What is obstinate sin?

[None]

Hi, everyone. I?m new here, I have a question about something called ?obstinate sin.? What is obstinate sin? I saw it on a website some weeks ago and it?d like a clear definition of it. The only thing I really understood about it is that it is not the ?unforgivable sin? but the only thing I really understood was that it was one of the six sins against the Holy Spirit and is mortal sin. Can someone clarify what it is for me?


NattyNat1230

[Gardener]

Might help if you supply the context in which you saw it.

I would assume it's the sin of an obstinate sinner, i.e., hardened in their sin who has no intention of stopping said sin.

[Daniel]

I believe she's referring to this list: https://www.fisheaters.com/lists.html#6 (or some similar list)

I think it's as Gardener said. The obstinate sinner is the sinner who sins deliberately and has no intention to stop.

The obstinate sinner cannot be forgiven, since his obstinacy is an obstacle to the validity of the sacrament of confession. (If the sinner goes to confession--even if the priest seemingly absolves him--none of his sins are forgiven. Rather, the sinner then commits an additional sin of sacrilege for having attempted to receive absolution while unrepentant.)
But even so, obstinacy in itself is not the "unforgivable sin", because the sinner is not dead yet. Until he's dead, there's still hope that he'll become un-obstinate and make a good confession and be forgiven. But if he dies obstinate and in a state of mortal sin then that's "final impenitence" which is the "unforgivable sin"--it's unforgivable because once he's dead he can never be forgiven.
(At least I think that's what the Church means by the phrase "unforgivable sin".)

[St.Justin]

obstinate sin is different than habitual sin?

[Gardener]

obstinate sin is different than habitual sin?

Probably depends on usage by the speaker.

Effects of Sin

The first effect of mortal sin in man is to avert him from his true last end, and deprive his soul of sanctifying grace. The sinful act passes, and the sinner is left in a state of habitual aversion from God. The sinful state is voluntary and imputable to the sinner, because it necessarily follows from the act of sin he freely placed, and it remains until satisfaction is made (see PENANCE). This state of sin is called by theologians habitual sin, not in the sense that habitual sin implies a vicious habit, but in the sense that it signifies a state of aversion from God depending on the preceding actual sin, consequently voluntary and imputable. This state of aversion carries with it necessarily in the present order of God's providence the privation of grace and charity by means of which man is ordered to his supernatural end. The privation of grace is the "macula peccati" (St. Thomas, I-II.86), the stain of sin spoken of in Scripture (Joshua 22:17; Isaiah 4:4; 1 Corinthians 6:11). It is not anything positive, a quality or disposition, an obligation to suffer, an extrinsic denomination coming from sin, but is solely the privation of sanctifying grace. There is not a real but only a conceptual distinction between habitual sin (reatus culpæ) and the stain of sin (macula peccati). One and the same privation considered as destroying the due order of man to God is habitual sin, considered as depriving the soul of the beauty of grace is the stain or "macula" of sin.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14004b.htm

Based on that reading, I would say habitual sin differs from obstinate sin in the following way:

Obstinate: a state of habitual sin, but ongoing in its individual, voluntary acts

Habitual: resultant from at least one individual voluntary act, but not necessarily repeated -- rather the sin remains "habitually" until sanctifying grace is restored, which also removes the stain of sin.

This may or may not be splitting hairs.

[Miriam_M]

obstinate sin is different than habitual sin?

Yes, because one can become caught in a sinful habit but sincerely regret the habit.  Such a person may even occasionally succeed in riding above his or her habit, due to irregular but diligent cooperation with grace, but may be yet too weak to fully conquer whatever sinful habit it is. 

The obstinate sinner has not converted to the need for repentance but cherishes his or her sin and may even justify or rationalize it. 

[None]

Hi, everyone thank you for the replies. I'm worried that I did such sin becuase the other day I was playing a video game and I knew it was time to go to bed because my parents told me to (I'm 13) but I decided not to listen and do it anyway and I had felt bad because I had been doing the wrong thing and not listening to them. It was a stupid choice because it was sinful, I knew it was sinful and did it anyway. I started to feel even more bad about it and decided to turn it off. I wish not to deliberately sin again. Would this be an example obstinate sin?

[Gardener]

No. Obstinate is continually doing it w/ no intention to stop and repent.

[Non Nobis]

NattyNat,

Some of us much older than 13 (well, at least me) still struggle with sins and temptations like that (even when it is no longer a matter of obeying our parents!). Pray and fight them hard and with God's help they will become easier to resist. Go to confession and you will have these sins forgiven and receive grace to help you in the future.

It is good that you soon felt bad and finally obeyed. It is also good that you wish to not do it deliberately in the future.  Both of these things indicate that you were not guilty of obstinate sin.  Read about and pray to young saints such as St. Maria Goretti and St. Dominic, and especially to Our Lady. They will help you to stay close to God all your life.

[james03]

Cute kid.

No, that is not obstinate sin.  Obstinate sinners hate God and live their lives in sin.  You don't hate God.

Disobedience to parents is not minor, so say an act of contrition, and then go to Confession.  There's a reason why Jesus gave priests the power to forgive sins, because we all sin a lot.  Get in the habit of going to confession on a regular basis and it will save your soul from hell.

[Acolyte]

Cute kid.

No, that is not obstinate sin.  Obstinate sinners hate God and live their lives in sin.  You don't hate God.

Disobedience to parents is not minor, so say an act of contrition, and then go to Confession.  There's a reason why Jesus gave priests the power to forgive sins, because we all sin a lot.  Get in the habit of going to confession on a regular basis and it will save your soul from hell.

Yes

"Honor thy father and mother"