The specific sins listed are infidelity, inconsistency, slowness to act, causing the separation of Christians, and using violent methods to evangelize. The issue of pardon raises a number of questions and this document is an attempt to answer at least some of them. The issue of asking for pardon is dealt with in many different ways in the Old and New Testaments, this document will examine of the themes. It is the latter that will be helpful to us in examining the position of the Church. And we cannot participate in this holiness unless we aspire to love our neighbor.
Love involves recognition of faults and asking for forgiveness.
This is analogous to the Incarnation of the Word who while remaining sinless expiated the sins of all humanity. One distinction must be noted and that is the distinction between the holiness of the Church and holiness in the Church. Being holy in the Church means becoming holy as the Church is holy. The followers of Christ, called by God not according to their works, but according to his own purpose and grace . . . have been made truly children of God in the Baptism of Faith and sharers in the divine nature, and thus are really made holy. They must therefore hold on to and perfect in their lives that sanctification which they have received from God.