a. Distinguishing the actual sins according to the different involvement of the human will.
In every sin, the will of man is involved, even if unconsciously. In this respect, all sins could be called willing sins. However, the will can be involved in the sins in different degrees. The will can come to the fore in such a way that the man undertakes the sin, albeit with some self-excuses, and carries it out with deliberation. Examples: Judas' betrayal (Matt. 26:14-16), Absalom's rebellion (2 Sam. 16). In this sense we speak of peccata voluntaria, proaeretica, malitiae. However, the will can also recede in such a way that ignorance, passion, such as fear, natural love, party spirit, etc., causes sin. Examples: The two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom in ignorance about the evil thing (2 Sam. 15:11); Peter denied Christ and his fellow believers from the heathen because of fear (Luke 22:55ff.; Gal. 2:12ff.). In this sense we speak of peccata involuntaria, ignorantiae, praecipitantiae. The name "sins of weakness" (peccata infirmitatis) should be limited to the faithful, because the unbelievers are not only weak, but dead in sins and completely in the power of the devil (Eph. 2:1 ff.). Among the believers' sins of weakness are especially the evil thoughts and desires that suddenly rise from the σaρξ against their will (motus inordinati subitanei). Luther:1647) "If you have evil thoughts, do not despair; only see that you do not let them take you captive. … When faith is there, a hundred evil thoughts come, a hundred temptations more than before. Only see to it that thou be a man, and not be taken captive, and always rebel, saying, I will not, I will not." — Regarding the sins of the infants, the following should be noted: We ask in the baptismal form,1648) that through baptism “. . . that there may be drowned and destroyed in him all that he hath inherited from Adam and himself added thereto.” In the case of very small children we do not find peccata proaeretica (Deut. 1:39; Jonah 4:11), but peccata actualia. As faith and works of faith are found in very small children through the action of the Holy Spirit (Ps. 8:3), so
1647) St. L. IX, 1032.<w:t xml:space="preserve">1648) St. L. Agende 1876, p. 4.
677 ><w:t xml:space="preserve">Actual Sin. [English ed. 565-6]
we must also not deny that in them, because they are born of the flesh (John 3:6), there are also inner movements of the flesh, even if they are not conscious of them. Of course, all those who contrary to Scripture count voluntarium or conscious self-determination as the essence of sin deny the peccata actualia in children.