Eternal Security and Mortal Sin

[Truthstalker]

Not to debate the doctrine(s) about eternal security, etc, but the question in my mind is whether someone who believes they cannot lose their salvation is capable of mortal sin. The three conditions of mortal sin are grave matter, full knowledge, and deliberate consent. To follow the argument that someone who believes in eternal security cannot lose their salvation, one would have to agree that they are not aware of grave matter, do not have full knowledge, or do not deliberately consent to sin.

One would have to realize that there is grave matter before one could have knowledge of what it is. Someone who thinks they can act with impunity does not have the realization.

Full knowledge would involve the realization that sin can separate the believer from God. Someone who doesn’t believe this is possible doesn’t realize this, thus they cannot act with full knowledge.

Deliberate consent would involve the realization that in performing an action fulfilling the other two conditions, one is cutting off one’s relationship with God. If one does not believe this is possible, then one cannot act with deliberate consent.

The implication, if this is so, is that it is better to not tell someone who believes in eternal security that they are wrong, because then you may be endangering their soul with the truth. Paradoxical, yes?

This is an entirely separate argument from whether eternal security exists and I do not want to focus on eternal security on this thread.

 

[dal11]

I believe grave matter is grave matter we don’t determine it God does. Let’s say I murder an innocent person. I new it was wrong, and I chose to do it anyway. That’s a mortal sin. I didn’t have to know it was grave. It just was.

 

[petra]

The implication, if this is so, is that it is better to not tell someone who believes in eternal security that they are wrong, because then you may be endangering their soul with the truth. Paradoxical, yes?

Full knowledge of the doctrine of mortal sin is not required for someone to commit mortal sin. Full knowledge of the seriousness of a sin and an “I don’t care” attitude toward God may be sufficient—whether or not that person thinks he or she is severing his or her relationship with God. Rejection of God can potentially be implicit, in addition to explicit. Natural law has been written on our hearts and our consciences developed through Christian upbringing. We already know that it is very serious to murder, assault, endanger lives, steal, commit adultry, extort, defame another’s character, etc. There isn’t an exception clause for Christians who commit serious sins just because they think they can do whatever they want and still go to heaven.

Following Christ and becoming more like Him is more difficult outside the communion of His Church and Sacraments. Although Catholics are held to a higher standard because we have been entrusted with more, Protestants are in greater spiritual danger. They are capable of committing mortal sin, and subsequent reconcilation to God requires perfect contrition (sorrow that they have offended God, rather than sorow for consequences of sin, including hell.) They do not have access to the spiritual nourishment of the Eucharist or the sacrament of reconciliation.

There is no reason to withold the Truth from them. The doctrine of eternal security is extemely dangerous.

 

[Pug]

Full knowledge would involve the realization that sin can separate the believer from God. Someone who doesn’t believe this is possible doesn’t realize this, thus they cannot act with full knowledge.

Do you realize that you are saying here that an atheist cannot commit a mortal sin? Your argument goes well beyond OSAS. It is better to tell an atheist about Christ than to leave him in ignorance. This is eternal life, that they know the one true God and Jesus Christ, whom he sent. parapahrased from John17.

Perhaps the confusion is here: the Catholic Church does not teach that “knowledge” requires knowing everything there is to know about doctrine. Your average person can figure out that murder is seriously wrong without any help from the Church. Your typical OSAS individual will know the decalogue. If the first commandment is serious, so is the fifth (sixth in Protestant counting).

 

[Truthstalker]

Do you realize that you are saying here that an atheist cannot commit a mortal sin? Your argument goes well beyond OSAS. It is better to tell an atheist about Christ than to leave him in ignorance. This is eternal life, that they know the one true God and Jesus Christ, whom he sent. parapahrased from John17.

Good argument!