Do we lose graces forever if we sin?

[Nelka]

Let us say that someone prayed each day for humility for 100 days and each day was given grace to be more humble. This person then committed a mortal sin and therefore loses those 100 graces. This person then goes to confession, do they receive those graces back or are they lost forever?

In other words do we always go right back to where we started, do we carry on from where we left off or something else?

Thanks.

 

[Sirach2]

Let us say that someone prayed each day for humility for 100 days and each day was given grace to be more humble. This person then committed a mortal sin and therefore loses those 100 graces. This person then goes to confession, do they receive those graces back or are they lost forever?

In other words do we always go right back to where we started, do we carry on from where we left off or something else?

Thanks.

What is lost in the commission of mortal sin is sanctifying grace, making the soul dead, as it were. But the “habit” of humility is not lost, for God will still give the soul “active” graces to repent and return to Him. One doesn’t suddenly lost these good virtues formed while in the state of grace, but they are unable to merit for us while we remain in mortal sin. In other words, you don’t need to practice that virtue for another 100 days in order to "develop’ it again.

 

[Bonnie]

I don’ t think graces can be saved up like money in the bank. More like your “daily bread.” New graces every time.

 

[EXdrinker]

God doesn’t restore us to the lowest station when He forgives us. He puts a ring on our finger and the best robe on our back. We are restored to our former station at least.

At least in this example more humility would be learned and added to the former. God can bring good from this sin and someone praying for humility for 100 days and falling should see that they are being humbled in the failure, should repent of the sin, and continue praying for humility.

 

[pianistclare]

All great responses.
But friend, I fear you are treading near to scruples. Make an appointment to talk to your f=priest about your questions.Life can be trying for all of us. Focus on the love of God and not any possible wrath that you fear.
I will pray for your intentions.

 

[Sarcelle]

All great responses.
But friend, I fear you are treading near to scruples. Make an appointment to talk to your f=priest about your questions.Life can be trying for all of us. Focus on the love of God and not any possible wrath that you fear.
I will pray for your intentions.

Yes.

God is not the perpetual bean counter or accountant in the sky where you have to keep a positive bank balance in order to make it to heaven.

Grace, by it’s very nature is freely given by God, not because of what you do or are but because who God is.

 

[pianistclare]

Sorry for the typo.
It’s just PRIEST.

 

[friardchips]

Let us say that someone prayed each day for humility for 100 days and each day was given grace to be more humble. This person then committed a mortal sin and therefore loses those 100 graces. This person then goes to confession, do they receive those graces back or are they lost forever?

In other words do we always go right back to where we started, do we carry on from where we left off or something else?

Thanks.

Hi. I think people can lose the opportunity for graces - if they sin, maybe they then lack the strength and trust to complete something with total obedience. For example, certain graces will be attached to a certain time and place; however, more opportunities will come in which other graces can be obtained.

In terms of whether mortal sin rids oneself of graces already-gained, I don’t think so, necessarily. Only sanctifying grace, which returns when the sinner repents.

Whether graces are stored in Heaven - I would say yes. Which is why I answered the way I did, in the second paragraph.

Whether this has been clarified anywhere in teachings, I’m not sure; however, I think this is implied, everywhere. The question for you to answer is: where?

However, in this area, one would need to further one’s own investigation, in prayer and life-long pilgrimage!

 

[GatesToHeaven03]

Let us say that someone prayed each day for humility for 100 days and each day was given grace to be more humble. This person then committed a mortal sin and therefore loses those 100 graces. This person then goes to confession, do they receive those graces back or are they lost forever?

In other words do we always go right back to where we started, do we carry on from where we left off or something else?

Thanks.

In the cathecism, it’s said that when we go to confession, all our merits from good works that we did while in mortal sin are redeemed. We lose grace when we commit mortal sin, but we get it back when we go to confession. And like other posters have said, grace isn’t something that can be saved up,like money in the bank.

 

[friardchips]

In the cathecism, it’s said that when we go to confession, all our merits from good works that we did while in mortal sin are redeemed. We lose grace when we commit mortal sin, but we get it back when we go to confession. And like other posters have said, grace isn’t something that can be saved up,like money in the bank.

This sentence: ‘when we go to confession, all our merits from good works that we did while in mortal sin are redeemed’ appears to contradict this:* ‘grace isn’t something that can be saved up’*.

Merits are graces, and so, if we aren’t in a state for them to be redeemed immediately then they are saved are or rather stored until such time that we are.

 

[Richca]

Let us say that someone prayed each day for humility for 100 days and each day was given grace to be more humble. This person then committed a mortal sin and therefore loses those 100 graces. This person then goes to confession, do they receive those graces back or are they lost forever?

In other words do we always go right back to where we started, do we carry on from where we left off or something else?

Thanks.

It depends on a person’s dispositions and cooperation with God’s grace. By penance and confession, a person may be restored to a lesser degree of charity and sanctifying grace than they had formally before falling into mortal sin, or to an equal degree, or to even a greater degree of charity and sanctifying grace before their fall into mortal sin. A person can have a more or less intense degree of repentance or penance in their free will and conversion from mortal sin to the love of God and charity in cooperation with God’s grace.

By repentance and confession, we don’t really recover the actual graces God granted us to perform meritorious works of virtue while in a state of sanctifying grace and charity. By being restored to charity and sanctifying grace in confession after falling into mortal sin, we recover any former meritorious works that were conducive to eternal life that we did (in cooperation with God’s grace of course) while in a former state of charity and sanctifying grace.