Is it possible to overcome sins without Christ?

[CRATUS]

People say pride is a serious sin. Why are we all prone to it in various degrees? Is it truly possible to overcome sins without believing in Christ? What is the difference between a sin and human nature? A lot of people say there is no excuse for sin. Why are people prone to sinning then if it is not part of our nature? Perhaps I just think people are hopelessly sinful.

I am not always in the best mood in the morning. Is that a sin? Sometimes I am not aware of how harsh some of things I say. Is that a sin?

Perhaps I am turned off by the idea of sin, because I can only see how I do wrong. Sometimes being corrected too much make me feel like “whatever” I might as well do what I want because even when I try my best I still fail, I am not good enough. That drives me nuts.

 

[pianistclare]

Lucifer committed the sin of pride. Adam and Eve committed the sin of pride.
It’s the most common sin.
It leads to the others.
When you despair of trying to do good, you don’t give God a chance to work in your life.
Being open to God and trying to do as He would want you to is all He asks. He doesn’t ask for perfection. He asks for repentance, willingness to do His will, patience, and charity to others and mercy. If God expected us to be perfect 24-7, why would He provide us with the Sacrament of Reconciliation? He’d just give up on us. But He never does. Up until the last breath, He gives us a chance to return to Him.
God doesn’t write us off. It’s us who tend to think we’re not worthy. Why? We’re sons and daughters of the King. Repent, rejoice, and turn away from sin. Go to Him continually for forgiveness with a contrite heart. He never turns anyone away who asks for forgiveness. That itself is a great sign of His mercy.
God loves us. Why can’t we just accept that?

 

[Mary_Estelle]

I think PanistrClare’s answers were really good from a Catholic point of view and teachings, but what about those that have never heard of Christ, but strive to do good? There is an answer to this, but I hesitate to post it.

 

[Mount_Carmel]

‘No one can come to the Father, except through Me’ - so the answer to the thread question is a resounding, no.

 

[CRATUS]

I think PanistrClare’s answers were really good from a Catholic point of view and teachings, but what about those that have never heard of Christ, but strive to do good? There is an answer to this, but I hesitate to post it.

Post it then.

 

[pianistclare]

The Church does not teach that those who have not heard the good news are condemned.

Read this:
vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html

 

[ricmat]

IMHO - sin is an addiction, and the only effective treatment is God. Those who have intentionally disconnected from God sin more and more, spiraling downward, eventually reaching Hell if God doesn’t end their lives before then.

Not being aware of God, or being ignorant of God is not the same as intentionally disconnecting from God. God helps all who do not reject him, all those who do not want to continue sinning.

Or at least that’s the way it seems to me

 

[ChurchSoldier]

Depends what you mean by “overcome”.

 

[CRATUS]

IMHO - sin is an addiction, and the only effective treatment is God. Those who have intentionally disconnected from God sin more and more, spiraling downward, eventually reaching Hell if God doesn’t end their lives before then.

Not being aware of God, or being ignorant of God is not the same as intentionally disconnecting from God. God helps all who do not reject him, all those who do not want to continue sinning.

Or at least that’s the way it seems to me

What is disconnecting from God?

 

[ricmat]

What is disconnecting from God?

The short answer - Believing that you don’t need God.

 

[CRATUS]

Depends what you mean by “overcome”.

How come there are agnostics and atheists who are wonderful people, yet there are Christians who sin? I thought having a relationship with Christ would change your internally. I do not I understand free-will well or the idea of sinning. Some have accused me of condoning sin. If sin is a choice, then why are certain people prone to very strong vices? I cannot p(name removed by moderator)oint why there are certain sins I am the most prone to, some I just do not do.

 

[CRATUS]

The short answer - Believing that you don’t need God.

If I sincerely tried, could I stop sinning without God’s help?

 

[ricmat]

If I sincerely tried, could I stop sinning without God’s help?

We all sin, with or without God’s help.

With God’s help we sin less. Without God’s mercy, the gates of Heaven would be closed. We need to ask God to help us stop sinning, and to have mercy on us for our sins.

We need God to get to Heaven. God is Heaven. And the absence of God is Hell.

 

[StrawberryJam]

Is it possible to get a degree without studying?
You would need a teacher.

 

[pianistclare]

How come there are agnostics and atheists who are wonderful people, yet there are Christians who sin? I thought having a relationship with Christ would change your internally. I do not I understand free-will well or the idea of sinning. Some have accused me of condoning sin. If sin is a choice, then why are certain people prone to very strong vices? I cannot p(name removed by moderator)oint why there are certain sins I am the most prone to, some I just do not do.

One can say or profess they are Christian all day long. But if they have not turned to Christ in all things, it’s just lip service.
You never met anyone who was disingenuous?
We try to be good out of love for God. One who truly loves God avoids sin.
When one fails, one tries again.

 

[ChurchSoldier]

How come there are agnostics and atheists who are wonderful people, yet there are Christians who sin? I thought having a relationship with Christ would change your internally. I do not I understand free-will well or the idea of sinning. Some have accused me of condoning sin. If sin is a choice, then why are certain people prone to very strong vices? I cannot p(name removed by moderator)oint why there are certain sins I am the most prone to, some I just do not do.

The answers lies in what is meant by sin, and what is meant by overcoming.

If sin is thought to be a particular activity, then yes generally speaking one can overcome sin by self discipline.

Theologically, sin is not an action but a condition. That condition is separation from God. It is often demonstrated by actions which reflect that separation, such as Eve eating the fruit or contemporary people acting out sexually as you have mentioned in previous posts.

That spiritual separation can’t be overcome without God’s help. More specifically without Jesus’ help by dying for us and our acceptance of that redeeming grace. So, by definition your friends who don’t show any grave outward signs of harming others, by nature of their self proclaimed separation through agnosticism or atheism would be in a state of sin.

Hope that helps.

 

[fhansen]

People say pride is a serious sin. Why are we all prone to it in various degrees? Is it truly possible to overcome sins without believing in Christ? What is the difference between a sin and human nature? A lot of people say there is no excuse for sin. Why are people prone to sinning then if it is not part of our nature? Perhaps I just think people are hopelessly sinful.

I am not always in the best mood in the morning. Is that a sin? Sometimes I am not aware of how harsh some of things I say. Is that a sin?

Perhaps I am turned off by the idea of sin, because I can only see how I do wrong. Sometimes being corrected too much make me feel like “whatever” I might as well do what I want because even when I try my best I still fail, I am not good enough. That drives me nuts.

Imagine the worst atrocities that humans have committed. Whatever you can imagine, BTW, has probably been done. The acts of the most savage animals are angelic compared to the perversity of human behavior at times. Do those human acts seem reasonable and natural to you? They are made possible by one fact of human nature: free will. But are they right for humans, or for any part of creation, and if not, then why do they occur at all? They’re not necessarily perpetrated by madmen, but often by ordinary people-think of rape, torture, and genocide committed by one ethnic group against another. Consider the pride, anger, and self-righteousness of many seemingly average people you meet every day.

There’s something wrong, something broken in man, a woundedness. And this woundeded we call Original Sin and its chief aspect is separation from God, from the order and harmony of the natural created of the universe, and it’s cheif evidence in man is the pride, the lack of humility, which exalts itself above this order, above the Law IOW, as if we should have the right to do whatever we please, as if we were God. All evil flows from this separation of man from God which results in a division of man within himself.

 

[Mary_Estelle]

PianistClare gave the answer that I was hesitant to post as everyone “jumped all over me” for a previous post. So I am bruised and battered…so to speak.