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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
MORTAL SIN - LOSS OF SANCTIFYING GRACE	John	Saturday, July 16, 2011
Question: I have a question. For a Catholic who has embraced the grace given in baptism (and confirmation) and is continuing to live out his/her baptism - to then commit mortal sin and fall from grace, to me appears highly improbable. What is your view regarding this? I cite 1 John 3:9-10: Those who are children of God do not continue to sin, for God's very nature is in them; and because God is their Father, they cannot continue to sin. Here is the clear difference between God's children and the Devil's children: those who do not do what is right or do not love others are not God's children. We are adopted as God's children in baptism where God's very nature is implanted into us (we receive a new nature). Those who fully appropriate God's grace initially given in baptism - are already justified (if they were to die immediately following baptism, they would go STRAIGHT TO HEAVEN). As long as one remains in this state of grace, one is assured of heaven. Yes, one has free will and can subsequently reject God's gift of sanctifying grace and lose salvation. However, in light of the above passage from Scripture, although this is possible, it is IMPROBABLE because one who is born of God cannot continue living in sin (particularly grave sin). If one does have the misfortune of falling into sin, the Holy Spirit would convict that person and give him/her no rest until he/she repented in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It's my conviction that God never lets His children fall into sin (particularly mortal sin) easily. Indeed His very nature within them would give them an acute aversion to any kind of sin (be it mortal or venial). It would seem to me that one who is genuinely born of God (through baptism) and continues living out his/her baptism is assured of final perseverance. I would be interested in your view. God bless you - JOHN
Question Answered by Dear John: That passage of Scripture is talking about "living in lifestyle" of sin. A baptized person who is living out their baptism may mortally sin, will mortally sin on occasion (hence the Sacrament of Confession), but refrains from a lifestyle of sin. For example, those who remarry without first obtaining a annulment from a previous marriage are living in a lifestyle of the sin of adultery. Those who live together without marriage are living a lifestyle of the sin of concubinage. Those who live in homosexual relationships are living a lifestyle of the sin of unnatural sexual relations. It is not possible, however, for God to prevent his children from falling into mortal sin, or even to abandon the faith and return to the sinful lifestyle, because He has given us free will. God will never intrude upon our Free Will. What God does do is to make it easy to remain in a state of grace. This is a primary purpose of the Church -- to administer the Sacraments so that we can stay in a state of grace. This is why the first and most important duty of a priest, that outranks all other duties, is to administer the Sacraments. We are not assured of final perseverance in terms of an absolute guarantee. We do not know the future. Maybe 20 years from now we will abandon the faith. Thus, we can never be assured of that. Final Perseverance means that we have maintained the faith to our deathbed. Thus, we hope that we will finish the race in God's friendship. Rather our assurance is in the fact that God keeps his promises. That is a better and more accurate way to put it. For example in 1 John 1:9 God gives us this promise: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God's promise of forgiveness and cleansing our soul so that we my die in a state of grace and be with Him forever is predicated upon us doing our part -- confessing our sins. This is where the assurance resides: God keeps his promises. A second promise related to this issue: (1 Cor 10:13) No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it. Since God does not lie, we know for a fact that He will never allow any temptation to come into our lives that we cannot handle and for which He does not provide us with a way to escape the sin. A third promise: (Rom 8:35, 37-39) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? But in all these things we more than conquer through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Even hell does not separate us from God's love. God is love, He can do nothing but love. He loves all his children, even when they hate and reject Him. But, we can separate ourselves from God's grace. That fact predicates all these promises. God does not force Himself upon us. If we wish to ignore God's promises and Grace, we are allowed to do so and must accept the consequences of our choice. The wonderful thing is that God gives us everything we need to remain in His friendship. We only need to accept that grace. Thus, yes, a person who is baptized and lives out that baptism, which means following the Great Commandment to love, to obey the Church, and to participate in the Sacraments, attending to the Sacrament of Confession whenever one sins, and he does this to the end of his life, then he can be assured that God will keep His promises. Such a person who in fact dies in a state of Final Perseverance (State of Grace) will be brought into God's heavenly Mansion to live with Him forever. Praise God. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

MORTAL SIN - LOSS OF SANCTIFYING GRACE

John

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Question:

I have a question. For a Catholic who has embraced the grace given in baptism (and confirmation) and is continuing to live out his/her baptism - to then commit mortal sin and fall from grace, to me appears highly improbable. What is your view regarding this? I cite 1 John 3:9-10:

Those who are children of God do not continue to sin, for God's very nature is in them; and because God is their Father, they cannot continue to sin. Here is the clear difference between God's children and the Devil's children: those who do not do what is right or do not love others are not God's children.

