How does God's mercy work?

[DavidCro]

Influenced by this topic (https://forums.catholic-questions.org/t/predestination-or-not), I decided to open another one, as advised by another member of the forum.

How does God’s mercy work? Please answer having in mind the previous topic, which I will quote bellow:

"Here’s the question that confuses me. The protestant theologians claim that when God created men, they predetermined which one goes to heaven and which one goes to hell. The Catholic Church has an opposing view, whit which you are, I believe, familiar with (free will, effective mercy etc.). However, I’m puzzled by few questions.

God is all knowing. Does God know if some men, having free will, are not able at all to achieve God’s mercy and go to heaven? If he knows that some men are unable to go to heaven, given their disposal of their free will, how is this not predestination?"

Also, in the last post of the said topic, I asked:

"Now I have another question that comes to my mind. The consecration of Russia, for example. Why did Our Lady asked us to pray for the consecration of Russia, when it was already known to God what will occur?

Another thing. Guardian angels. Why would God provide them to the people for whom he’s sure they will go to hell anyways, with or without guardian angels? Does that mean not all people have guardian angels?"

I guess, the first question is intertwined with this topic, and the second one perhaps is not, but I’d like them answered. I would appreciate your help very, very much! It would be very helpful for me personally!

Thank you all and God bless!

 

[DavidCro]

Thank you very much for this answer. I will read more about the things you mentioned. I know I ask perhaps basic and simple questions, but I started to explore theology not long ago, so everything is new to me and this is what you need to understand. Thank you very much!

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Re Guardian Angels: God loves people who go to hell as much as he loves people who don’t, so he gives them all the same spiritual package including a guardian angel. If some of them still go off and make the wrong choice it’s their own choice. God wouldn’t say, “oh I won’t waste my love, or a guardian angel, on that person because he is just going to hell anyway.”

We also do not know what lesson or benefit angels might get from being guardians of those who choose to reject God. God may have the angel’s experience in mind also when he assigns them.

 

[DavidCro]

We also do not know what lesson or benefit angels might get from being guardians of those who choose to reject God. God may have the angel’s experience in mind also when he assigns them.

That would be a reason fair enough.

 

[Vico]

…

How does God’s mercy work? Please answer having in mind the previous topic, which I will quote bellow:

God is all knowing. Does God know if some men, having free will, are not able at all to achieve God’s mercy and go to heaven?
…

God gives supernatural grace which adds to nature to make it possible to be saved through our free will. Some choose to reject that gift of God with their free will.

 

[PJM]

How does God’s mercy work? Please answer having in mind the previous topic, which I will quote bellow:

DavidCro:

"Here’s the question that confuses me. The protestant theologians claim that when God created men, they predetermined which one goes to heaven and which one goes to hell. The Catholic Church has an opposing view, whit which you are, I believe, familiar with (free will, effective mercy etc.). However, I’m puzzled by few questions.

REPLY WILL REQUIRE MULTIPLE POST RELIES

[1] "Here’s the question that confuses me. The protestant theologians claim that when God created men, they predetermined which one goes to heaven and which one goes to hell. The Catholic Church has an opposing view, whit which you are, I believe, familiar with (free will, effective mercy etc.). However, I’m puzzled by few questions.

Friend are U aware that the FORUM has SPACE Limits?

May I correct a term you chose: “are not able at all to achieve God’s mercy and go to heaven”
THIS IS AN IMPOSSIBILITY; we; EACH of us chooses eternal hell or heaven based on our OWN Freewill choices.

[1] Protestant theologians who hold this view are wrong: WHY?
Predestination is a literal impossibility for God who can be defined as “ALL GOOD THINGS PERFECTED”

Gen 1:26-27 teaches that humanity [alone] in all of creation emulates our God. HOW is this accomplished as God is Spirit Jn 4:23-24; and humanity is Mortal?

Similar to God; humanity is gifted by God at the instant of Conception with a mind, intellect and FREEWILL; all of which, similar to GOD are immortal and spirit. If YOU doubt this quantify your “freewill”; what is its size, shape, weight and color?

This cannot be done even though only a fool would deny that they DO exist.

Because God CAN be ONLY Good; God absolutely cannot Gift humanity with Rationality, and then not permit him to make use of it; disproving predestination.

Secondly: man is created with the very purpose of freely choosing to Love God or Hate God. Thus choosing for ourselves eternal hell or heaven. Isa. 43: 7 & 21; Sir. 15:17

[2] If he knows that some men are unable to go to heaven, given their disposal of their free will, how is this not predestination?"[/quote]

God CANNOT [impossible] know that some men “are unable” to freely choose for themselves eternal hell or heaven as humanity is CREATED with the attributes to freely choose their eternal destination. Further GOD commits Himself to OFFER every human Soul “sufficient grace” that ALL Can and COULD know Him if they accept & cooperate with His Grace.

SEE THE NEXT POST

 

[PJM]

CONTINUED FROM ABOVE

Also, in the last post of the said topic, I asked:
"Now I have another question that comes to my mind. The consecration of Russia, for example. Why did Our Lady asked us to pray for the consecration of Russia, when it was already known to God what will occur?[/quote

This question is very similar to #1 on predestination:

The short answer is: God’s knowledge OF future events is NO indication of His influencing OR desiring them. Consider this example.

