Ask a Pastor Column

Q: What are sins of omission? Can you give some examples?

  Theologians sometimes divide sin into two categories: sins of commission and sins of omission. Sins of commission are the kinds of sin we normally think of: stealing, lying, etc. An easy way to remember it is this: any sin that you can “commit” is a sin of commission.

On the other hand, sins of omission are sometimes overlooked by Christians. They involve any knowing failure to do what is right (i.e. to intentionally “omit” a right choice from your life). The key text that teaches on sins of omission is James 4:17, “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” In short, a sin of omission is any deliberate choice not to do what you know you should.

One example of a sin of omission is given in the immediate context of James 4:17. In the preceding verses (James 4:13-16) James corrects people who live their lives and make their plans without any thought or acknowledgment of God’s sovereignty. He addresses Christian businessmen who were arrogantly confident in their ability to make their business profitable. They forgot that we all live in the grace of God and “unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.” (Psalm 127:1). James 4:17 is a warning to these men that they were now accountable to apply the truth that he had just shared and correct their prideful and godless planning.

       Other examples include failing to have compassion on those in genuine need (Matthew 25:41-43; 1 John 3:17), ignoring the Holy Spirit’s guidance (I Thessalonians 5:19), and failing to respond to the call to repent and believe in Jesus (John 3:18). In remembering sins of omission, we must remember that it is impossible to live up to God’s standards and dangerous to try. Such an effort can only end in blind self-righteousness or absolute despair. Secondly, forgiveness for all sins: both known and unknown, intentional and unintended, sins of omission and sins of commission, all were paid for by Jesus Christ on the cross (Col. 2:13-14), and his free forgiveness is available for anyone who asks God for it in prayer (Romans 10:9) with a heart of faith (John 3:16).

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