The Catechism of the Catholic Church suggests sin can be separated into two categories regarding severity:

[1861] “MORTAL sin is a radical possibility of human freedom, as is love itself. It results in the loss of charity and the privation of sanctifying grace, that is, of the state of grace. If it is not redeemed by repentance and God’s forgiveness, it causes exclusion from Christ’s kingdom and the eternal death of hell, for our freedom has the power to make choices for ever, with no turning back. However, although we can judge that an act is in itself a grave offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God.”

[1863] “VENIAL sin weakens charity; it manifests a disordered affection for created goods; it impedes the soul’s progress in the exercise of the virtues and the practice of the moral good; it merits temporal punishment. Deliberate and unrepented venial sin disposes us little by little to commit mortal sin. However venial sin does not break the covenant with God. With God’s grace it is humanly reparable. ‘Venial sin does not deprive the sinner of sanctifying grace, friendship with God, charity, and consequently eternal happiness.’”

These two categories exist due to presumptuous man. Instead of accepting what God has disclosed on the matter of sin, some conjure up their own ideas. The Bible is clear about sin:

“Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4).

“For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’ Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law” (James 2:10-11).

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Any transgression of God’s law is sin, and its penalty is death. Any sin can be forgiven if the conditions of God are met (cf. Acts 2:38; then subsequent to baptism, 1 John 1:8-10; Acts 8:14-24). If one fails to meet God’s conditions, the end result is condemnation (cf. Mark 16:16).

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