Forgivness

[penguinchicky]

Hi,

I have some questions I need someone’s help with. I understand that we all sin … but are some bigger then others? My problem is that if someone murders someone or has an abortion they have sinned, they can then gain forgiveness etc. Yet what about people who do not murder or commit abortion … are they equal?

I don’t know if I’m questioning my faith or something else … but it seems unfair that I live my life as Catholic as possible yet someone can commit these sins and its almost okay because they get forgiveness for it.

I someone could please give me some answers I would feel a lot better

 

[vz71]

Someone that sins, and then repents of that sin is just as forgiven as anyone else that sins and repents of their sin.

There are some sins that are bigger then others, but none is beyond the ability of God to forgive.

 

[HarmonyN20]

Jesus died as reparation for all sins, not just certain ones. While it may not seem ‘fair’, if we were to go off of what was ‘fair’, then none of us would be forgiven at all. We are certainly not worthy of it.

 

[penguinchicky]

Jesus died as reparation for all sins, not just certain ones. While it may not seem ‘fair’, if we were to go off of what was ‘fair’, then none of us would be forgiven at all. We are certainly not worthy of it.

Then what is the reward for people like me who do not sin to the extent that others do? Why then not just throw the towel in now and repent on my death bed?

 

[rinnie]

Hi,

I have some questions I need someone’s help with. I understand that we all sin … but are some bigger then others? My problem is that if someone murders someone or has an abortion they have sinned, they can then gain forgiveness etc. Yet what about people who do not murder or commit abortion … are they equal?

I don’t know if I’m questioning my faith or something else … but it seems unfair that I live my life as Catholic as possible yet someone can commit these sins and its almost okay because they get forgiveness for it.

I someone could please give me some answers I would feel a lot better

I think where you may be getting confused is the difference between forgiveness and repenting. If someone does a horrible sin they must repent. Maybe for some its the rest of their life in this world. See what I mean? Confession and repentance are two very different things. Sure you sin is forgiven but you must live the rest of your life trying to make it right. Like murder or something in ones eyes you may not be able to make it right, but its Gods eyes that count.

For instance lets say you murder someone and were on drugs at the time. Well maybe after you got clean yourself you may spend alot of your free time or all of it helping others on drugs. Etc. Some thing like that. While it may not undue the damage you did, it could save many other lives helping someone before they make your mistake. Do you see what I mean? THat to me is repentance. Sometimes a lifetime of it. But in the end only God can judge if you did enough. That where purgatory comes in. While you may be forgiven you soul may still need purifying.

 

[penguinchicky]

I think where you may be getting confused is the difference between forgiveness and repenting. If someone does a horrible sin they must repent. Maybe for some its the rest of their life in this world. See what I mean? Confession and repentance are two very different things. Sure you sin is forgiven but you must live the rest of your life trying to make it right. Like murder or something in ones eyes you may not be able to make it right, but its Gods eyes that count.

For instance lets say you murder someone and were on drugs at the time. Well maybe after you got clean yourself you may spend alot of your free time or all of it helping others on drugs. Etc. Some thing like that. While it may not undue the damage you did, it could save many other lives helping someone before they make your mistake. Do you see what I mean? THat to me is repentance. Sometimes a lifetime of it. But in the end only God can judge if you did enough. That where purgatory comes in. While you may be forgiven you soul may still need purifying.

Thank you! Thats what has been bothering me for the past few weeks … because I don’t want a part of anything whereby someone like Hitler (yes it is an extreme) can allow all those millions upon millions of people get killed yet IF he had been given forgivness he would be up in heaven.

Also I’ve heard many people say that purgatory no longer exists … I don’t see how that works … you can’t just wish something away because it is not PC.

 

[HarmonyN20]

Thank you! Thats what has been bothering me for the past few weeks … because I don’t want a part of anything whereby someone like Hitler (yes it is an extreme) can allow all those millions upon millions of people get killed yet IF he had been given forgivness he would be up in heaven.

Also I’ve heard many people say that purgatory no longer exists … I don’t see how that works … you can’t just wish something away because it is not PC.

I had the same question as you, and I can give you the explanation my priest gave to me. The way he put it, it’s not so much that Catholics no longer believe in purgatory, but that our understanding of what exactly purgatory is has grown. Purgatory, (I’m dating myself here) when I was growing up was viewed almost as a place of punishment. You were not good enough to go to Heaven, thus you went to Purgatory until you had ‘served your sentence’. Makes it sound almost like jail, doesn’t it?

The explanation given to me about Purgatory as seen today is this…Purgatory is a state/place of hopefulness. It means that you are not enjoying the full closeness with Jesus/God that you would be in Heaven, but that you are still able to enjoy a taste of it. It is not so much a punishment, but a place of refinement.

I hope this helps some. God bless.

 

[rinnie]

Thank you! Thats what has been bothering me for the past few weeks … because I don’t want a part of anything whereby someone like Hitler (yes it is an extreme) can allow all those millions upon millions of people get killed yet IF he had been given forgivness he would be up in heaven.

