The Seven Deadly Sins: What the Bible Says About Them

The Bible is full of warnings and admonitions about the consequences of sin, and the seven deadly sins are no exception. These seven sins—pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed, and sloth—are all outlined in the Bible and serve as an important reminder of how our actions and choices can lead us astray. In this blog post, we'll take a look at what the Bible has to say about each of these deadly sins and how we can learn from them to avoid sin in our lives.

Pride

Pride is often considered the most deadly of all sins. The Bible warns against pride in many places, particularly in Proverbs which also states the consequence for havind pride as seen in Proverbs 16:18 – “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall”. It is described as an arrogant attitude that is focused on one's own accomplishments and abilities rather than looking to God for guidance. Pride can lead to rebellion and lead to a lack of humility, which can be damaging to relationships with both God and others. Pride can also lead to a sense of superiority over others and a lack of empathy. It can lead to boasting and arrogance, and can be dangerous if it results in any kind of self-seeking behavior. Pride can be destructive when it keeps us from seeing the truth, which is that we are sinners in need of a Savior. The Bible calls us to have humble hearts and an attitude of gratitude, and to recognize that everything good comes from God.

Greed

Greed is one of the seven deadly sins condemned in the Bible. It is defined as an excessive or insatiable desire for wealth, status, power, or material possessions. In the Bible, greed is viewed as an especially dangerous sin because it can lead to a person disregarding their moral compass and sacrificing the welfare of others in order to satisfy their own desires.

In the New Testament, Jesus condemns the greed of the wealthy and urges His followers to use their resources responsibly, sharing with those in need. He tells his followers that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. This statement shows that Jesus believes that a person’s preoccupation with amassing wealth can prevent them from leading a righteous life.

The book of Proverbs contains numerous verses about the danger of greed. The most famous of these is Proverbs 23:4 which states “Do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease!” This verse serves as a warning against allowing oneself to become so preoccupied with acquiring wealth that they neglect other aspects of their life, such as relationships and spiritual growth.

Greed is seen as a particularly dangerous sin because it has the power to completely alter a person’s character and lead them away from morality and into sin. As Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Greed, then, is seen as having the potential to turn someone away from God and towards evil.

Lust

The Bible condemns lust as one of the seven deadly sins. Lust is defined as an excessive desire for or indulgence in sexual pleasure. According to the Bible, it is a sin to even think about having sex outside of marriage. In Matthew 5:28, Jesus said, “But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Lust goes against God’s plan for human sexuality, which is that it be enjoyed only within the bounds of marriage between a husband and wife.

Lust can also involve wanting things that are not rightfully ours. James 1:14-15 says, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” Lust often leads to the wrong kind of actions and can cause destruction. We need to keep our desires and thoughts in check so that we do not fall into the traps of sin.

Envy

The Bible condemns envy as one of the seven deadly sins. According to the Bible, envy is a deep sense of jealousy, covetousness and bitterness towards another person’s blessings or possessions. It can be motivated by a desire for what another person has, or a fear of being left behind in comparison. This can be an especially dangerous emotion if left unchecked, as it can lead to feelings of resentment and eventually hatred. In Proverbs 14:30, the Bible says, “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”

Envy can manifest in many different ways. It can cause us to think malicious thoughts about those who have something we don’t, or to act spitefully towards them. It can also lead us to make decisions with our own desires in mind rather than considering the well-being of others. The Bible warns us to guard against such a spirit, saying in Romans 12:15, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”

Envy can also be an indication of a lack of contentment in our own lives. When we focus on what someone else has, rather than appreciating what we already possess, it can lead to feelings of dissatisfaction and emptiness. The Bible instructs us to be thankful for what we have and to trust in God for what we do not have (Hebrews 13:5).

The Bible teaches us that envy is a sin, and warns us of its destructive power. By recognizing the danger of envy and striving to remain content with our lives, we can avoid its temptation and stay focused on God's will for our lives.

 

Gluttony

Gluttony is one of the seven sins condemned in the Bible and is defined as an excessive or insatiable craving for food and drink. The Bible repeatedly speaks out against gluttony, warning that it is a sin to be avoided. In Proverbs 23:21, it says “For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.” This verse condemns excessive eating and drinking as leading to poverty and ultimately to disgrace. Similarly, in Deuteronomy 21:20, it is written “And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.” This passage shows how gluttony is considered immoral and shameful.

The Bible also warns against being too focused on physical pleasures such as food and wine. In Ecclesiastes 10:17, it says “Blessed is he that meditates on the skill of his hands: for the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.” This implies that those who are preoccupied with physical pleasures such as gluttony will fall into ruin.

In summary, gluttony is one of the seven sins condemned in the Bible. The Bible clearly warns against excessive eating and drinking, as well as focusing too much on physical pleasure, as it leads to poverty and disgrace. Instead, we should strive to follow the teachings of the Bible which emphasize moderation in all areas of life.

Wrath

The Bible condemns wrath as one of the seven deadly sins. According to Proverbs 16:32, “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” This verse speaks to the power that our emotions can have over us, especially when it comes to wrath.

In Matthew 5:22, Jesus says, “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” This verse shows us how serious God views wrath and how we must strive to control our emotions.

The book of James further emphasizes the importance of controlling our anger when it states, “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” We can see from this passage that getting angry does nothing good and can only hurt us and those around us.

Ultimately, God wants us to love one another and be at peace with all people. We must take seriously His call to avoid the sin of wrath if we want to honor Him and live in harmony with those around us.

 

Sloth

The bible condemns sloth as one of the seven deadly sins. The book of Ecclesiastes 10:18 states “By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.” This verse highlights the consequences of being slothful. Therefore, it expected of us to be diligent in all our endeavours.

Proverbs 24:30-34 reaffirms the need to be diligent and states further in clear terms poverty as one of the consequences of slothfulness and it read thus;

30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.

33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

34 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.

 

 

In conclusion it is a known fact that God despise sin and even the holiest or righteous can fall victim to any of these sins. As we keep trying to grow in faith and build our Christian lives and be righteous, we should also make sure to not fall victim to any of seven deadly sins or we pay the price for sin which is death (Romans 6:23).