If I feel remorse and sorrow for a sin will I be forgiven?

[Willy1]

This is a question I have had for a while. If you commit a mortal sin and feel such remorse for it will God forgive you or do you have to go to confession? In the Bible, it says if you forgive others (which most of us do) you heavenly father will forgive you.

Also, can you repent your mortal sin by not doing it? (the virtues)

 

[Margaret_Ann]

Contrition is an act of the will, not a feeling.
A person can feel horrible about committing sin but not be truly repentant (that’s what happened to the traitor Judas Iscariot). Conversely, a person could have no feelings of sorrow and still be truly repentant for their sins (like St. Peter).

The traitor Judas Iscariot “repented” but it was not true repentance. Instead of asking Our Lord for forgiveness, he went to the Scribes & Pharisees and threw back the money. Our Lord looked at St. Peter and and St. Peter recognized that he had denied Our Lord. He had true contrition for denying Our Lord 3 times. After the Resurrection, Our Lord helped him make amends by asking him 3 times “…do you love Me?” "Lord, You know all things.

2 Corinthians 7:10: For the sorrow that is according to God worketh penance, steadfast unto salvation; but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

The former applies to St. Peter, the latter to the traitor. (N.B. St. Paul never met Judas Iscariot, since the traitor was long dead by the time St. Paul wrote 2 Corinthians.)

Perfect contrition is sorrow for having offended God Who Is good and loving. Imperfect contrition is being sorry because one “dreads the loss of Heaven and the pains of hell” and does not forgive mortal sin outside of the sacrament of Penance.

 

[Vico]

This is a question I have had for a while. If you commit a mortal sin and feel such remorse for it will God forgive you or do you have to go to confession? In the Bible, it says if you forgive others (which most of us do) you heavenly father will forgive you.

Also, can you repent your mortal sin by not doing it? (the virtues)

Catechism

1452 When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible. 51: Cf. Council of Trent (1551): DS 1677.

CIC

Can. 916 A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to celebrate Mass or receive the body of the Lord without previous sacramental confession unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess; in this case the person is to remember the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, which includes the resolution of confessing as soon as possible.