The Seven Deadly Sins

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Dear friends, throughout this Lenten season, we have been considering what the church has historically called the seven deadly sins: pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust. As we have heard in the previous sermons, these seven deadly sins are not merely outward actions. They are not simply visible behaviors that others can see and measure. Rather, they reveal the corrupt impulses of the sinful heart. This is an important distinction, for the problem with humanity is deeper than behavior. The problem is the heart. The problem is what we call the Old Adam.

And this is where we must connect everything together. These seven deadly sins are not random sins floating around independently. They are the visible fruit of the Old Adam. They are what happens when the sinful nature bends inward to live for self. In other words, these seven sins are what the Old Adam looks like when he speaks, thinks, desires, and acts. For example, pride is the dangerous selfishness that exalts the self above God and neighbor. Wrath is the Old Adam lashing out when the self is threatened. Sloth is the Old Adam despising God’s gifts and refusing to do good works in a vocation. Greed is the Old Adam grasping for more. Gluttony is the Old Adam consuming without restraint. Lust is the Old Adam seeking possession and pleasure apart from God’s will. Envy is the Old Adam grieving the good of the neighbor because the self must be first.

Do you hear the thread, dear friends? Every one of these sins is the sinful nature curving back upon itself. Again, these are not seven isolated moral failures, but seven manifestations of the same diseased root.

Now, to tie all of this together, let’s look at the beginning and root of this sin.  That is to say; pride is the beginning of all sin and covetousness is the root of all sin. You heard that correctly, the seven deadly sins spring forth from the Old Adam by means of pride and covetousness.

Let me explain: pride is the beginning of all sin because pride is, at its very core, the breaking of the First Commandment: You shall have no other gods. Now, when many hear that commandment, they think first of carved idols and false religions. But the Large Catechism teaches that whatever your heart clings to and trusts in, that is properly your god. You see, pride says, 

“I know better than God.” 

Pride says, 

“I do not need correction.” 

Pride says, 

“I do not need forgiveness.” 

Pride says, 

“I will determine what is good and evil.” 

In this way, pride is spiritual rebellion. It is the self, enthroned where only God should reign.

But if pride is the beginning of all sin, then covetousness is the root from which all sin grows. Here we must consider the Ninth and Tenth Commandments: You shall not covet. 

Luther understood that these commandments expose the heart’s inward cravings. You see, before the hand steals, the heart covets the possession. Before the mouth slanders, the heart covets to be right. Before wrath erupts, the heart covets vindication. Before lust burns, the heart covets forbidden pleasure. Before envy stirs, the heart covets the blessings of the neighbor. 

This means that greed is covetousness directed toward possessions. Lust is covetousness directed toward another body or forbidden pleasure. Envy is covetousness directed toward the blessings of another. Wrath often covets vindication, revenge, and honor. Sloth covets ease and comfort. Gluttony covets excess and indulgence. Even pride itself may be understood as coveting divine authority. Thus, dear friends, the seven deadly sins spring forth from the Old Adam by means of pride and covetousness. Pride enthrones the self, and covetousness feeds the self. Hear that again: pride enthrones the self, and covetousness feeds the self.

This now brings us to the most important pastoral question: what are we to do with this Old Adam who continually produces such fruit? Can the Old Adam be improved? Can the sinful nature be educated, disciplined, or morally rehabilitated? 

Dear friends, mark this: whatever we do, we cannot change our sinful Old Adam. The sinful nature is too addicted to sin, too twisted, too dark, and too used to the 7 deadly sins. Therefore, the Old Adam must be put to death. 

This is exactly what Saint Paul means when he says, 

“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

Notice what Paul does not say. He does not say that the Old Adam is improved, coached, reformed, redirected, or shamed into behaving rightly. Rather, he says that the flesh is crucified. 

In another place Paul says the very same thing: 

The Old Adam must be put to death, put away, and stripped off. 

I think we are getting a clear picture right about now that there is no hope for this Old Adam and its thoughts, words, and deeds.. In fact, it could be said that this Old Adam is not to be treated with kid gloves, but rather, this Old Adam is to be treated as an enemy combatant. This Old Adam needs to be kicked around— admonished, threatened, punished, and ultimately executed. As it has been said from this pulpit before, too often we Christians give this Old Adam a hall pass. That is to say, we are way too easy on our Old Adam. We excuse pride, rationalize lust, justify greed, tolerate sloth, nurse envy, and indulge gluttony.

So, what does this mean? 

Dear friend, it means that we need to realize that our Old Adam will oppose Christ at every opportunity. So, instead of letting the Old Adam have his way, we must confront the sinful nature. Remember, you are a Christian; the Old Adam can never be given asylum with you. The sinful nature is never to be granted a voice of reason, for it is your enemy.

And so, when the stubborn sinful nature exudes one of these 7 deadly sins, well… you kick the Old Adam and drag this sinful nature to church, where you stand shoulder to shoulder with everyone else and confess, 

“I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You, O God, all my sins…” 

And then the pastor, hearing the confession, makes the sign of the cross, reminding you of your Baptism, while saying, 

“In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins.”

And at that very moment, the Old Adam is executed. The Old Adam is plunged into your Baptism, where he drowns and dies yet again. Indeed, at that moment, through Holy Absolution, your faith is strengthened, and that faith kills the Old Adam again and makes you altogether a different person – you begin to walk by the Spirit.

Now, please listen carefully: remember, when you walk by the Holy Spirit, you do not become increasingly self-sufficient.  Indeed, as a Christian, you walk knowing that everything depends solely on Christ and not yourselves. You endure by being led by the Holy Spirit because where the Spirit is present, Christ continually renews and sustains you through this valley of tears.  

Baptized Saints, the seven deadly sins are real and dangerous because they are the fruit of the Old Adam. But today, the good news of the Gospel is that the mercy of Christ is greater. Christ has borne your pride, your envy, your wrath, your greed, your lust, your sloth, your gluttony, and every sin to the cross. And because He died and rose again, you belong to Him, and these 7 deadly sins are not mortal sins but forgiven sins.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.