We are adopted as God's children in baptism where God's very nature is implanted into us (we receive a new nature). Those who fully appropriate God's grace initially given in baptism - are already justified (if they were to die immediately following baptism, they would go STRAIGHT TO HEAVEN). As long as one remains in this state of grace, one is assured of heaven. Yes, one has free will and can subsequently reject God's gift of sanctifying grace and lose salvation. However, in light of the above passage from Scripture, although this is possible, it is IMPROBABLE because one who is born of God cannot continue living in sin (particularly grave sin).

If one does have the misfortune of falling into sin, the Holy Spirit would convict that person and give him/her no rest until he/she repented in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It's my conviction that God never lets His children fall into sin (particularly mortal sin) easily. Indeed His very nature within them would give them an acute aversion to any kind of sin (be it mortal or venial).

It would seem to me that one who is genuinely born of God (through baptism) and continues living out his/her baptism is assured of final perseverance. I would be interested in your view.

God bless you -
JOHN

Question Answered by

Dear John:

That passage of Scripture is talking about "living in lifestyle" of sin. A baptized person who is living out their baptism may mortally sin, will mortally sin on occasion (hence the Sacrament of Confession), but refrains from a lifestyle of sin. For example, those who remarry without first obtaining a annulment from a previous marriage are living in a lifestyle of the sin of adultery. Those who live together without marriage are living a lifestyle of the sin of concubinage. Those who live in homosexual relationships are living a lifestyle of the sin of unnatural sexual relations.

It is not possible, however, for God to prevent his children from falling into mortal sin, or even to abandon the faith and return to the sinful lifestyle, because He has given us free will. God will never intrude upon our Free Will.

What God does do is to make it easy to remain in a state of grace. This is a primary purpose of the Church -- to administer the Sacraments so that we can stay in a state of grace. This is why the first and most important duty of a priest, that outranks all other duties, is to administer the Sacraments.

We are not assured of final perseverance in terms of an absolute guarantee. We do not know the future. Maybe 20 years from now we will abandon the faith. Thus, we can never be assured of that. Final Perseverance means that we have maintained the faith to our deathbed. Thus, we hope that we will finish the race in God's friendship. Rather our assurance is in the fact that God keeps his promises. That is a better and more accurate way to put it.

For example in 1 John 1:9 God gives us this promise:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

God's promise of forgiveness and cleansing our soul so that we my die in a state of grace and be with Him forever is predicated upon us doing our part -- confessing our sins.

This is where the assurance resides: God keeps his promises.

A second promise related to this issue:

(1 Cor 10:13) No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.

Since God does not lie, we know for a fact that He will never allow any temptation to come into our lives that we cannot handle and for which He does not provide us with a way to escape the sin.

A third promise:

(Rom 8:35, 37-39) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? But in all these things we more than conquer through Him who loved us.

For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Even hell does not separate us from God's love. God is love, He can do nothing but love. He loves all his children, even when they hate and reject Him.

But, we can separate ourselves from God's grace. That fact predicates all these promises. God does not force Himself upon us. If we wish to ignore God's promises and Grace, we are allowed to do so and must accept the consequences of our choice.

The wonderful thing is that God gives us everything we need to remain in His friendship. We only need to accept that grace.

Thus, yes, a person who is baptized and lives out that baptism, which means following the Great Commandment to love, to obey the Church, and to participate in the Sacraments, attending to the Sacrament of Confession whenever one sins, and he does this to the end of his life, then he can be assured that God will keep His promises. Such a person who in fact dies in a state of Final Perseverance (State of Grace) will be brought into God's heavenly Mansion to live with Him forever. Praise God.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum