response is, so what? I mean... (laughing) Yeah, yeah, it is. No, what is our response to being, but it's the same? This is, yeah, no, this is for one's own, right? This is what I mean by this use of these two distinctions. Mortal and venial is for what John is doing here in his epistles and saying, hey, you know, if you commit a sin, yeah, that's no good, right? But Jesus, right, forgives us, but he who makes a practice of sin. Mortal and venial gives us a framework for ourself. You're right, what difference does it make? Well, it makes a difference for the person who looks at their life and says, man, I've committed all these sins, am I still a Christian? I guess what I would say is I'm not thinking mortal venial, I'm thinking of, hey, I just read this in the Bible, that applies to me. Yeah, that's what we do daily. But if you make a practice of sinning. Right, if I make a practice of sinning, I'm hoping that Sarah or somebody is going to come and help me back. (audience laughing) - That's what we're supposed to do. - That's what we're supposed to do. - That's what kids do for parents. - I mean, that's what we're supposed to do. (audience laughing) - I was thinking the other Sarah. - We go to our brothers. - I know where he was going. - Yeah, that doesn't deny. Having this definition doesn't deny any of that. That's what I don't think. I'm not thinking, oh, this is venial. I need to pass your vote. - Yeah. - Help me. - Yeah. - Okay, in John one, it's like, oh man, this is pretty heavy. Am I doing that? Or maybe I don't, I'm doing it and I don't realize it, but Sarah sees it because sometimes people see things that you can't. - And then when you say, right. Yeah, and then when people bring it to us, right, what is the reaction, right? The mortal sin would be what? - I don't know. - The mortal sin would be, no, I don't want to hear it. I'm going to do what I want. And that doesn't mean, yeah, right. That doesn't mean you're, that doesn't mean you're, we're not making the judgment and saying you're going to hell, but we do say, you are committing a sin that's dangerous to your faith. This is a, this is a sin that's dangerous. Yes, with the recognition, all sin is dangerous. But if you come, if you're stealing paper clips, right? Or if you're murdering, I mean, take it to the, take it to the, you know, the extremes to make a point. If you're murdering, if you're taking 10 paper clips or murdering 10 people, I'm going to treat you a little different, as I think Jesus would. - Well, I don't know, because if you're a Clepto or whatever you take a book. - Oh, sure. Yeah, that's what I, that's, that's my point, right? I said, even venial sins can be damning. - But people like the son of Sam, right? Serial murderer, he heard the word God and now he's a Christian, right? - Yeah. - That doesn't mean you. - Yeah, you're not hearing. - It doesn't matter. The response that we have to people is should be the same. - You can retain, you don't have to use the definitions if you don't want. But the point is retaining the definitions does not deny the true doctrines of scripture, right? Just like retaining the, or using the term trinity, right? Using the term trinity. You don't have to use it if you don't want to, to describe the relationship between father, son, and Holy Spirit. But what is the right use of it? And that's, that's the point that the Lutheran fathers are trying to make, even, even kimnitz and even, (laughs) - Yeah, I know, you, how did you sneak up here? And, and this point that becomes incredibly helpful when dealing with people's whose consciences are seared and they're worried that they have or they are engaged in these sins that they need help with getting out of, right? Are there some sins that we need help getting out of? Are there some sins that the Holy Spirit enables us to get out ourself? Absolutely, absolutely. Right, talk to an addict, right? Do they, do they need help? I mean, anybody, right? Any sin really, yeah, sometimes the Holy Spirit helps us to move by hearing the word and, and, you know, word in sacrament and helping us. It's a, it's a distinction that, that helps frame and hang these Bible passages on. You don't have to use it. You don't have to agree with it. But to say that using these definitions denies other doctrines of the scriptures, just isn't true. If you misuse those categories, then yes, you shouldn't use them. - How, how, like, if you think about murder someone, the murder of someone can still ascend both ways. The thought of, so how would that work in that category if someone's thinking about murdering them and then it? I've always been telling them it's equally ascend as murdering someone. - It is, it is equally ascend. - So how do you distinguish, I don't know, I just-- - Do you think it makes a difference? - It doesn't make a difference. Well, it's still ascend. - Yeah. - Yeah, I say, you know. - It kills them and you'll see it. - Now obviously, the human in me says, if you act it out, and someone actually, that's obviously the human in me says, okay, yeah, that's what that's horrible. But to think it-- - Right, because you're still fighting your flesh, that is fallen enough to want to murder someone. There is that center part of you. However, you are not letting your spirit, you are not letting yourself be overrun by your flesh, by turning from that and running to Christ. So when you ask, does it make a difference? Ask that person's family. - Yeah. I