Can God and sin co-exist within a believer?

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Dancelittleewok said:
Can God and sin co-exist in within a believer?
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“Believer” is kind of a squishy, basically Protestant, term, so I won’t address that. But what the Church teaches is that a baptized, born again person (John 3:5) loses sanctifying grace (the grace necessary to enter heaven at death) by being in serious (i.e.mortal) non-repented sin. The same person, however, can have any number of less serious (venial) sins and not lose sanctifying grace.

So, if you are using “God” or his presence as a synonym of sanctifying grace, the answer to your question is: yes and no; it depends upon the sin.
 
Fidelis said:
“Believer” is kind of a squishy, basically Protestant, term, so I won’t address that. But what the Church teaches is that a baptized, born again person (John 3:5) loses sanctifying grace (the grace necessary to enter heaven at death) by being in serious (i.e.mortal) non-repented sin. The same person, however, can have any number of less serious (venial) sins and not lose sanctifying grace.

So, if you are using “God” or his presence as a synonym of sanctifying grace, the answer to your question is: yes and no; it depends upon the sin.
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You’re right. My question comes from how I don’t understand how diminished fellowship can result in willful acts against him (I mean mortal sin) but not with loss of salvation. Perphaps an understanding Protestant can help me figure this out.
 
As Catholics we have a different concept of justification, sanctification, and grace than most Protestant Christians do.

The following article may be helpful in explaining the differences.

newadvent.org/cathen/06701a.htm
 
AKG said:
As Catholics we have a different concept of justification, sanctification, and grace than most Protestant Christians do.
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That’s right, not to mention we often have different meanings for the same words.

I see the OP identifies herself as a Catholic. As helpful as they might be on other topics, a Protestant response on this subject will only confuse you
 
Based on Gal 5, the Holy Spirit and our sin nature do co-exist within the christian.

Romans 8:9 (New International Version)
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
 
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