One mortal sin sends you to hell forever?

[s04684]

YES!!
I tried to allude to this in one of my earlier posts but you have said it perfectly.
As we move more closely to God in Love and Holy Obedience, such decisions become, “No brainers”. It’s Sunday - Mass is an absolute must.

Peace
James

I don’t go to mass regularly, even though I consider myself a Catholic. I don’t consider missing mass wrong, and I’d have an even harder time believing that it is a grave matter. I have a couple of questions about this, firstly, from the correct Catholic point of view, am I committing no sin at all, a venial sin, or a mortal sin? Secondly, Given my belief that not going to mass isn’t a sin, does that mean that according to the Church I’m not a Catholic, does it mean I’m a heretic, or what does it mean?

Unless I’ve misunderstood something, if I am guilty of a sin, it still shouldn’t be a mortal sin since I don’t consider it to be a sin myself? If this is the case, can I still go to Communion, or does the fact that I have a possibly heretical (is that the right word?) or incorrect belief mean that I shouldn’t go to communion?

 

[s04684]

I meant to edit the above post to add this, but if anyone has any links that answer any of my questions, I’d really appreciate it as well as your own answers.

 

[andrewp13]

The thing I don’t understand is why confession is always needed to clear you of mortal sin. Say after committing this, the person is extremely sorry and guilty and prays for forgiveness and obviously means it, but dies never going to confession. Why does one have to go through someone else to get these forgiven if one WAS to die before repenting.

 

[jimmy]

One unrepented mortal sin sends the sinner to hell - the forever part is redundant.

The thing you are missing in the whole principle is the “Choice”. A person must KNOW that this sin seperates them from God. They must KNOW that by so choosing they are choosing hell. They must Choose this anyway. So, if such a person dies in this frame of mind - that is accepting (unrepentant) this choice. Then they will Choose Hell.
God has provided us with free will and while He does not will any of us to go to hell, he will not interfere with our free choice.
So if Jack acts in a way that is consistant with what I outlined above, then Jack will Choose to go to hell for he has chosen seperation from God.
If on the other hand, Jack repents at the last minute and reaches out for God’s mercy and forgiveness, he will likely land in purgatory instead of hell.

Of course all of this is beyond our full knowledge. We can only surmise.

Peace
James

You say this as if people have steady character and steady free will. The problem is that that is false. People go through ups and downs. Sometimes they feel good, and so they do what they think is right. Other times they don’t feel so good, and they end up doing what they regret.

 

[jimmy]

The important thing that seems to be forgotten in this conversation is that, if Jack has truly been conforming his will to Gods, he is involved in a process that, eventually, will condition his will such that he won’t make as absurd a choice as playing golf instead of going to Mass and then deliberately skipping his only opportunity to make up for it. The point being that, if Jack is truly as “good” as the OP is trying to make him sound, the idea of skipping Mass for something so trivial would likely never even occur to him, and certainly would not appear to be “no big deal” to him.

Thus, there’s every possibility that, even if Jack does “live a good life”, his heart wasn’t in it in the first place if he’s willing to risk his soul for a round of golf and a steak. It’s not about how many points one scores; one cannot possibly “earn” or “deserve” heaven. It is a gift given to those whose wills are properly conformed to God’s.

If a round of golf is more important than the Eucharist, how well conformed is your will?

Peace,
Dante

What is the difference between earning and deserving on the one hand, and conforming your will on the other? In both cases you are presupposing freedom.

 

[knightbird111]

1. Step off a tall building, just once, and you die. Is that fair?
2. Why is the standard always so low? I mean do we follow a mafia hit man or Jesus? If our standard is a mafia hit man, then yes one sin is no big deal. But, that is not how we should live, right?

Adam and Eve sinned once and were casted out of the Garden of Eden. God is not giving you more than 1 chance at not sinning. I am speaking the truth. 1 mortal sin is all it takes to end up in hell. Few enter heaven. Most of the souls will end up in hell, even those souls who thought they were right with God.

True Christians know that 1 mortal sin and you are knocked off of the boat.