Your standing on the roof of a 10 story building located on the corner of A and B streets. You look over the edge and see that the traffic light for A street is green and traffic is heavy; then you look at B street and see that there is a [obviously] drunk driver proceeding towards A street AT SPEED; you KNOW there IS going to be an accident: DID YOU cause it? In the same way God’s foreknowledge is only THAT: foreknowledge; nothing more.

[3]
Another thing. Guardian angels. Why would God provide them to the people for whom he’s sure they will go to hell anyways, with or without guardian angels? Does that mean not all people have guardian angels?"
I guess, the first question is intertwined with this topic, and the second one perhaps is not, but I’d like them answered. I would appreciate your help very, very much! It would be very helpful for me personally!
Thank you all and God bless!

Guardian Angles are NOT our conscience; nor is their function to influence our conscience. [That is the Battle between Good & evil; GOD and Satan]

Guardian Angels [“messengers”] Role is to TRY when we cooperate with them; to keep us physically safe first; and secondly to gently dissuade US from the near occasion of sin; WHEN we are cooperating with them.

Yes it IS a thin line; but nevertheless a signifient one.

I Do hope this is helpful to you,

Blessings.
Patrick

 

[Roseeurekacross]

God in His Mercy , simply reaches down and plucks us out of our sinning ways. God says hey remember Me? And then points us in the direction of the Mass.

I think your question requires Pastoral, human answers, rather then cut n paste.

We must be open to God’s mercy. Anyone of any creed or religion is able to ask and pray to receive the Mercy of Our Lord, and the gift of Faith.

As the Communion of Saints, we pray the Church, us, is added to by everyone, gathered up and called by God.

 

[DavidCro]

@(name removed by moderator)

I have another question. How can prayer change us, if God in eternal present knows where I am going to end up - hell or heaven? If the prayer CHANGES us, then it must make changes in God too, but God in unchangeable.

If I created a robot, and know how will he act and react, and I’m sure in the end, I’m going to discard him. But then, robot tells me he want’s to change, and I grant him that change… Then either I knew he would ask me for his changing, and foreseen it, as it was my plan, or I will change my will.

 

[fhansen]

Influenced by this topic (https://forums.catholic-questions.org/t/predestination-or-not), I decided to open another one, as advised by another member of the forum.

How does God’s mercy work? Please answer having in mind the previous topic, which I will quote bellow:

"Here’s the question that confuses me. The protestant theologians claim that when God created men, they predetermined which one goes to heaven and which one goes to hell. The Catholic Church has an opposing view, whit which you are, I believe, familiar with (free will, effective mercy etc.). However, I’m puzzled by few questions.

God is all knowing. Does God know if some men, having free will, are not able at all to achieve God’s mercy and go to heaven? If he knows that some men are unable to go to heaven, given their disposal of their free will, how is this not predestination?"

Also, in the last post of the said topic, I asked:

"Now I have another question that comes to my mind. The consecration of Russia, for example. Why did Our Lady asked us to pray for the consecration of Russia, when it was already known to God what will occur?

Another thing. Guardian angels. Why would God provide them to the people for whom he’s sure they will go to hell anyways, with or without guardian angels? Does that mean not all people have guardian angels?"

I guess, the first question is intertwined with this topic, and the second one perhaps is not, but I’d like them answered. I would appreciate your help very, very much! It would be very helpful for me personally!

Thank you all and God bless!

Men’s wills are either free, or they’re not, regardless of God’s foreknowledge. Otherwise we’d be asserting that God simply cannot give the gift of free will-simply because He foreknows. That’d be like saying that, if God exists, freedom is impossible, but, if He doesn’t exist freedom is possible. Humans are, simply, morally accountable beings-we know right and wrong in basic ways and will be judged accordingly, with more expected from those who are given more.

God’s will is done in His creation to the extent that we do it. Adam didn’t do it. Praying for His will to be done is an act of aligning our wills with His. This is how justice and order will ultimately be accomplished in His universe when all of creation will be one in will. In fact, we wouldn’t be told to ask for His will to be done in the Lord’s Prayer if not for the possibility of it not being done.

 

[joeybaggz]

(name removed by moderator) above made a very spot on statement; God is outside our understanding of space and time. I have myself, posed the idea that man has two things (actually more than two) that God does not have. A past and a future. God is eternal, no beginning, no end. Therefore God exists only in the present moment. We can only relate to God right now. And it is in the right now that we interact and relate to God and He to us. Just like we can’t get sick from the food we ate three months ago, or get well from the medicine we will take three weeks from now, it is only the present the will determine our status.
In faith, I must believe that God acts the same way with us. It is only the present moment in which God lives and in which He relates to us. All mankind has the ability to turn to God in any given present moment and act in faith with HIm, and that is all the God is concerned with.
And honestly, I don’t fully understand or comprehend that which I believe. That’s the great thing about my relationship with God, it can not be compartmentalized into what happened and what will happen. I can only believe and act in faith, in what Christ taught us. And a lot of times, I regret not doing that as well as I would like.
Shalom.