Also I’ve heard many people say that purgatory no longer exists … I don’t see how that works … you can’t just wish something away because it is not PC.

Exactly, but you know as catholic’s we could never say Hitler did or not get to heaven, Simply because we can’t judge only God can. But we can say that by what we are taught we are JUDGED by our works. Now his were evil, so he will indeed be judged by that. We could guess he went to hell on what we are taught. But again its for God to do not us.

But you can be sure on one thing, if he did get in, you know that he would be cleansed and did indeed pay every penny as God says.

See thats where I can’t understand how anyone can’t believe in purgatory for that reason alone. Because the only sin that you can do in this world is reject God, and not get into heaven. So as much as I hate to admit it, if Hitler with his insane mind did believe, and was sorry before his death he does have a shot. But purgatory is the final cleansing and it could be a long long time of cleansing. See what I mean. As much as we hate to admit it we do not know anothers mind. He in my opinion was insane, and maybe was never in his right mind also. But the bottom line is you never get away with anything in the next world. ITs kinda like pay now or pay later but your gonna pay.

But no one is ever going to fool God. At the end when he makes his judgement you cannot lie. You are either really sorry or you are not. And if you are truely evil, you will not be sorry, And then God knows you are not one of his. Hope that helps a little.

 

[rinnie]

I had the same question as you, and I can give you the explanation my priest gave to me. The way he put it, it’s not so much that Catholics no longer believe in purgatory, but that our understanding of what exactly purgatory is has grown. Purgatory, (I’m dating myself here) when I was growing up was viewed almost as a place of punishment. You were not good enough to go to Heaven, thus you went to Purgatory until you had ‘served your sentence’. Makes it sound almost like jail, doesn’t it?

The explanation given to me about Purgatory as seen today is this…Purgatory is a state/place of hopefulness. It means that you are not enjoying the full closeness with Jesus/God that you would be in Heaven, but that you are still able to enjoy a taste of it. It is not so much a punishment, but a place of refinement.

I hope this helps some. God bless.

See I thought like you that purgatory meant no hell but it was not a fun place to be. But now I see that while its still not fun, its a guarantee into heaven. I always thought before it could still go either way.

 

[Palm_Tree]

Hi,

I have some questions I need someone’s help with. I understand that we all sin … but are some bigger then others? My problem is that if someone murders someone or has an abortion they have sinned, they can then gain forgiveness etc. Yet what about people who do not murder or commit abortion … are they equal?

I don’t know if I’m questioning my faith or something else … but it seems unfair that I live my life as Catholic as possible yet someone can commit these sins and its almost okay because they get forgiveness for it.

I someone could please give me some answers I would feel a lot better

Personally, I find it very easy to forgive those that commit murder, just like Jesus did on the Cross when he said “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” I’m strongly Pro-life, but I have no problem forgiving those that have abortions. You could kill my closest loved one, or even try to kill me, and I would have no problem forgiving you, just like John Paul II forgave the guy that tried to kill him.

However, there have been people that I’ve had a hard time forgiving. For example, I can think of three people right now that I used to work with that had numerous negative personality flaws that made them miserable people to be around. However, I was away nice to them and never about the negative things I felt about them. And certainly don’t wish that the go to hell for all entirnity, I don’t wish that on anybody.

 

[Palm_Tree]

Then what is the reward for people like me who do not sin to the extent that others do? Why then not just throw the towel in now and repent on my death bed?

It feels good to forgive, so that’s one reward.

Also, being forgiving is demanded on us by Jesus, so if we aren’t forgiving, it will be much harder for us to get to Heaven. If we are forgiving, it will be much more likely that we go to Heaven. So that is another reward.

As for the the people you are talking about: that don’t care about Christ, don’t care about the Christian life, etc, etc… and they spend their whole lives being unChristian only to repent on their deathbed… at best, they are going to purgatory, and they are going to burn in purgatory for a much, much longer time than someone who lived Christian life during their whole life.

 

[rinnie]

It feels good to forgive, so that’s one reward.

Also, being forgiving is demanded on us by Jesus, so if we aren’t forgiving, it will be much harder for us to get to Heaven. If we are forgiving, it will be much more likely that we go to Heaven. So that is another reward.

As for the the people you are talking about: that don’t care about Christ, don’t care about the Christian life, etc, etc… and they spend their whole lives being unChristian only to repent on their deathbed… at best, they are going to purgatory, and they are going to burn in purgatory for a much, much longer time than someone who lived Christian life during their whole life.

I have learned like you that when you do what God says and forgive you are not doing them the favor as much as you are doing yourself a favor. When you give forgiveness you also clean out your heart, and get rid of all the hate and anger, and only make room for love and happiness! A what could be better then to hold love and happiness in your heart. It effects your health also, When you hold hate and resentment you are sick more often, depressed, and angry. When you let it go joy and mental health returns, Then physical health returns next. Anxiety that is the main cause of illness and depression disappears and hope love and health take over. You find yourself really HAPPY again!