What is the Difference Between a Mistake and a Sin?
In the 21st century church, this may be one of the most misunderstood concepts. In the blog post Is Hell Real and Who Goes There? we pointed out that most people go to Hell. And most people go to Hell because they are not following Jesus. They have unforgiven sin and have rejected His offer of loving forgiveness that leads to eternal life. But can you go to Hell because you made a mistake? Is a sin different from a mistake? Let’s find out!
We start with a verse from the disciple whom Jesus loved.
“No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”
-1 John 2:23 NIV
And another passage from John.
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
John 3:17-18 NIV
Both of these sections of scripture were written by John. Not just one of the 12 disciples, but one of the three in the tight inner circle of Jesus. They were Peter, James, and John. John knew Jesus very well.
The Common Thread
In the above quotes we see a common thread. Here it is. If a person acknowledges (or believes in) the Son they have the Father also and are not condemned to Hell. Whoever denies the Son (does not believe in Him) does not have the Father and is condemned.
Ok, maybe I should put make this a bit clearer. John is saying that whether or not we go to Hell is dependent upon one thing. Taking, or not taking, intentional action.
No one stumbles into Heaven. Getting into Heaven is the result of doing something. As John says, we must acknowledge (believe in) the Son of God to have a relationship with the Father. Not everyone gets into Heaven. In fact, most people do not get into Heaven. And there is only one reason why. They, or we, failed to take the action to become Jesus followers.
Ok, But what About Mistakes?
Now, this leads to the question. Can a mistake keep me out of Heaven? Or even, can a mistake make me lose the salvation I already had?
Let’s answer those questions by asking and answering a different question.
What is a mistake?
Simply defined, a mistake is an unintentional error. You thought the next turn on way to the grocery store was a right, but then soon discovered you should have turned left. You typed your password three times and it failed so you got locked out. Then you looked down and realized the caps lock was on. You meant to text “I love you” to your spouse but instead texted your boss because she was the last person who had texted you.
Now, these may all be silly examples, but it’s possible one of them has happened to you. If not, I’m sure you could easily come up with your own stories of when you did something and later found out it was not correct. You fully intended a different result, but due to faulty information, not paying attention, or some other reason you may not even know, you did something in error. Unintentionally.
That’s the key to a mistake, it was unintentional.
Are There Intentional Mistakes?
No. Not ever.
But wait a minute! What if someone cheats on their taxes by intentionally changing some numbers?
That’s not a mistake. It’s deceit.
What if someone intentionally tells a friend something that is not true?
Still deceit.
What if someone claims to follow Jesus but cheats on their spouse?
Oh, that one? That’s a sin.
Truth be told, all three of the above are sins. You see, any time we intentionally do something against God or another person, it’s a sin. Not a mistake. Any time we intentionally disobey the Word of God, it’s a sin. When I do something intentionally that hurts another person, I’m not a mistaker, I’m a sinner.
Are There Accidental Sins?
That one is a little trickier because of the emotion of guilt. Here is an example.
Let’s say you’re a sincere Jesus follower. You’re forgiven and have no doubt you are on the path to Heaven. Then one day you are driving down the road, paying attention and not at all distracted. You approach an intersection, and the light is green for you. But a pedestrian is distracted, doesn’t notice the ‘Don’t Walk’ sign, and steps in front of your car. If the person dies, and it was no fault of your own, did you commit an accidental sin?
I would say no. Here is why. Murder is a sin. Accidents are not sinful. What’s the difference?
Intention.
The person died because they made a mistake. A tragic mistake to be sure, but still a mistake. And you were innocent. Yes, you will feel guilty. Yes, you will ask forgiveness of God and from the loved ones of the person who died. Yes, you will carry that for the rest of your life. But you’re not a sinner because of what happened. You need to forgive yourself. And if in that instant, you had died of a heart attack, I fully believe you’d have still gone to Heaven.
The One Thing That Makes the Difference
So now we return to the basic question. What is the difference between a mistake and a sin? We saw it in the example above. A mistake is an unintentional error. A sin is an intentional act against God or another person.
We don’t get on the path to Hell because we made a mistake. We get on the path to Hell when we sin. And if the action is an intentional act against God or another person it is ALWAYS a sin. You don’t “mistake” your way into Hell or out of Heaven. You intentionally sin your way into Hell or out of Heaven. It’s just that simple, no matter what politicians, public figures, or fallen preachers try to tell you. Don’t ever confuse a mistake and a sin.
Love you Jesus followers!
-Troy
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