Discouragement after sin

[fide]

I think what I’m envisioning here is when a person does have a strong sense of the reality of a certain sin, but it seems to horrible to them that even though they’ve been forgiven, they still dwell on it a lot and it seems to create some sort of a distrust between the person and God… what would you say to a person in such a situation?

That “they still dwell on it a lot” says a lot about the problem. Jesus teaches,
John 14:1 “Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me.”

This is a simple truth, but profound, and powerful. We have a choice, about what we “dwell on” in our minds and hearts:

1. we can dwell on what “troubles” us - OR, the saving option,
2. we can believe in God, and believe also in Christ Jesus.

When we “wake up” to discover ourselves dwelling on things that “trouble us,” we need to realize that we have NOT been dwelling in Jesus, our Lord and our God. We have left Him, to go visit “what troubles us.” Instead of faith, and trust in Him - which brings peace - we have been tending to things that do not save, and do not bring peace - in fact, only bring trouble. We need to turn away from those preoccupations, and turn toward the One who saves.

If we have been forgiven, we were forgiven sins of the past. But we must fight against sins tempting us in the present, and reject them, and pray for the grace and the mindfulness to remain in Him - dwell in Him - abide in Him - stay with Him - do not leave Him! - the One who saves.

Joh 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

Joh 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Joh 15:6 If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.

Joh 15:7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.

Joh 15:9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love.

Joh 15:10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

 

[jcrichton]

Hello again, jcrichton -

Looking over some of your other posts, I see that you cite Scripture frequently, but have not read - do not read - the Catholic Catechism. May I suggest that you consider reading, pondering, meditating on, praying on this wonderful resource - the Catechism - that we Catholics have. The present Catechism is truly a presentation of the Catholic Faith, summarized into one book, to help us enlighten our minds and direct our hearts with the Church- with the mind and heart of the Church - the Church that Jesus Himself formed and sent to be as “mother” for us all.

As Peter wrote, we are to always be growing in the Truth:
1Pet 2:2 Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation;

We need the pure teachings of the Catechism to feed and nuture our souls with spiritual Truth. We need the wisdom and understanding of the whole Church to grow to maturity in Christ. As Paul wrote:

Eph 4:11 And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
Eph 4:12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
Eph 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ;
Eph 4:14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles.
Eph 4:15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

This is why we NEED the Catechism! We need all the gifts of God - and He does not give all gifts to any one person - He distributed His gifts among the others in the Church, that we can all help one another.

John Paul II, in endorsing this Catechism, wrote this:

1. The Doctrinal Value of the Text

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I approved 25 June last and the publication of which I today order by virtue of my Apostolic Authority, is a statement of the Church’s faith and of catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Tradition and the Church’s Magisterium. I declare it to be a sure norm for teaching the faith and thus a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion. May it serve the renewal to which the Holy Spirit ceaselessly calls the Church of God, the Body of Christ, on her pilgrimage to the undiminished light of the Kingdom!

Hi, Fide!

The point I was attempting to make is that I do not reference any other source other than Scriptures because that is what I study/read; yet, when it comes to matters of Faith I am clear that it is Church’s Teaching that counts (which includes the CCC).

Other than Scriptures, to me, everything is “resource” material. So when I argue about the Authority of the Church I argue from Scriptures; when I argue about Christ’s Divinity, ditto; etc.

Maran atha!

Angel

 

[jcrichton]

I think what I’m envisioning here is when a person does have a strong sense of the reality of a certain sin, but it seems to horrible to them that even though they’ve been forgiven, they still dwell on it a lot and it seems to create some sort of a distrust between the person and God… what would you say to a person in such a situation?

Hi, Monica!

This does not seem to be in the same line as the original query… this has to do with trust issues… which would bring us to your personal understanding of the Sacrament of Confession… do you Believe Christ? It is He Who Founded the Church; it is He Who Delegated His Authority to the Church; it is He Who stated that when the Church forgives sin it is Forgiven in Heaven.

…and the function of the Sacrament of Confession is demonstrated in Isaiah 1:

18 “Come now, let us reason together,
says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.

So if you Believe God, He is more than Willing to Forgive us. When we Reconcile with Him, He removes our sin from us… not just pretend that it they are not there.

Maran atha!

Angel

 

[fide]

Hi, Fide!

The point I was attempting to make is that I do not reference any other source other than Scriptures because that is what I study/read; yet, when it comes to matters of Faith I am clear that it is Church’s Teaching that counts (which includes the CCC).

Other than Scriptures, to me, everything is “resource” material. So when I argue about the Authority of the Church I argue from Scriptures; when I argue about Christ’s Divinity, ditto; etc.

Maran atha!

Angel

Oh - I’m confused, I guess, by your post HERE, in which you said,
“As I have said, I am quite pedestrian… I don’t follow trends and views… I know there’s a CCC but I have not read it… everything to me is “resource” material (‘not allowed to take it out of the library’); so when I propose an idea I do so from Scriptures with the added research (when required) from the Church’s official Teachings and the writings of the Church Fathers/Doctors.”

I took you literally, "I know there’s a CCC but I have not read it… ". It’s a great and very useful resource.

 

[jcrichton]

Oh - I’m confused, I guess, by your post HERE, in which you said,
“As I have said, I am quite pedestrian… I don’t follow trends and views… I know there’s a CCC but I have not read it… everything to me is “resource” material (‘not allowed to take it out of the library’); so when I propose an idea I do so from Scriptures with the added research (when required) from the Church’s official Teachings and the writings of the Church Fathers/Doctors.”

I took you literally, "I know there’s a CCC but I have not read it… ". It’s a great and very useful resource.

Hi, Fide!

…understood!

…sometimes what we think does not translate as clear when we share it with others; I meant that I have not studied it and use it to check against Church’s Teaching and what people may claim as Church’s Teaching–ditto the Church’s Fathers, etc.

I think this started from an encounter with the Jehovah Witnesses; they tend to believe that only they read and understand Scriptures and that any Belief a person has is because the Church has somehow indoctrinated/brainwashed them into it (talk about projecting!).

So I began to immerse myself in the study of Scriptures without checking farther than the footnotes (when absolutely necessary: as in the use of the term Maran atha).

Maran atha!

Angel