Are We Slaves to Sin Unless We Are in Heaven?

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Inquiringperson

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I was thinking and I realized something, and I want to confirm if it’s true.

Right now, I think the Church teaches that we are all slaves to sin until we go to heaven, where we can’t sin. If we are in purgatory, Christ is actively liberating us, but if we go to hell, you are a slave of sin for eternity. Am I right? Please correct me if I’m wrong.
 
I do not believe that the Church teaches us that we are slaves to sin. Evil exists in this world because of mans sinning.Each person is exposed to both good and evil in their life.
Almighty God has given us an “informed conscience” which means that we have knowledge of both good and evil. That is, we understand and are capable of making the free choice between both. God has instilled in us the ability of freely and willingly to decide.He also is aware that we know right from wrong, good from bad, evil from sacred,darkness from light, and so on. We become slaves to sin if we allow evil thoughts or actions to dominate us. We can continue with sin and pay the price of hell upon our death or fight evil by praying,Mass,keeping ourselves away from people, places, and things that lead us to sin.Do not ever think that you are a slave to anything or anyone.No one or anything can own your soul, it is Gods gift to you to have been created. Your free will and ability to ask this very question and receive an answer proves that you are free.If you were in chains and forced to work every day 12 hours and beaten you still possess your mind and soul. Evil is like a bully, it tries to scare you. Stand with God and fight back with all your good actions,thoughts,and prayers and evil will run like a coward looking for someone weaker to destroy. Evil wants YOU to be its slave but you can choose not to. Look at all the priests, nuns, monks, missionarys, etc that are not slaves to sin.They live without fear because they understand the choice they have made. a great example is Mother Teresa,she was not a slave to sin she fought evil by her good acts every day. So go out every day knowing that you are free, free to deliver good in this world with your lifes actions. NEVER a slave to sin but an apostle and follower of goodness and GOD
 
Nobody is a slave to sin. That would require a loss of free will.

What we are, though, is subjected to constant temptation, and it is our duty to use our free will to assent to join in the fight against such temptation for our own betterment and for the pleasure and joy it gives God when we try our best to approach him with less sin on our backs burdening us down.
 
Inquiringperson said:
I was thinking and I realized something, and I want to confirm if it’s true.

Right now, I think the Church teaches that we are all slaves to sin until we go to heaven, where we can’t sin. If we are in purgatory, Christ is actively liberating us, but if we go to hell, you are a slave of sin for eternity. Am I right? Please correct me if I’m wrong.
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The actual Catholic teaching is that because of Original Sin, our human nature is a wounded one.

With our wounded nature, we are inclined to sin which is a whole lot different than being born as a slave to sin. Nonetheless, when we choose sin, we can freely choose slavery.

With our wounded nature, we do not have the mastery of self as Adam did before he shattered humanity’s relationship with divinity. This means that Adam was originally free from triple concupiscence. Adam’s nature included rational powers and a free will which he used to choose either good or bad actions. Adam had the ability to go against his own good – which he did when he preferred himself over God. By sinning, Adam lost his original holiness and justice. This loss wounded his human nature which would be transmitted to his descendents.

Triple concupiscence subjugates a person to the pleasures of the senses, covetousness of earthly goods, and self-assertion, contrary to the dictates of reason. God continually offers us His grace to overcome natural temptations. The Catholic Church offers the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist as means to overcome concupiscence.
 
Read: St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans chapter 6 and 8 (best in RSV CE)
 
St Paul refers to the Crossing of the Red Sea as a type of baptism. In the crossing the Israelite people entered as slaves to Egypt and left as free people.

In Exodus we see that they often wanted to turn back and why they were left to die in the desert. Being free did not eliminate the temptation to the security of slavery.

In baptism we enter as slaves of sin and leave as a free people of God. But in the exorcism before the baptism we are asked “Do you reject the glamor of evil, and refuse to be mastered by sin?”

That is: are we slaves or free? In Baptism we choose freedom!
 
I just realized, do I have to confess this?

And I have another question. For alcoholics and porn addicts, I’m guessing that they are not slaves to sin, right? Or am I wrong?
 
Inquiringperson said:
I was thinking and I realized something, and I want to confirm if it’s true.

Right now, I think the Church teaches that we are all slaves to sin until we go to heaven, where we can’t sin. If we are in purgatory, Christ is actively liberating us, but if we go to hell, you are a slave of sin for eternity. Am I right? Please correct me if I’m wrong.
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No, this is absolutely not true.

Yes, we are eternally preserved from sin once we are are at home with the Lord at the end of this live, but He has triumphed over sin, and released us from our slavery.

We become enslaved to sin when we commit sin, which is why we must hurry to confession and repentance.

Rom 6:16-19
16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, 18 and that** you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness**. 19 I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.
 
guanophore said:
No, this is absolutely not true.

Yes, we are eternally preserved from sin once we are are at home with the Lord at the end of this live, but He has triumphed over sin, and released us from our slavery.

We become enslaved to sin when we commit sin, which is why we must hurry to confession and repentance.

Rom 6:16-19
16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, 18 and that** you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness**. 19 I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.
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Thank you, Guanophore.🙂
 
Inquiringperson said:
I just realized, do I have to confess this?

And I have another question. For alcoholics and porn addicts, I’m guessing that they are not slaves to sin, right? Or am I wrong?
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Clarification. What I meant was, did I sin for having these beliefs? When I learned that these beliefs were wrong, I immediately stopped having these false beliefs.
 
Inquiringperson said:
Clarification. What I meant was, did I sin for having these beliefs? When I learned that these beliefs were wrong, I immediately stopped having these false beliefs.
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No. While ignorance is not an excuse for sin, one cannot commit a mortal sin unless one does so willingly and knowingly. That being said, confession of any sins and shortcomings is recommended, along with the required confession of mortal sins. Confession gives us graces to resist sin, and heals us from the wounds of sins.

Yes I would say that alcholics and porn addicts are definitely slaves to sin. Any kind of addiction is characterized by a loss of control or failure of willpower. When one has urges that are out of control, and are leading the person around by the nose ring, ,they have become a slave. This can happen with gambling, sex, video games, etc.

Anything in our lives that competes with Almighty God for first place can make us a slave to it. St. Paul writes some important principles for identifying these things:

1 Cor 6:12-13
All things are lawful for me," but I will not be dominated by anything.

Nothing on earth should get us in it’s power.

1 Cor 6:20
20 For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

Anything that does not glorify God.

1 Cor 8:8-9
9 But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.

We should not participate in any activity that may lead others astray.

1 Cor 10:13
13 No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.

There is ALWAYS a way out of temptation.

1 Cor 10:23-24
“All things are lawful,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Do not seek your own advantage, but that of the other.

Is it beneficial? Does it build up?

1 Cor 10:31-11:1
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. … just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, so that they may be saved.

The glory of God and the salvation of souls should be our primary focus. Anyone who is enslaved to sin will not be in a position to keep these primary.
 
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