Can a Catholic go to Hell if they haven't comitted a mortal sin?

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Nelka

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I would normally think no but when reading about St Teresa of Avila being shown her place in Hell for being lukewarm, I know being lukewarm is very bad but how would it send you t Hell if you haven’t committed a mortal sin and therefore are in a state of Grace?

Is there a point where being lukewarm does become a mortal sin or being in a lukewarm state would mean not having any strength to fight temptation?

When would God remove His Grace from you if you were lukewarm but not committing any mortal sins?

Thanks.
 
I don’t know much about St. Teresa of Avila, and I haven’t read her writings, so I really can’t comment specifically on the context of what you’re quoting.

BUT … it’s very obvious that St. Teresa had special graces and special private revelations. According to the lights she was given, and according to her state in life, perhaps a certain version of being lukewarm might indeed be very sinful. It could be tantamount to rejecting God entirely, since she knew Him so well and could so easily see herself drifting.

But it’s also true that we shouldn’t necessarily take the standards of Saints for our own. While we should all strive to be Saints, we have various imperfections and vices that we haven’t fully overcome yet. Therefore, I believe that God has more patience with us, so long as we are trying and so long as we are relying on Him, that He may not have with someone who lacks our imperfections and vices.

For example, perhaps someone like St. Teresa, or even someone like St. Therese, might have absolutely no inclination to be lukewarm in the first place. Perhaps they were so inflamed by love of God, that to permit that fire to weaken would require a genuine effort on their part. Therefore, they would be judged in accordance with those lights and graces they have been given.

But what about us? Do we even know that we are lukewarm?
 
Refusing to do good we know we should do (stop praying completely, never do any acts of kindness for those around us) could become a mortal sin of omission theoretically.
 
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Jesus did!

:hmmm: the founder of the Church counts as Catholic, right?

Though He lived His whole earthly life before going as a faithful Jewish person.

His “visit” in any case seems to be a singular event … and IMO maybe the one place we might consider an exception to rule “follow Him”.

Following Him in not committing a mortal sin on the other hand … has got to be a better place to “go” – doesn’t it? :yup:
 
I have read that the lukewarm commit mortal sins and don’t fret much about them at all, so if you are lukewarm then you are committing mortal sins.
 
I’m pretty sure lukewarm in that context is referring to people who refuse to take a stance on morality. Essentially moral relativists. Wishy-washy on serious matters. I understand it as being apathetic to an extreme degree. Being a good person isn’t always the most important thing, serious sins aren’t as bad as people say, it doesn’t matter if I believe in God because who’s right anyway (and then not going any further than that). At least a militant atheist has sought something to believe in and came to a definite conclusion. The lukewarm don’t even try to make a decision.

Also, I can’t imagine someone who would be Catholic and yet so apathetic towards their faith would make it very long without committing at the very least the mortal sin of intentionally missing mass, for example. Not that I’m in any place to judge, but if they were in a state of mortal sin, I’d imagine that would be the reason, though if they’re that apathetic, I’d imagine “rules” aren’t a huge concern.
 
First off, being “lukewarm” is the very definition of the capital sin of sloth. We tend to think of sloth as laziness, which in a way it is, but in reality, it’s the temptation to neglect what we should be doing.

In fact, A lot of people suffering from the sin of sloth actually are quite busy - but they’re busy doing the wrong things. For example, a “workaholic” is actually committing the sin of sloth because he/she is putting one’s work/career above obligations to God and (if married and/or has children) family. Even Jesus warned about this, saying “What good does it do for a man to gain the whole world yet lose his soul?”

Another way we fall into sloth is by distractions - social media, video games, music, TV, sports, etc. Now, these activities in and of themselves are neither good nor bad. It can even be quite healthy to engage in them to relax. But if one’s life is dominated by such distractions? Ouch.

Really, though, remember - one of the devil’s easiest tricks is to keep us comfortable. Why? Because when we’re comfortable, we forget about God. And when we forget about God, we fall into mortal sin easily because we no longer care about whether our actions offend God.
 
Nelka said:
I would normally think no but when reading about St Teresa of Avila being shown her place in Hell for being lukewarm, I know being lukewarm is very bad but how would it send you t Hell if you haven’t committed a mortal sin and therefore are in a state of Grace?

Is there a point where being lukewarm does become a mortal sin or being in a lukewarm state would mean not having any strength to fight temptation?

When would God remove His Grace from you if you were lukewarm but not committing any mortal sins?

Thanks.
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Not sure, but I thought that venial sins send you to Purgatory and mortal sins (unrepented) send you to hell. Repented mortal sins may send you to Purgatory, but not hell.
 
Nelka said:
I would normally think no but when reading about St Teresa of Avila being shown her place in Hell for being lukewarm, I know being lukewarm is very bad but how would it send you t Hell if you haven’t committed a mortal sin and therefore are in a state of Grace?

Is there a point where being lukewarm does become a mortal sin or being in a lukewarm state would mean not having any strength to fight temptation?

When would God remove His Grace from you if you were lukewarm but not committing any mortal sins?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
If it can be said that a person can be lukewarm without committing a serious sin, then yes, they can go to heaven.

If it can’t be said that a lukewarm person cannot be so without committing a serious sin, whether they know it or not, then they cannot go to heaven.

This attitude reflects very much the new age mentality. That God is in all religions and therefore they are all good, and it is just whatever one you wish to pick. Just be good and it doesn’t matter. What is overlooked is that Jesus claimed he was God, and unique in that claim and gave his own resurrection as his proof which is also unique.

Or take those who have a belief system that Jesus is present under the bread’s appearance after being specially blessed, yet do not really believe he is there. Like it’s just some sort of ritual we must go thru, including sitting at Mass because of obligation. It’s just too much trouble to find out because a person has to care to find out.

In this situation, faith has to weaken over time even to the point of losing it. Love also disintegrates along with it.
 
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