Does God contradict himself with his mercy?

[ajpirc]

Does God contradict himself when he says:

You must be Baptized to gain salvation,

You must eat my Flesh and drink my Blood or you have no life within you,

There is no salvation outside of the Catholic Church, or

Unless you do the Father’s will, you will not be saved?

Will God’s mercy save those who don’t meet the requirements for heaven? If God’s mercy will save us, then why must we do any of the above? Does God’s mercy contradict his teachings?

 

[JonathonofOhio]

The first sin separated man from God. God came into the world to reconcile us to Him. Now that He has done that, man can now be with God. However, sin is still in the world and man can choose sin over God. When we choose sin over God, we reject God.

Therefore, in His mercy, he has given to us these things to do to overcome sin. For sin is an act against God, but these things He has instructed us to do are acts of good faith towards Him, and provide for us the necessary grace needed to overcome so that we may be found worthy to be in His presence.

So the answer is: No, God does not contradict His teachings.

 

[po18guy]

Does God contradict himself when he says:

You must be Baptized to gain salvation,

You must eat my Flesh and drink my Blood or you have no life within you,

There is no salvation outside of the Catholic Church, or

Unless you do the Father’s will, you will not be saved?

Will God’s mercy save those who don’t meet the requirements for heaven? If God’s mercy will save us, then why must we do any of the above? Does God’s mercy contradict his teachings?

Not at all. His mercy is evident in these very instructions. He has spoken and given mankind the choice. He has revealed the door to His mercy time and again. Each of the prophets was sent, and spoke via God’s mercy. God Himself calls us to repentance. Each of the prophets calls mankind to repentance. God’s only begotten Son calls us to repentance. This is consistent throughout all history. Christ is the very personification of Mercy.

However, both implicit and explicit in these warnings is evidence that His justice ultimately wills out for those who ignore His warnings. Yet, even then, we know not the depth of His mercy.

 

[ajpirc]

However, both implicit and explicit in these warnings is evidence that His justice ultimately wills out for those who ignore His warnings. Yet, even then, we know not the depth of His mercy.

Could you define God’s mercy and his Justice? I don’t understand how one could be all merciful AND all just.

 

[po18guy]

Could you define God’s mercy and his Justice? I don’t understand how one could be all merciful AND all just.

First, God is love. He is the source of all love. Love is merciful, but love also knows what is best for our ultimate good. Thus, love disciplines us. Our sins have earned us only eternal hell fire, but God sets before us both mercy and justice. Therefore, out of love, He allows us the use of our free will to choose. He does not change, but properly expects us to change.

 

[ajpirc]

First, God is love. He is the source of all love. Love is merciful, but love also knows what is best for our ultimate good. Thus, love disciplines us. Our sins have earned us only eternal hell fire, but God sets before us both mercy and justice. Therefore, out of love, He allows us the use of our free will to choose. He does not change, but properly expects us to change.

Does God show more mercy or justice toward some people than toward others? Say, a Catholic and a Protestant have committed the same exact sins through their lives. The Catholic believes in Confession, but never goes and the Protestant doesn’t believe in Confession so he never goes. Would God show more mercy toward the Protestant and give him eternal life because he never grew up with Confession? And would God show more justice toward the Catholic and give him eternal damnation because he didn’t use Confession?

I guess what I’m saying is will God love people differently because of their ignorance or stupidity?

 

[po18guy]

Does God show more mercy or justice toward some people than toward others? Say, a Catholic and a Protestant have committed the same exact sins through their lives. The Catholic believes in Confession, but never goes and the Protestant doesn’t believe in Confession so he never goes. Would God show more mercy toward the Protestant and give him eternal life because he never grew up with Confession? And would God show more justice toward the Catholic and give him eternal damnation because he didn’t use Confession?

I guess what I’m saying is will God love people differently because of their ignorance or stupidity?

He loves equally. He holds us responsible for that which we know to be true. A Catholic who holds to any Sacrament, but who does not partake of that Sacrament, willfully avoids the graces that flow from the Sacrament, as well as wilfully bearing the weight and eternal cost of that sin. God’s one hand is love, but the other is justice. If we are mistaken (the doctrine of invincible ignorance covers this), His mercy is expected to remain present to us.

 

[tonyrey]

Could you define God’s mercy and his Justice? I don’t understand how one could be all merciful AND all just.

You have the answer in the sublime prayer Jesus gave us:

“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

We are forgiven to the exact extent that we forgive…

 

[perro_sarnoso]

Does God contradict himself when he says:

You must be Baptized to gain salvation,

You must eat my Flesh and drink my Blood or you have no life within you,

There is no salvation outside of the Catholic Church, or

Unless you do the Father’s will, you will not be saved?

Will God’s mercy save those who don’t meet the requirements for heaven? If God’s mercy will save us, then why must we do any of the above? Does God’s mercy contradict his teachings?

These things you list are God’s mercy.

You cannot obey part of the law while forsaking the other part. A life of prayer and a life of the spirit - nurtured by the Sacraments is the way to obeying God’s perfect will. It takes perseverence and grace, to discern His will for us.

Confession is the inexhaustible source of renewable grace. … hence: a life of prayer and a life of the spirit - nurtured by the Sacraments.

 

[StrawberryJam]

Does God contradict himself when he says:

You must be Baptized to gain salvation,

You must eat my Flesh and drink my Blood or you have no life within you,

There is no salvation outside of the Catholic Church, or

Unless you do the Father’s will, you will not be saved?

Will God’s mercy save those who don’t meet the requirements for heaven? If God’s mercy will save us, then why must we do any of the above? Does God’s mercy contradict his teachings?

Don’t you mean God’s grace here? Isn’t God being merciful when someone chooses hell?
I always thought the saving was done by grace.