Whether Venial Sin Can Be Taken Away Without Mortal Sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that venial sin can be taken away without
mortal sin. For, on John 8:7: "He that is without sin among you, let
him first cast a stone at her," a gloss says that "all those men were
in a state of mortal sin: for venial offenses were forgiven them
through the legal ceremonies." Therefore venial sin can be taken away
without mortal sin.
Obj. 2: Further, no infusion of grace is required for the remission
of venial sin, but it is required for the forgiveness of mortal sin.
Therefore venial sin can be taken away without mortal sin.
Obj. 3: Further, a venial sin differs from a mortal sin more than
from another venial sin. But one venial sin can be pardoned without
another, as stated above (A. 3, ad 2; Q. 87, A. 3). Therefore a
venial sin can be taken away without a mortal sin.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Matt. 5:26): "Amen I say to thee,
thou shalt not go out from thence," viz., from the prison, into which
a man is cast for mortal sin, "till thou repay the last farthing," by
which venial sin is denoted. Therefore a venial sin is not forgiven
without mortal sin.
_I answer that,_ As stated above (Q. 87, A. 3), there is no remission
of any sin whatever except by the power of grace, because, as the
Apostle declares (Rom. 4:8), it is owing to God's grace that He does
not impute sin to a man, which a gloss on that passage expounds as
referring to venial sin. Now he that is in a state of mortal sin is
without the grace of God. Therefore no venial sin is forgiven him.
Reply Obj. 1: Venial offenses, in the passage quoted, denote the
irregularities or uncleannesses which men contracted in accordance
with the Law.
Reply Obj. 2: Although no new infusion of habitual grace is requisite
for the remission of venial sin, yet it is necessary to exercise some
act of grace, which cannot be in one who is a subject of mortal sin.
Reply Obj. 3: Venial sin does not preclude every act of grace whereby
all venial sins can be removed; whereas mortal sin excludes
altogether the habit of grace, without which no sin, either mortal or
venial, is remitted. Hence the comparison fails.
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