Having seen how serious sin is, we begin now to build ourselves a better understanding of sin, that we might avoid the confusion of legalistic thinking. In this lesson we note four categories of sin: attitude, action, neglect, and intent.

(1) Sins of Attitude

Sins of attitude include false pride, unjust anger, bitter envy, malicious hatred, and that sort of thing. The legalist makes a picnic of confusing various normal and perfectly justified feelings with these sins of attitude.

For example you might dislike somebody, or wish you were in someone else's shoes, or feel indignation at something someone said, or want people to notice and compliment you on something you've achieved. None of those attitudes are "sins". Of course such feelings uncontrolled might develop into sins of attitude. But don't confuse those feelings with sins.

(2) Sins of Action

Sins of action are simply things we might do to displease God, such as getting drunk, committing adultery, stealing, blaspheming..

The legalist will stretch words like "drunkard" or "fornicator" beyond the sensible use of language.

For example a man might touch a woman friend tenderly when he greets her, or a girl might wear a dress that does not entirely cover her pretty legs. A man might have a glass of beer with his mates, or say "Blast it!" when his tyre goes flat.

The legalist will link these acts with fornication, drunkeness, and blasphemy. But that is unfounded.

The examples above are not "sins". They are normal behaviour. They may not be the best behaviour, and one may prefer not to do them. One may not recommend or approve of such things. They might conceivably even lead to sin if one were careless. One might refrain from them so as not to set a misleading example to weaker persons in one's company, or so as not to offend people who have scruples about such things. But it is abhorrent to characterise such things as "sins" or matters for guilt. It is legalism to add prohibitions of such things to God's law. (It is not legalism, of course, but perfectly right and often very sensible and necessary to make a prohibition for oneself).