aarthur001 On Mortal Sins

Provided that you are a Christian, you can only go to hell if you commit a mortal sin and don't repent of it.

A mortal sin has 3 parts, all of which have to be present in order for it to be a mortal sin. If any one of the three is missing, then it is venial (less serious) sin or no sin at all. The 3 parts are as follows:

1. The act in itself has to be a grave matter I.e. something that violates the ten commandments (as outlined and expanded in the Gospels). This is what most people mean when they say 'that's a mortal sin.'

2. You have to have knowledge that the act is a mortal sin and have sufficient time for reflectiontion (a second can be enough time depending on the action).

3. You have to have full consent of your will. No one can be forced to commit a mortal sin, they have to choose to do it. If they don't, then it's a venial sin or no sin at all. You can't be held responsible for the mortal sin if your will is impared.

Note: There can also be other mitigating factors that lessen the gravity of an action in particular circumstances; There could be psychological factors to consider as well as the habitual nature of some grave sins.

Only things that meet all of the above criteria can cause people to go to hell. Furthermore, no sin is unforgivable except refusing to accept God's mercy and forgivness. (Jesus refers to that phenomenon as 'blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.') People can repent of any sin at any time in their life, even at the moment of death.