If you die and did not repent of all your mortal sins then you end up in hell.

IT IS NOT FAIR, GOD MADE GETTING INTO HEAVEN A “SLIM” CHANCE.

The feel good preachers will tell you all sorts of OSAS and sin and repent

The reality is you are cut off from God for 1 mortal sin.

Now you might be saying well this sounds impossible.

 

[benjammin]

Let me turn this around for you. Tell me, is Jack, or anybody else who ‘lives a good life’. . .entitled to heaven?

Has Jack ‘earned’ heaven by not being a ‘bad’ guy?

IOW–do a few ‘good deeds’ and managing not to do anything ‘grave’ mean that said person gets to go to heaven for all eternity? Sure seems like a huge reward for basically doing what our atheist friends argue people will ‘naturally’ tend to do. . .

On that same note, what if Jack is not a good guy, but a truly evil man. If he lives his life doing everything evil, but dies while saying a sincere act of contrition he is okay? I’m sorry that doesn’t work with me either. Even if a person truly meant it, they can’t just get off scot free

 

[GangGreen]

You have to remember that there are also three choices. Heaven, Purgatory, Hell.

Many many souls go to purgatory and will eventually be saved. However, purgatory involves much suffering. It is said that some souls will be there to the end of the world. They say that purgatory has the joys of Heaven (the knowledge that you are not cut off from God and will eventually be with him in Heaven) and the pains of hell. Either way, we don’t get off that easy by just repenting. It’s why we also need to do lots of penance.

 

[sw85]

Ok, so I already know that grave matter, full knowledge, and deliberate consent are the three conditions for sin to be mortal. But the real problem I have is the teaching that just one of these will send you to hell for all eternity I mean, wow, eternity is a long time!

Actually, eternity is no time at all. Literally, by definition.

 

[JamesATyler]

Ok, so I already know that grave matter, full knowledge, and deliberate consent are the three conditions for sin to be mortal. But the real problem I have is the teaching that just one of these will send you to hell for all eternity I mean, wow, eternity is a long time!

Example: one Sunday, Jack, who goes to Church every Sunday, gets invited to play golf instead. He figures, ah, what the heck, I’ll just play and then go to Mass later in the evening. Well, he has a good time with his buddies, and they invite him for dinner after playing all day long. Jack selfishly decides to take them up on the offer (they are great cooks!) and skips the evening Mass too. “Mass just started,” he thinks to himself as he gets into the car to get to their house. He feels guilty…he knows that skipping Mass is a mortal sin, but he selfishly presses on–but does not explicitly ask God for forgiveness.

On the way to dinner, he gets hit by a car. Bam! He’s gone. Instantly. No time for an act of contrition.

Does he go to hell for ever and ever and ever and ever? I mean, he knew that it’s a mortal sin, skipping is grave matter, and he acted freely.

Observations about Jack.

1. Jack is not deterred by threat of punishment.
2. Jack would rather spend time with his other friends on this particular Sunday.
3. Jack is very devoted to Jesus.
4. Jack is hungry after playing golf all day.
5. Jack didn’t commit a sin by missing morning Mass.
6. Jack doesn’t realize he is going to die Sunday evening.
7. Jack likes good food.
8. Jack dies before evening Mass is over.
9. Jack might have changed his mind had he not died.
10. Jack did not have time to commit a mortal sin.

Jack gets a pass. (Unless it was a long trip to dinner)

 

[JamesATyler]

Ok, so I already know that grave matter, full knowledge, and deliberate consent are the three conditions for sin to be mortal. But the real problem I have is the teaching that just one of these will send you to hell for all eternity I mean, wow, eternity is a long time!

Example: one Sunday, Jack, who goes to Church every Sunday, gets invited to play golf instead. He figures, ah, what the heck, I’ll just play and then go to Mass later in the evening. Well, he has a good time with his buddies, and they invite him for dinner after playing all day long. Jack selfishly decides to take them up on the offer (they are great cooks!) and skips the evening Mass too. “Mass just started,” he thinks to himself as he gets into the car to get to their house. He feels guilty…he knows that skipping Mass is a mortal sin, but he selfishly presses on–but does not explicitly ask God for forgiveness.

