No grace until Baptism

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CANON VII.-If any one saith, that all works done before Justification, in whatsoever way they be done, are truly sins, or merit the hatred of God; or that the more earnestly one strives to dispose himself for grace, the more grievously he sins: let him be anathema.
-Council of Trent

What does this mean? The first part seems to say that you cannot commit sins before baptism (at least mortal ones).

This seems strange, am I understanding it correctly? Help!
 
Doesn’t it condemn anyone who says that everything we do prior to Baptism is sinful and deserves the hatred of God?

The Desire to become a Christian is a Grace that God gives us. How could our positive reaction to this grace be sinful?
 
narrowpath said:
CANON VII.-If any one saith, that all works done before Justification, in whatsoever way they be done, are truly sins, or merit the hatred of God; or that the more earnestly one strives to dispose himself for grace, the more grievously he sins: let him be anathema.
-Council of Trent

What does this mean? The first part seems to say that you cannot commit sins before baptism (at least mortal ones).

This seems strange, am I understanding it correctly? Help!
Click to expand...
That is correct no Sanctifying ot Sacramental Grace is received before Baptism, only Actual Grace. Performing good works, using Sacramentals, Prayer, Alms, Fasting by a person not Baptized are not sinful.
 
This seems to be a refutation of the notion that one cannot do good works, cannot cooperate with God’s grace, before initial justification. I’ve heard some Protestants claim what that canon denounces.
 
narrowpath said:
If any one saith, that all works done before Justification, in whatsoever way they be done, are truly sins, or merit the hatred of God; or that the more earnestly one strives to dispose himself for grace, the more grievously he sins: let him be anathema.

What does this mean? The first part seems to say that you cannot commit sins before baptism (at least mortal ones).

This seems strange, am I understanding it correctly? Help!
Click to expand...
No, you’ve got it turned a bit around (easy to do with these convoluted, doubly-negated canons!)

What it says, sort of parallel to the original quote:
Don’t say, that all works before baptism are sins; or that striving to dispose oneself for grace causes more grievous sins.
 
A follow up, then.

Can an unbaptised precatechumenate like myself recieve actual graces (say, through sacramentals like Holy Water, the Rosary, etc?
 
narrowpath said:
A follow up, then.

Can an unbaptised precatechumenate like myself recieve actual graces (say, through sacramentals like Holy Water, the Rosary, etc?
Click to expand...
Oh yes. God is continually pouring out actual graces on Christians and non-Christians. It is only through the graces He bestowed on you that you came to seek entry in the Catholic Church.
 
narrowpath said:
A follow up, then.

Can an unbaptised precatechumenate like myself recieve actual graces (say, through sacramentals like Holy Water, the Rosary, etc?
Click to expand...
YES, Actual Grace draws you towards God and inclines you to seek union with Him through Baptism.
 
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