Another thought on the sinlessness of Mary

  • Thread starter Thread starter snarflemike
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
John_the_Blind said:
But then we get into the whole question of Free Will versus Predestination. If Mary were, from the beginning, set up to to be the Mother of God how could she have had the choice to say ‘no’? Or are we to believe that Mary, by luck of the draw, happened to have led a sinless life and thus was God’s choice? Even then, could she have said ‘no’ and walked away without prejudice?
Click to expand...
If I put a dog treat in front of my dog knowing full well he’ll come over and eat it, have I robbed my dog of his free will?
 
theorangeandblue said:
The Virgin Mary wasn’t sinless like everyone else Mary was a sinner in need of a Savior. Mary sinned she was human.
Click to expand...
Yes, Mary was in need of a Savior. We believe Our Lord found it fitting to save her from the fall before she was conceived. As such she becomes our hope. We know that God could have created us sinless if it was His Will. She is proof.

He did not make us sinless but we know He wants us to be & with His help we will be. He says He will wash us clean & we know His word is trust worthy.
theorangeandblue said:
Jesus didn’t sin because He was the ultimate sacrifice for us…
Click to expand...
Jesus did not sin because He is God.
 
theorangeandblue said:
But God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8
Click to expand...
Yes. But there’s more. In Romans Paul tells the Roman’s they have to change their lives & live sinless lives. That they must allow Jesus to live in them, through them. Which explains how they can be holy as our Heavenly Father is holy.

Jesus spent three years teaching the Apostles what it means to be holy. & that holiness comes from God himself abiding in them, through them.
 
I’ve had my own thoughts on the issue, but I assent to and obey the Church’s guidance on the subject. To this argument, though, I’d simply say that we all have choices to make. And I’d say that it’s more meritorious, not less, when we say “yes” to God in spite of whatever our sinful nature might tempt us to say instead.
 
How was Mary redeemed by Christs atonement if she was sinless? Is she a goddess that was not in need of his passion on the cross?
 
According to posts on here about unbaptised infants; they go to limbo.
 
To add another truth to the mystery of Mary’s freedom from sin - we need to understand the perfection of freedom. God has/is the perfection of all virtues, all goodness. God possesses perfect freedom, and God cannot sin. It is not that He “chooses” not to sin: He cannot sin. There is no darkness (no evil) in Him at all (1 Jn 1:5). God cannot even be tempted to evil (James 1:13), because there is no desire for evil in Him, at all (see James 1:14).

And the Catechism teaches:
1733 The more one does what is good, the freer one becomes. There is no true freedom except in the service of what is good and just. The choice to disobey and do evil is an abuse of freedom and leads to “the slavery of sin.”<Cf. Rom 6:17>
Click to expand...
We misunderstand “freedom” because it is very difficult to even imagine a life without the weakness and brokenness we have in us due to original sin, and concupiscence. Our nature is deeply wounded - but Mary’s is not, and never was. Mary had true freedom: thus her life was in the “the service of what is good and just.” She was full of grace - and "Grace is a participation in the life of God. " (Catechism 1997). She had no desire for, nor did she have room for, in her heart anything evil. There was no part in her in “the slavery of sin.” Her life was for “participation in the life of God.” Her freedom was directed to the perfection and the service of freedom: to desire, to live for, the good.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top