On the way to dinner, he gets hit by a car. Bam! He’s gone. Instantly. No time for an act of contrition.

Does he go to hell for ever and ever and ever and ever? I mean, he knew that it’s a mortal sin, skipping is grave matter, and he acted freely.

Observations about Jack.

1. Jack is has been adequately devoted to Jesus.
2. Jack and his friends like to play golf.
3. Jack intends to attend evening Mass.
4. Jack didn’t commit a sin by missing morning Mass.
5. Jack doesn’t feel guilty about missing morning Mass.
6. Jack doesn’t commit a sin by playing golf.
7. Jack is hungry after playing golf all day.
8. Jack doesn’t realize he is going to die Sunday evening.
9. Jack likes good food.
10. Jack begins to feel guilty as evening Mass begins.
11. Jack is not deterred by guilt.
12. Jack knows how mortal sin is defined by the Catholic Church.
13. Jack is not deterred by threat of eternal punishment.
14. Jack’s last religious act is to choose friends and food over Sunday Mass.

 

[reclaimed]

God hates sin, not sinners. If God hated sinners, none of us would get into Heaven. The crucifix shows us how much God loves sinners.

 

[JamesATyler]

TheAdvocate;5894987:

Ok, so I already know that grave matter, full knowledge, and deliberate consent are the three conditions for sin to be mortal. But the real problem I have is the teaching that just one of these will send you to hell for all eternity

I mean, wow, eternity is a long time!

Example: one Sunday, Jack, who goes to Church every Sunday, gets invited to play golf instead. He figures, ah, what the heck, I’ll just play and then go to Mass later in the evening. Well, he has a good time with his buddies, and they invite him for dinner after playing all day long. Jack selfishly decides to take them up on the offer (they are great cooks!) and skips the evening Mass too. “Mass just started,” he thinks to himself as he gets into the car to get to their house. He feels guilty…he knows that skipping Mass is a mortal sin, but he selfishly presses on–but does not explicitly ask God for forgiveness.

On the way to dinner, he gets hit by a car. Bam! He’s gone. Instantly. No time for an act of contrition.

Does he go to hell for ever and ever and ever and ever? I mean, he knew that it’s a mortal sin, skipping is grave matter, and he acted freely.

Observations about Jack.

1. Jack is has been adequately devoted to Jesus.
2. Jack and his friends like to play golf.
3. Jack intends to attend evening Mass.
4. Jack didn’t commit a sin by missing morning Mass.
5. Jack doesn’t feel guilty about missing morning Mass.
6. Jack doesn’t commit a sin by playing golf.
7. Jack is hungry after playing golf all day.
8. Jack doesn’t realize he is going to die Sunday evening.
9. Jack likes good food.
10. Jack begins to feel guilty as evening Mass begins.
11. Jack is not deterred by guilt.
12. Jack knows how mortal sin is defined by the Catholic Church.
13. Jack is not deterred by threat of eternal punishment.
14. Jack’s last religious act is to choose friends and food over Sunday Mass.

Presumptions about Jack.

1. Jack would attend Sunday Mass again.
2. Jack would play golf again.
3. Jack would continue to like good food.
4. Jack cares about God’s laws.
5. Jack cares about Jesus.
6. Jack cares about the Catholic Church.
7. Jack cares about his friends.

Hypothesis:

When Jack dies, Jesus will be with him listening to every utterance of his spirit. Jesus will hear whether Jack loves Him and is sorry.

 

[jimmy]

I have a problem with this because the whole content of jacks faith and life are determined in a moment. He could have lived like mother Theresa up until this point, but he makes one mistake and he is damned. nothing but that single moment matters. And don’t say that Theresa wouldn’t miss mass. That isn’t the point. The point is that people make mistakes, no matter how devout. They sin, and apparently it is even harder for the devout. A moment of weakness defines a persons whole life.

