Does dying in mortal sin ALWAYS lead to hell?

[jbecknell]

I posted this question in the specific context of another thread, but have received no replies as of yet…

The Catechism says (Para 1472): “Grave (mortal) sin deprives us of communion with God, and therefore makes us incapable of eternal life…”

Para 1859 confirms the basic tenets: “Mortal sin requires full knowledge and complete consent.”

Para 1860 says that: “Unintentional ignorance…” as well as “the promptings of feelings and passions can diminish the voluntary and free character of the offence.”

Finally, para 1861 says: “If it (mortal sin) is not redeemed by repentance and God’s forgiveness, it causes exclusion from Christ’s kingdom and the eternal death of hell, for our freedom has the power to make choices for ever, with no turning back.” It then says (and this is the important bit): "However, although we can judge that an act is in itself a grave offence, we must entrust judgement of persons to the justice and mercy of God."

So my question is:
Can one interpret this final part of para 1861 (as well as para 1860) to imply that there are in fact times when a person who dies in a state of mortal sin (eg dying suddenly before having gone to confession) will not in fact be destined for hell for all eternity?

I have my own thoughts on this, but would appreciate some thoughts of others first…

God bless

Patrick

There might be a little confusion between what grave matter is, and what a mortal sin. A grave matter is a situation that involves a serious transgression against the laws of God and His Church (i.e. breaking the ten commandments), whereas a mortal sin occurs when someone understanding that the situation is grave (involves grave matter), freely consents to do it anyway.

 

[Patrick_Cox]

If I may I’d like to add a level of complexity to this: if someone dies with one unrepented mortal sin, but dies laying down his life for someone else, and he knew that he could very well lose his life if he did what he did (I leave fictional scenario up to you). Do “Love covers a multitude of sin” or “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his brother’s life” change the condemnation to hell?

A good question…

I guess we would all be guessing as to the answer here, but in my own humble opinion I believe that the infinite love of God would indeed save such a person. Perhaps God would in that instant of death open up that person’s heart to their unrepented mortal sin and in doing so allow that same person one last opportunity to repent after all (due to their incredible action of love in laying down their life for another).

Perhaps the very instant of death as we see / know it in our hopelessly limited human terms is in fact very much more complex than what we think… Perhaps there is so much more happening in that moment when life on this earth ends and our eternal life begins…

I certainly do like to believe that God will in his justice and mercy assess every aspect of a dying person’s heart, and even if such person does have an unrepentant sin perhaps grant them one final opportunity to repent in that moment of death… Yet of course one should never allow such romantic thoughts to lull one into a false sense of security that we might always get that one last chance to repent… We should still do so now… and not as St Augustine used to pray: “let me be good, but just not yet…”

 

[JRKH]

One commits a mortal sin who commits a sin which is grave matter, one knows the gravity of the act, and gives free and full consent when committing it. Those are the criteria. The 2nd and 3rd criteria can only, IMHO, be judged by God. But if God does indeed rule that a person did commit a mortal sin and that he/she dies unrepentant, then his/her eternal fate (hell) is sealed.

I disagree that only God can judge items 2 and 3. The person who committed the sin can, and must, judge themselves and must convict themselves in their grave as part of their repentance.

If I may I’d like to add a level of complexity to this: if someone dies with one unrepented mortal sin, but dies laying down his life for someone else, and he knew that he could very well lose his life if he did what he did (I leave fictional scenario up to you). Do “Love covers a multitude of sin” or “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his brother’s life” change the condemnation to hell?

Such things are always complex but for the sake of discusion, the key in this lies in the phrase, “…dies with one unrepented mortal sin…”, If one dies unrepentant in mortal sin, no mere work of man will serve to save, not even dying for another.

From the Catachism (Bolding mine):
1855 Mortal sin destroys charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God’s law; it turns man away from God, who is his ultimate end and his beatitude, by preferring an inferior good to him.
1861 Mortal sin is a radical possibility of human freedom, as is love itself. It results in the loss of charity and the privation of sanctifying grace, that is, of the state of grace. If it is not redeemed by repentance and God’s forgiveness, it causes exclusion from Christ’s kingdom and the eternal death of hell, for our freedom has the power to make choices for ever, with no turning back.
So - If mortal sin destroys Charity (Love) and cuts us off from grace and turns one away from God, then no work will save…even dying for another…until they be redeemed by repentance…