Chapter 33 Part II

Sin and the Soul and St. Augustine

Thinking the minister reluctant, Jude added, feeling frustrated: “We sin because we are imperfect, and God created us in our imperfection. If all we have to do is to repent our actions, then why shouldn’t we sin when it’s good for us and then seek forgiveness afterwards?”

“Whether an action is good is not dependent on one’s own judgement on whether it feels good or doesn’t hurt anyone.”

“It is why I have come here to learn about sin and the soul,” Jude persisted. “And why we can be both so good and bad. I know it is very important to justice.”

“I did say I would help you,” the reverend admitted.

“And to learn about evil, too.”

Both eyebrows went up.

A long exhale. “All right, Mr. Royer. Let’s start first with sin. I know we spoke briefly on Christian morals, but to refresh your memory, ethics is the understanding of what is right or wrong, including good and bad, while morals are the functions for applying ethical understandings to everyday life through our actions. Ethics are the set of rules, or principles, telling us man should be good. Morals help men become good through qualities like honesty, compassion, forgiveness and mercy in our actions. Meanwhile, virtues are the self-governing thoughts inside our minds helping men carry out these moral actions.”

Jude nodded.

“A sin is simply a transgression against God’s laws. It is a violation of the morality God teaches us, a defiance of Christian ethics, and a refusal to be virtuous. But sin is not the same as a crime. According to Saint Paul¹, the greatest of virtues is charity. To not be charitable is a sin, but it is not breaking the law.”

“You just said sin is a transgression against laws.”

“God’s laws,” Wilberforce reminded him. “Breaking human laws is a crime punishable by the state, while violating God’s laws is only punishable by God.”

Jude understood. He’d broken no American law when he betrayed his father to the Virginia men. Instead, he’d broken laws not written in the Constitution. Honor thy father only led a long list of commandments he’d violated and it reminded him how much evil happened without breaking any laws.