 

[fix]

I have a problem with this because the whole content of jacks faith and life are determined in a moment. He could have lived like mother Theresa up until this point, but he makes one mistake and he is damned. nothing but that single moment matters. And don’t say that Theresa wouldn’t miss mass. That isn’t the point. The point is that people make mistakes, no matter how devout. They sin, and apparently it is even harder for the devout. A moment of weakness defines a persons whole life.

Sin is no mere mistake. It is a choice to say no to God. Generally we die as we have lived.

 

[jimmy]

Sin is no mere mistake. It is a choice to say no to God. Generally we die as we have lived.

That is a bit of a conflation. Most people aren’t thinking that they are rejecting God when they perform a particular action, and often they might love God in spite of their actions. No one places God on one hand and a particular sin on the other, and then chooses the sin.

 

[fix]

That is a bit of a conflation. Most people aren’t thinking that they are rejecting God when they perform a particular action, and often they might love God in spite of their actions. No one places God on one hand and a particular sin on the other, and then chooses the sin.

But, by committing a mortal sin one does reject God.

This is from Pope JPII:

"For mortal sin exists also when a person knowingly and willingly, for whatever reason, chooses something gravely disordered. In fact, such a choice already includes contempt for the divine law, a rejection of God’s love for humanity and the whole of creation: the person turns away from God and loses charity. Consequently, the fundamental orientation can be radically changed by particular acts.

 

[St_Hilary]

Ok, so I already know that grave matter, full knowledge, and deliberate consent are the three conditions for sin to be mortal. But the real problem I have is the teaching that just one of these will send you to hell for all eternity I mean, wow, eternity is a long time!

Example: one Sunday, Jack, who goes to Church every Sunday, gets invited to play golf instead. He figures, ah, what the heck, I’ll just play and then go to Mass later in the evening. Well, he has a good time with his buddies, and they invite him for dinner after playing all day long. Jack selfishly decides to take them up on the offer (they are great cooks!) and skips the evening Mass too. “Mass just started,” he thinks to himself as he gets into the car to get to their house. He feels guilty…he knows that skipping Mass is a mortal sin, but he selfishly presses on–but does not explicitly ask God for forgiveness.

On the way to dinner, he gets hit by a car. Bam! He’s gone. Instantly. No time for an act of contrition.

Does he go to hell for ever and ever and ever and ever? I mean, he knew that it’s a mortal sin, skipping is grave matter, and he acted freely.

 

[St_Hilary]

Remember, God is merciful.

Had he the intention of attending mass, than the favor is in his court.

NEVER doubt the Lord because he is kind and merciful–let God be the judge.

May God bless you.

In His Divine Mercy,
St Hilary

 

[slywakka250]

I think the biggest problem with the doctrine of hell is that we literally have no idea what our chances are.

The Church refuses to speculate how many may be in hell, despite the reality that a headcount for the number in hell must exist according to Church doctrine that we are judged at the moment of our death.

The Church I believe, does declare that those people it calls saints to have successfully avoided hell and made to heaven. Let’s say the Church has declared 12,000 saints.

If we take the current world population of 7 billion, and let’s say that all of the Church’s 12,000 saints were from this current generation, although in reality the number of humans to have ever lived is closer to 100 billion,

12,000 / 7 billion = .00017 percent.

So the odds the the Church declare with certainty the a given person is in heaven is way less than one percent.

Beyond this, the Church does not speculate, and anything is possible.

All may be in heaven, or all the remaining may go to hell.

We see constantly on these forums people questioning weather or not they have committed mortal sin.

While devout Catholics may feel comfortable in their chances, many of the saints have questioned there salvation down to the end of their lives.

I think its fair to say that many if not most approach death with uncertainty, praying and hoping for heaven if it exists, but ultimately “finding out” if they loved God or not when the veil is pulled back, after they have already died, and it is too late to reverse course.

I find this system extremely unfair. With the stakes as high as an eternity of unending torture that will never end, we ought to know with certainty if we are in the clear before its too late.