Is there a way to be absolute with God and free of sins?

[Darren488]

Is there a way to achieve this in the Catholic church?

 

[Michael_Welter]

I don’t understand the question. What do you mean by “absolute with God”?

 

[Darren488]

Purity.

 

[nianka]

Not even our favorite saints were free of sin in their lifetimes. (Mary, of course, was born without original sin). Jesus is the only human who, though tempted as we are, was without sin. I’m not sure what you’re really referring to, but you may be setting yourself up with an impossible goal.
Perhaps if you can expound on your original question, we might be able to help you more specifically.
nianka

 

[puzzleannie]

yes, baptism is death to sin and rising to new life. both original sin (and for an adult any actual sin) are washed away in baptism, and the newly baptized is entirely free of sin. Someone who has committed only venial sins is absolved of those sins by receiving holy communion. someone who has committed mortal sins is absolved of those and all other sins in the sacrament of confession. We emerge from those sacraments free from sin, full of santifying grace just as we were on our baptismal day.

While on earth, however, we are not free from the propensity to sin, from concupiscence - the irrational desire for harmful things, pleasures and actions. The goal of spiritual disciplines like prayer, fasting, and alms-giving is to free us from dependence on these desires and urges to sin. We are also not free from the effects of sins we have committed, even after they are absolved. If we stole, the money still has to be paid back. If we committed sexual sin, the psychic and other damage by our action is still there in the disordered identity, broken relationships etc. If we lied or detracted or gossiped, the damage has been done.

In purgatory, even those evil effects are eradicated, and our souls are finally puritified of all evil and inclination to evil, and we are ready finally for complete union with God.

 

[marty1818]

Yes, be in heaven.

John the Baptist was also born without sin according to my understanding. Not conceived without sin, but born without sin after the Holy Spirit entered the womb of Elizabeth at the Visitation.

matthew

 

[cheese_sdc]

If you’re looking for certainty this side of heaven, I don’t think you’re going to find it.

 

[mercygate]

If I understand the question, you are asking, “Can a Catholic ever be perfectly free from sin?” Or Possibly you are asking, “Can a Catholic be free forever from the propensity to sin?” You append the word “purity.” In Catholic “language” the word “purity” generally refers to sexual sin.

puzzleannie always gives perfect answers. To her excellent post I would add (since you list your religion as N/A), that the Sacrament of Confession serves as something of a “second baptism.” This beautiful sacrament enables us to come before our Lord, and through the ministry of the priest acting “in the person of Christ” (2 Cor 2:10), to receive God’s healing mercy and perfect forgiveness when we have stumbled.

So, yes. We can be “absolute with God” – if I understand the question correctly.

 

[Ignatius]

Darren488:

Is there a way to achieve this in the Catholic church?

Yes, read the Bible for 1/2 hour, repent and confess your sins and receive Christ in the Eucharist.

 

[nianka]

marty1818:

John the Baptist was also born without sin according to my understanding. Not conceived without sin, but born without sin after the Holy Spirit entered the womb of Elizabeth at the Visitation.

matthew

Now, this is news to me. Can you point me to some documentation regarding this? I’d love to explore this avenue.
Thank you
nianka

 

[marty1818]

nianka:

Now, this is news to me. Can you point me to some documentation regarding this? I’d love to explore this avenue.
Thank you
nianka

“And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant” – filled, like the mother, with the Holy Ghost – “leaped for joy in her womb”, as if to acknowledge the presence of his Lord. Then was accomplished the prophetic utterance of the angel that the child should “be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mother’s womb”. Now as the presence of any sin whatever is incompatible with the indwelling of the Holy Ghost in the soul, it follows that at this moment John was cleansed from the stain of original sin.

from this link:
newadvent.org/cathen/08486b.htm

 

[marty1818]

Ignatius:

Yes, read the Bible for 1/2 hour, repent and confess your sins and receive Christ in the Eucharist.

If you are refering to a plenary indulgence, you must also be fully detached from sin. This is not something which is easily done for most people however.

matthew

 

[Ignatius]

marty1818:

Ignatius:

Yes, read the Bible for 1/2 hour, repent and confess your sins and receive Christ in the Eucharist.

If you are refering to a plenary indulgence, you must also be fully detached from sin. This is not something which is easily done for most people however.
matthew

Yes, that is exactly what I was refering to. And you are right, it is certainly easy or trivial to accomplish. I was just answering the OP question.

Yours in Christ.

 

[marty1818]

Ignatius:

Yes, that is exactly what I was refering to. And you are right, it is certainly easy or trivial to accomplish. I was just answering the OP question.

Yours in Christ.

Thanks for the clarification. That’s what I thought you meant.

matthew