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

1720 comments

  • Bitcoin Recovery Testimonial

    After falling victim to a cryptocurrency scam group, I lost $354,000 worth of USDT. I thought all hope was lost from the experience of losing my hard-earned money to scammers. I was devastated and believed there was no way to recover my funds. Fortunately, I started searching for help to recover my stolen funds and I came across a lot of testimonials online about Capital Crypto Recovery, an agent who helps in recovery of lost bitcoin funds, I contacted Capital Crypto Recover Service, and with their expertise, they successfully traced and recovered my stolen assets.

    Their team was professional, kept me updated throughout the process, and demonstrated a deep understanding of blockchain transactions and recovery protocols. They are trusted and very reliable with a 100% successful rate record Recovery bitcoin, I’m grateful for their help and highly recommend their services to anyone seeking assistance with lost crypto.

    Contact: Capitalcryptorecover@zohomail.com
    Phone CALL/Text Number: +1 (336) 390-6684
    Email: Recoverycapital@fastservice.com
    Website: https://recovercapital.wixsite.com/capital-crypto-rec-1

    • Marcus Henderson
  • Investment scams are becoming increasingly common in the world of cryptocurrency, with many individuals falling victim to fraudulent schemes promising high returns on their investments. These scams can result in the loss of significant amounts of money, leaving victims feeling helpless and devastated.
    CoinsRecoveryWorldwide is a trusted and reliable resource for individuals who have fallen victim to investment scams involving Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. They specialize in helping clients recover their lost assets and funds through their expertise and experience in navigating the complex world of cryptocurrency scams.
    CoinsRecoveryWorldwide works tirelessly to investigate and track down the perpetrators of these scams, working with law enforcement agencies and other authorities to ensure that justice is served. They provide a range of services to assist clients in recovering their assets, including legal representation, forensic analysis, and negotiation with scammers.
    If you have been the victim of an investment scam involving Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, don’t hesitate to reach out to CoinsRecoveryWorldwide for assistance. They have a proven track record of success in recovering lost assets for their clients and can help you navigate the process of recovering your funds. Don’t let scammers get away with your hard-earned money – contact CoinsRecoveryWorldwide today for help in recovering your assets.
    Contact information
    WEBSITE; https://coinsrecoveryworldwide.mobirisesite.com/
EMAIL.COINSRECOVERYWORLDWIDE@GMAIL.COM
WHATSAPP:+17658236083]

    • coinsrecoveryworldwide
  • Do you need a financial help? Are you in any financial crisis or do you need funds to start up your own business? Do you need funds to settle your debt or pay off your bills or start a good business? Do you have a low credit score and you are finding it hard to obtain capital services from local banks and other financial institutes? Here is your chance to obtain a financial services from our company. We offer the following finance to individuals-
    *Commercial finance
    *Personal finance
    *Business finance
    *Construction finance
    *Business finance And many More:
    and many more at 2% interest rate;
    Contact Us Via Email:bullsindia187@gmail.com
    Whats-app: +918119862018

    • bullsindia
  • Captain Jack Recovery is a highly recommended company that can quickly guide you through every step required to recover traceable transactions from your broker. As a consumer involved in a financial dispute, when taking such action, please try to document all communications leading up to the transaction and the steps you took to resolve the issue. This will help with your records, and submitting all relevant documentation will help improve the A1 quality of the affected account, which will then allow for clarification and processing of the maximum amount stolen and deposited into the affected wallet address. For assistance, Mail:

    {realcaptainjack@proton.me} Or W/S: +49 15..78..23..17..112

    • Lynn Foley
  • I never imagined that I could lose everything with just one click. What started as a promising opportunity turned into a nightmare that nearly cost me my life savings. It all started when I stumbled upon a seemingly legitimate online cryptocurrency exchange. The site had beautiful graphics, real-time charts, user reviews, and a seemingly regulated environment. Over the course of a few months, I invested heavily and ultimately entrusted them with $1 million worth of Bitcoin. However, red flags appeared, and withdrawal requests were waiting for days. Support tickets were ignored. When I finally got a chat, they just gave scripted responses, always pushing me to upgrade or re-verify. I knew deep down that I had been scammed. My heart sank. Bitcoin represents years of hard work, investment, and savings. Desperate and exhausted, I searched the internet for various methods to recover my Bitcoin. Most of them felt like scams targeting victims like me. Just when I was about to give up, I came across Dexdert Net Pro Recovery. At first, I was skeptical. Their website was simple and straightforward, and they didn’t promise miracles, just real online recovery services. What really caught my attention was their transparency, testimonials from verifiable sources, and a professional, non-aggressive consultation process. From the beginning, their team was reassuring yet pragmatic. They explained that while cryptocurrency recovery is complex, solutions can be found with the right blockchain forensics and legal strategies. They analyzed my transaction history, tracked the fraudulent wallet, and mapped the flow of funds to multiple addresses within a week. What amazed me most was their ability to work with cryptocurrency exchanges and compliance teams around the world. Not only did they track the funds, they filed formal reports, utilized legal channels, and used technical expertise to freeze wallets when necessary. After weeks of updates, electronic document processing, and legal consultations, I received a message I never thought I would hear: “We successfully recovered your Bitcoin!” I stared at the screen, speechless. I had recovered almost every satoshi in my wallet, Dexdert Net Pro Recovery not only helped me recover my assets, but also restored my faith in justice, technology, and made me believe that even if I was scammed, it is not all hopeless. If you have been a victim of an online scam, don’t be silent and don’t give up. Dexdert Net Pro Recovery is the real deal and they changed my life.
    Dexdert Net Recovery Contact Information Below Via:
    WhatsApp: (+1 859 609 4156) Email: (DexdertNetPro@mail.com) Telegram: ( https://t.me/Dexdertprorecovery)

    • Rebecca Ludwig