guess I just remember it's like even as going through our day and kid, a sin is a sin, right? A sin is a sin, I don't know how times it's not. There are things as human feel worse, obviously, and they know like that situation, that it's still a sin. So it reminds you like it. - Oh goodness. - If you're looking at someone in a lustfully way, it's the same thing that is cheating, it makes you-- - Yeah, and this teaching doesn't say, oh, it's just a venial sin, don't worry about it. This teaching says, yeah, it's a venial sin, you need to repent, right? Same as a mortal sin, but a venial sin, right, is, so the spirit, right, is not being pushed out, if you will, intentionally. That's the distinction. When you're going to make a distinction between someone who has a weakness of the flesh, my flesh is tempting me to murder someone. Yeah, it is a sin, but then to make the distinction for a person, for if you're gonna go to somebody and say, hey, you just murdered somebody, you know, just repent. Well, yeah, but what else? I mean, you know, this is a big deal. Yeah, the blood of Christ covers it, but, you know, there is some major damage being done here. Not only just to the person, but also to yourself. - But then isn't this the truly damning sin that says you were here to come to the spirit? - I'm sorry, the truly damning sin is what? - That you rejected. - Yes, yeah, and there's a, yeah, and using Romans and 1 John, there's this recognition that rarely is it you just commit one sin and you deny the Holy Spirit. It can happen, but rarely is it at the case that just one sin and you've destroyed your faith. Can? That's why he makes, and that's why Luther and doctrine makes this distinction and says, yeah, mortal sins and venial sins. Yeah, there is this distinction that rarely does it happen that you can cut your faith off with one action, right? What did it take for David? I don't know. I don't know, but he makes this distinction and says a practice of sinning. So think of it that way as mortal would be this, instead of saying practice of sinning, which you can say if you want and avoid it, but that's all the distinctions trying to do. Here, let's let him hear with this paragraph. I also put a star next to you. Bottom of page 56, what can we learn from this distinction between venial and mortal sins? First, since even the sins of weakness and impulses are truly sin, we cannot trust our desires. Our own inclinations are at war with God and the new man born again through water in the Word. This truth would have been very helpful to me had I fully understood it earlier in my life. So that's why I thought it was worth discussing and bringing up because so often people just dismiss it as a Roman Catholic belief. Well, where does it come from? How do they misuse it? Where does it, where is it misused? How can we use it in a biblical faithful way in using that? So that's why I thought it was important to discuss that. But as you see, what is the footnotes on page? Page 55, the bottom of page 55. There is a reference there to kimnitz. If you would like to just look and read what kimnitz writes about that and the Lutheran Fathers or of course you can talk to me some more as well. Okay, well, that is about it (laughs) which is fine, that's what this time is for. It is good and for explanations and consideration of these things. I want you to take a look at those words. It's on page 61. We'll pick up next week in I think as we get into chapter four for selfie and consider the questions on page. What are the questions for selfie? Page 77, this is the fun one talking about narcissism and social media and yeah, that'll be a lot of fun. Okay, let's close with prayer. Oh, I'm sorry, the two words I wanted you to look at in that last chapter to make sure you have a good understanding of as well is the mimetic on page 61, mimetic and poietic. Okay, these are two words like my mom got, she yelled at me, she said stop mimicking your brother and it's because I was repeating everything he said. You know, he would say I'm hungry, I say I'm hungry, say I'm gonna go do this, I'm gonna go do that and mom said stop mimicking your brother and I didn't know where that word mimetic came from, but here you go, mimetic and poietic, okay? Page 61, okay, now let's close with prayer. Angelia, your friend's name was Chris. - My friend's name is Chris, okay, R-I-S. - Yep. - And her husband. - Chris. - Al Henderson, Portonge, Iowa, and Chris and all the family. I need them while I just do it more. - Okay, let us pray. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for sending your son Jesus to die for the sins of the world. We ask that you would grant us your Holy Spirit to continually trust that promise. The gospel anchored in that very action of his death, resurrection and ascension to your right hand. We thank you that you have given us the Holy Spirit that we may indeed not be taken captive by our sins, not be led by a spirit of unbelief, but the spirit of belief that we indeed may wrestle with not only with our own conscience, but also with the temptations of the devil. We pray that you would strengthen us in our time of need and our time of weakness, that by your Holy Spirit we indeed may turn from sin, that we would turn to your word and prayer to strengthen us in a time of need so that we would not fall victim to the devil. Grant us this, dear Heavenly Father, this week, through your son Jesus Christ our Lord, all men.