The Seven Deadly Sins: What They are and Why They Still Matter
The “Seven Deadly Sins” may sound like a medieval list of outdated moral taboos, bringing to mind Dark Age monasticism or, in my brain, the anime, but they remain shockingly relevant today. From the boardroom to the kitchen table, from social media to quiet moments of the heart, these sins are not relics of the past. They’re spiritual realities, deep-rooted dispositions that still distort our souls and damage our relationships.
You won’t find a single verse that lists all seven in the Bible, but the early Church recognized these vices as especially insidious. Why? Because they aren’t just bad behaviors, they’re the roots of sin that produce rotten fruit. Understanding the seven deadly sins helps us name our inner battles, confront hidden idols, and return to the transforming grace of God.
The concept of the seven deadly sins traces back to the early monastic tradition, particularly the teachings of Evagrius Ponticus, a 4th-century monk who listed eight “evil thoughts” (logismoi) that disrupted the soul’s communion with God. His student, John Cassian, brought these teachings to the Western Church.
It was Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great) in the 6th century who refined the list to seven, organizing them into a cohesive spiritual framework. Later, Thomas Aquinas offered theological depth in his Summa Theologiae, describing them not as isolated acts but as capital vices, sins from which many others spring. Think of each of the seven deadly sins as a larger umbrella in itself. Each one has different sins that fall under their banner. Or think of them as seven trees, with the trunk as the deadly sin and various other sins branching off from that main trunk.
Though extra-biblical in formulation, the seven deadly sins reflect clear biblical themes, especially in texts like Proverbs 6:16–19, Galatians 5:19–21, and Colossians 3:5–10. We will explore each of the seven deadly sins in greater detail.
Pride
Pride is more than arrogance; it’s the self-exalting belief that I am the center of the universe. It’s the refusal to submit to God’s authority or to acknowledge our dependence on Him. It is the sin that turns our hearts from saying to God, “Thy will be done,” and causes us to say to God, “My will be done.”
The Bible is clear: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Pride manifests in everyday ways, interrupting people to talk about ourselves, dismissing criticism, or needing constant recognition. More dangerously, it can wear a religious mask: thinking we’re more holy, more right, or more favored than others.
Pride is the sin that turned Lucifer into Satan (Isaiah 14), and it’s often the first domino to fall in spiritual collapse. But humility, deep, Christlike humility, is the antidote that reorients us to God.
Envy
Envy doesn’t just want what someone else has; it resents that they have it. It poisons the heart with comparison and steals joy in both others' success and our own blessings. It is a sin we see much more prevalently throughout the world now, with social media causing us to see the good in the lives of others and wishing it upon ourselves.
Cain’s murder of Abel was fueled by envy (Genesis 4). The Pharisees envied Jesus' popularity (Matthew 27:18). Envy today may look like bitterness over a coworker’s promotion, resentment of someone’s marriage or family, or passive-aggressive behavior cloaked as criticism.
The envious heart silently accuses God of injustice: Why them and not me? But Scripture reminds us that love “does not envy” (1 Corinthians 13:4) and that rejoicing in others’ joy is a mark of spiritual maturity.
Wrath
Not all anger is sin; Jesus was righteously angry at injustice (Mark 11:15–17). But wrath is anger turned toxic. It seeks revenge, lashes out, and revels in destruction.
Wrath is not only seen in violent outbursts or verbal abuse. It appears in cold silence, simmering bitterness, road rage, online hostility, and even passive-aggressive sarcasm. Ephesians 4:26-27 warns, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.”
Left unhealed, wrath deforms the soul. But through forgiveness and the Spirit’s sanctifying work within us, God can turn our anger into peacemaking and holy advocacy.
Sloth
Sloth is not just laziness; it’s a deep resistance to what is spiritually necessary. It’s the avoidance of prayer, the neglect of calling, the procrastination of repentance.
Early monastics called this acedia, a soul-numbing apathy that drains zeal for God. Today, it might look like mindless scrolling, disengaged worship, or the phrase, “I’ll get serious about God later.”
Sloth may wear a smile, but it slowly kills joy, purpose, and intimacy with God. In contrast, Scripture calls us to diligence and devotion: “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord” (Romans 12:11).
Greed
Greed isn’t limited to the rich. You don’t have to be a broker on Wall Street to be captivated by greed. It’s a posture of the heart that says, I need more to be satisfied. It hoards, exploits, manipulates, and never feels content.
Jesus warned often about the dangers of wealth, not because wealth is evil, but because the love of money can enslave the heart (1 Timothy 6:10). Greed manifests in materialism, workaholism, stinginess, and even ministry platforms built more for fame than for faithfulness.
Greed blinds us to the poor, warps our identity, and steals from our capacity to be generous. The remedy is found in gratitude and sacrificial giving, both of which recenter our hope in God’s provision.
Lust
Lust distorts one of God’s most beautiful gifts, human sexuality, by detaching it from love, covenant, and self-giving.
Jesus raised the bar on this sin: “Anyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). Lust is not just about the body; it’s about a heart that consumes others as objects. We are made to be in community and loving partnership with one another. When lust is in the driver’s seat, other human beings, beloved sons and daughters of God, become simply tools or objects for our own selfish gratification.
Pornography, emotional affairs, flirtation, or obsessive fantasy, these are modern expressions of lust. But the Church’s answer isn’t repression; it’s redirection. The goal is not mere abstinence, but purity of heart shaped by the love of Christ.
Gluttony
Gluttony isn’t just about food. At its heart, gluttony is about excess. It’s the disordered craving for pleasure or comfort that leads to overindulgence. It treats the body as a god, not a temple.
While it often expresses itself through overeating or substance abuse, gluttony can also be the endless pursuit of pleasure, entertainment, or emotional escape. Philippians 3:19 warns of those “whose god is their belly.”
Gluttony thrives in consumer culture, but the gospel invites us into a life of moderation, self-control, and fasting. not as deprivation, but as spiritual renewal. Fasting reminds us that we are not slaves of our appetites, but that we are servants of God.
Why it Matters
These sins are “deadly” not just because they are wrong, but because they deform the soul. They lead us away from the love of God, fracture our communities, and weaken our witness in the world. You’ll hopefully have noticed by now that these sins are not abstract concepts, but real-world struggles we all deal with. How many of these sins have you fallen to this week? How about even just today? We are sinful by our very nature. Sin is appealing to us not because it is disgusting when we look at it, but because it is easy and we want it. We can all fall victim to these sins that turn us away from God.
But the good news? Each sin has a corresponding virtue that Christ can cultivate in us through grace:
Pride → Humility
Envy → Kindness
Wrath → Patience
Sloth → Diligence
Greed → Generosity
Lust → Chastity
Gluttony → Temperance
The path of discipleship isn’t about avoiding sin by willpower; it’s about becoming like Christ by surrender. Through repentance, confession, spiritual disciplines, and community, these deadly roots can be replaced with life-giving fruit.
The seven deadly sins still matter because they still haunt our lives. But Jesus doesn’t abandon us in our struggle. He enters into it with us. He exposes our heartfelt and secret sins not to shame us, but to free us and show us where we fall short, letting us know where we can rely on him. He offers not condemnation, but an invitation to become whole, to be healed, and to walk in holiness.