Get Started On Your Custom Engraved Scriptures

What are the Differences Between Mistakes and Sin?

My son recently watched a movie where a young boy, after having made some extremely poor choices, responded simply, “Mistakes were made.” While we sat together watching the film, this tagline grated on my nerves. We all make mistakes, but we have to own them, or we don’t learn and grow.

Let’s be clear though. What is the difference between a sin and a mistake?

In a talk given by Elder Dallin H. Oaks regarding the subject, he said, “Sins result from willful disobedience of laws we have received by explicit teaching or by the Spirit of Christ, which teaches every man the general principles of right and wrong. For sins, the remedy is to chasten and encourage repentance. Mistakes result from ignorance of the laws of God or the workings of the universe or people he has created. For mistakes, the remedy is to correct the mistake, not to condemn the individual.” 1

One of the main purposes of mortality is to learn by our own experience. We do that by choosing for ourselves, making lots of mistakes and trying again. We shouldn’t be chastised for growth. What a great insight as we serve in callings, have children or interact with any human ever!

Sin is intentionally disobeying the Lord or widening the distance between Him and ourselves. When we are choosing to break away from our God, we must recognize it and bring ourselves back to Him through the atoning power of Jesus Christ. Our sins can be swept away. The Lord promised, “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” (Isaiah 1:18) We can be renewed and made whole.

Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. highlighted the distinction between an unintended act and an intended one in his famous observation that “even a dog distinguishes between being stumbled over and being kicked” (The Common Law [1963], 7). 1

Some mistakes may be as small as forgetting to wash the dishes on your night but as serious as stepping in front of a car. The consequences of a mistake may be lifelong. There are sometimes consequences that come along with sin that do not go away but the guilt and the pain of our disobedience can be taken by our precious Savior.

Simply put, we choose to sin but make mistakes by accident. The Lord knows the deepest desires of our hearts. He can identify whether we walk foolishly into something by error or by design. For this reason, it is imperative that we listen to the still voice of the Holy Ghost who will help us be right with our Father in Heaven through the perfect gift of His Only Begotten.

May we always be quick to forgive and slow to condemn as we experience growth through trial and error in our own personal journey of mortality.

“Sins and Mistakes,” Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 1996 General Conference 

Share this post


Leave a comment

1879 comments

  • Get Your Ex Lover Back forever, Help That Really Work Fast.. It is amazing how quickly Dr. Excellent brought my husband back to me. My name is Heather Delaney. I married the love of my life Riley on 10/02/15 and we now have two beautiful girls Abby & Erin, who are conjoined twins, that were born 07/24/16. My husband left me and moved to be with another woman. I felt my life was over and my kids thought they would never see their father again. I tried to be strong just for the kids but I could not control the pains that tormented my heart, my heart was filled with sorrows and pains because I was really in love with my husband. I have tried many options but he did not come back, until i met a friend that directed me to Dr. Excellent a spell caster, who helped me to bring back my husband after 11hours. Me and my husband are living happily together again, This man is powerful, contact Dr. Excellent if you are passing through any difficulty in life or having troubles in your marriage or relationship, he is capable of making things right for you. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to work with the best spell caster. Here his contact. Call/WhatsApp him at: +2348084273514 "Or email him at: Excellentspellcaster@gmail.com ,For more information visit his website:https://drexcellentspellcaster.godaddysites.com

    • Heather Delaney
  • Get Your Lover Back forever, Help That Really Work Fast.. It is amazing how quickly Dr. Excellent brought my husband back to me. My name is Heather Delaney. I married the love of my life Riley on 10/02/15 and we now have two beautiful girls Abby & Erin, who are conjoined twins, that were born 07/24/16. My husband left me and moved to be with another woman. I felt my life was over and my kids thought they would never see their father again. I tried to be strong just for the kids but I could not control the pains that tormented my heart, my heart was filled with sorrows and pains because I was really in love with my husband. I have tried many options but he did not come back, until i met a friend that directed me to Dr. Excellent a spell caster, who helped me to bring back my husband after 11hours. Me and my husband are living happily together again, This man is powerful, contact Dr. Excellent if you are passing through any difficulty in life or having troubles in your marriage or relationship, he is capable of making things right for you. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to work with the best spell caster. Here his contact. Call/WhatsApp him at: +2348084273514 "Or email him at: Excellentspellcaster@gmail.com ,For more information visit his website:https://drexcellentspellcaster.godaddysites.com

    • Heather Delaney
  • How Marv Web Can Assist in Cryptocurrency Recovery

    The recovery of cryptocurrencies has been revolutionized by MARV Web. They are incredibly quick and effective, making sure that every procedure goes without a hitch. Their customer support is always accessible and friendly, and their service is unmatched in terms of dependability. I’ve never felt more confident or comfortable about my ability to properly recover my cryptocurrency holdings. Because of their exceptional quickness, dependability, and effectiveness in bitcoin recovery, MARV Web stands out in the industry and is highly recommended!
    They can be reached at:

    Email address: marv.web@mail.com
    WhatsApp;+601126730582
    Web;https://marvweb9.wixsite.com/marv-web-crypto-expe

    • Karl
  • I fell victim to a very convincing forex scam where the scammers presented professional-looking graphs, trading dashboards, and portfolios of people who appeared to be earning consistently. This made the investment seem legitimate and trustworthy.

    As a result, I lost 1,497 SOL and 347,000 USDT. When withdrawals became impossible and excuses kept coming, I realized it was a scam.
    I then contacted Morphohack Cyber Service, who carefully reviewed my case and transaction details. Thanks to their professionalism and expertise, they were able to successfully help me recover my funds. I contacted them via email (Morphohack@cyberservices.com)
    I’m truly grateful for their support and would recommend Morphohack to anyone who has fallen victim to crypto or forex scams.

    • Marius Walter
  • I fell victim to a very convincing forex scam where the scammers presented professional-looking graphs, trading dashboards, and portfolios of people who appeared to be earning consistently. This made the investment seem legitimate and trustworthy.

    As a result, I lost 1,497 SOL and 347,000 USDT. When withdrawals became impossible and excuses kept coming, I realized it was a scam.
    I then contacted Morphohack Cyber Service, who carefully reviewed my case and transaction details. Thanks to their professionalism and expertise, they were able to successfully help me recover my funds. I contacted them via email (Morphohack@cyberservices.com)
    I’m truly grateful for their support and would recommend Morphohack to anyone who has fallen victim to crypto or forex scams.

    • Marius Walter