Is this type of repentance valid?

[PelagiathePenit]

I thought of that parable in Luke about the man who did not fear God or man. Well, if you are smart enough to get away with sin, is it still sin? I know this is a weird question. I can see how sins that affect you are detrimental. What if the sins you commit never hurt you? Like being bossy, rude to others who you know can not stand up for themselves? Refusing to give money to the poor? Not being kind to your enemies?There are always ways to be safe and moderate with sin, like sinning when it is convenient and you can get away with. Some people do not internalize at all. Their sinful thoughts and behavior do not affect them because they do not care, they do not feel sincere guilt, etc. They are intelligent enough to avoid sins that would backfire against them. Is repentance still valid if you the only reason you did it is because you were caught or you finally suffered consequences? It is easy not to feel bad about a sin, if you are smart enough to get away with it. It is easy to turn to God when you have blatant weakness or you are not strong enough to carry on with your sinful behavior.

If you read the biography of St. Pelagia the Penitent, she was able to get away with most of her sins.

 

[Auntie_A]

If you get caught and your conscience is repentant, then yes, it is a valid repentance. If you do a million sins and never get caught, they still are sins; and if you are not repentant with those sins, then you are stuck with them. Bound to them.

What do you mean by “get away” with your sins?

My understanding is that we confess, repent, and beg forgiveness because we never know when we will die and have to account for ourselves. IF a person dies with their sins unrepented, we are expected to pray that God takes everything into account. But we are not God. This is why we pray for the dead and the souls in Purgatory. We do not claim to know God’s decision on repentance for that soul.

 

[PelagiathePenit]

If you get caught and your conscience is repentant, then yes, it is a valid repentance. If you do a million sins and never get caught, they still are sins; and if you are not repentant with those sins, then you are stuck with them. Bound to them.

What do you mean by “get away” with your sins?

My understanding is that we confess, repent, and beg forgiveness because we never know when we will die and have to account for ourselves. IF a person dies with their sins unrepented, we are expected to pray that God takes everything into account. But we are not God. This is why we pray for the dead and the souls in Purgatory. We do not claim to know God’s decision on repentance for that soul.

What if you only repented because you were caught, not because you honestly felt bad?

 

[Auntie_A]

What if you only repented because you were caught, not because you honestly felt bad?

That would not be a repentance. Your heart must be truly contrite:

The Act of Contrition

Oh my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishment, but most of all because they offend Thee my God, Who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin, Amen.

God knows if you are heartily sorry, struggling with a big life issue, hiding, deceiving, or glossing over your faults.

 

[KindredSoul]

There are two types of valid repentance, theologically speaking, True Contrition and imperfect contrition. True Contrition is being sorry primarily out of love for God. Imperfect contrition is being sorry mostly or exclusively out of fear of hell. Both are valid, but imperfect contrition is only valid through the sacrament of confession. Only True Contrition can be valid without sacramental confession, and even then you have to have the intention to avail yourself of confession when you are next able.

God is omniscient, so it’s important to remember that you are always “caught” whenever you sin. God knows it, and the consequences are hell if you do not repent. If such a person was sorry because he feared said consequence, and realizes that he is “always caught” whenever he sins, then this would seem like imperfect contrition, which will be valid if he goes to Confession. However, and this is important, even going to sacramental confession doesn’t mean he is “getting away” with only being sorry out of self-interest. Nothing imperfect will enter Heaven, so doubtless such a person will face a lot of painful cleansing in Purgatory in order to cleanse him of this two-dimensional selfish way of thinking. That God allows such a person to have his sins forgiven at all, even if only through Sacramental Confession, is a tremendous mercy, as such a person is “treading on thin ice” as it is.

On the other hand, a person who was only “pretending” to be sorry or who was only sorry for the temporal consequences (loss of reputation, etc.)–but who really did not love God nor even fear God enough to believe he needed the danger of hell seriously–might indeed be said to have no valid repentance at all. He is just “acting” in that case, or else is only concerned with the “worldly” consequences. He is not even trying to avoid spiritual consequences at all, because in that case he seems to not even believe in those consequences in the first place.

Blessings in Christ,
KindredSoul

 

[opusAquinas]

I thought of that parable in Luke about the man who did not fear God or man. Well, if you are smart enough to get away with sin, is it still sin? I know this is a weird question. I can see how sins that affect you are detrimental. What if the sins you commit never hurt you? Like being bossy, rude to others who you know can not stand up for themselves? Refusing to give money to the poor? Not being kind to your enemies?There are always ways to be safe and moderate with sin, like sinning when it is convenient and you can get away with. Some people do not internalize at all. Their sinful thoughts and behavior do not affect them because they do not care, they do not feel sincere guilt, etc. They are intelligent enough to avoid sins that would backfire against them. Is repentance still valid if you the only reason you did it is because you were caught or you finally suffered consequences? It is easy not to feel bad about a sin, if you are smart enough to get away with it. It is easy to turn to God when you have blatant weakness or you are not strong enough to carry on with your sinful behavior.

If you read the biography of St. Pelagia the Penitent, she was able to get away with most of her sins.

Sadly being Catholic doesn’t make you holy. Lots of Catholics commit horrible sins then run to the confessional because they are afraid of going to hell. Think also of the mafia, secret agents, etc… The fear of hell is a valid repentance. Indulgences are sought after today as they were in Luther’s time.