Partial Confession?

[Timidity]

Is there any point in confession for a person who is in a constant state of mortal sin?

For example, say that you’re having a long-term affair with your best friend’s husband. Now, because you’re not ready to give up the affair, you can not confess it (at least, you can not receive absolution for it).

But what if you want to confess the bank robbery you committed last weekend? Are you stuck with that mortal sin until you’re ready to abandon your lover?

Are you supposed to give up all confessions until you’re 100% committed to sin no more? Or should you go and confess what you can? The latter seems pointless while the former seems lacking.

 

[Benedictus]

If you go to confession and don’t confess all the mortal sins, you just dig yourself in deeper. Not only are no mortal sins forgiven, but you have the additional mortal sin of a sacreligious confession.

 

[JimG]

Timidity:

Is there any point in confession for a person who is in a constant state of mortal sin?

There’s no point in confession if one intends to remain in a constant state of mortal sin.

If you confess one mortal sin, but not another, you are telling God, “I will obey your law on that matter, but not this one.” In other words, you are still rejecting God.

Now, if one has the intention to refrain from a particular sin, but continues to fall into it anyway, through weakness, that does not invalidate the confession, since the purpose of avoiding it was there. But you cannot fool God. If you really intend to go on commiting the sin, there is no forgiveness, and no absolution, for any sin.

 

[Nan_S]

You could do like the Protestants and in your heart ask Jesus directly to forgive that one sin.

That’s the problem with Protestant confession of sin. They can confess “this” while withholding “that” until later, because “that” is still too much fun. Consequently, they are never completely clean. It’s like taking a shower and only washing one armpit. Ewwww.

And that’s what makes Catholic confession so wonderful. It’s an all-or-nothing, face-what-you’ve-been-avoiding, purifying fresh start.

 

[Timidity]

JimG:

There’s no point in confession if one intends to remain in a constant state of mortal sin.

That’s exactly the case in my example above.

I guess the fuller question is even though “you” are still involved in the illicit relationship, is there perhaps a grace to be gleaned in confessing it anyway even though the priest will have to withhold absolution? Or are you just wasting his time?

 

[Benedictus]

Timidity:

I guess the fuller question is even though “you” are still involved in the illicit relationship, is there perhaps a grace to be gleaned in confessing it anyway even though the priest will have to withhold absolution?

Probably not. At best, your stay in hell might be ever-so slightly less torturous if you confess it but don’t receive absolution.

Or are you just wasting his time?

Yes.

 

[Timidity]

Benedictus:

Probably not. At best, your stay in hell might be ever-so slightly less torturous if you confess it but don’t receive absolution.

I wasn’t referring to eternal salvation, but rather an earthly grace that will strengthen you to cease the sin and more fully form your concience. In which case, is it really wasting his time?

 

[mhansen]

Benedictus:

Probably not. At best, your stay in hell might be ever-so slightly less torturous if you confess it but don’t receive absolution.

This is one of the most absurd statements I’ve read in a long, long time.

 

[Benedictus]

Timidity:

I wasn’t referring to eternal salvation, but rather an earthly grace that will strengthen you to cease the sin and more fully form your concience. In which case, is it really wasting his time?

Yes, IMO, it is still a waste of time. We cannot have true contrition for some mortal sins but not others.

 

[Benedictus]

mhansen:

This is one of the most absurd statements I’ve read in a long, long time.

What’s absurd about it? Someone who doesn’t repent of a mortal sin will burn.

 

[harinkj]

One really can’t hide anything and one should try to reform. A honest attempt. :banghead: But you aren’t expected to be perfect.

Kathie :bowdown:

 

[JimG]

Timidity:

That’s exactly the case in my example above.

I guess the fuller question is even though “you” are still involved in the illicit relationship, is there perhaps a grace to be gleaned in confessing it anyway even though the priest will have to withhold absolution? Or are you just wasting his time?

It would be like going to your employer and saying, “look, I just want you to know that I’ve been stealing computer equipment from the office, and I want to confess it to you so maybe you’ll feel a little better about me. And by the way, I intend to keep on doing it.”

 

[mhansen]

Benedictus:

What’s absurd about it? Someone who doesn’t repent of a mortal sin will burn.

What is absurd is that you try to dictate how God can act. That is, you do not allow for the mercy of God in any way, shape, or form. Furthermore, you purport to know how “tortuous” it will be for someone in the aforementioned state of hell. Speculation at best…playing God at worst. And that, my friend, is absurd.

 

[Benedictus]

mhansen:

What is absurd is that you try to dictate how God can act. That is, you do not allow for the mercy of God in any way, shape, or form.

God’s mercy is found in the Sacrament of Confession. In extraordinary circumstances a person can make a perfect act of contrition. This is the Church’s teaching.

 

[mhansen]

Benedictus:

God’s mercy is found in the Sacrament of Confession. In extraordinary circumstances a person can make a perfect act of contrition. This is the Church’s teaching.

My friend, you are mistaken. The Church has never once condemned an individual to hell, as you yourself have done in your post.

God’s mercy is found in many places OTHER than the Sacrament of Confession. Are you stating, against Church teaching I might add, that other Christians, or even non-Christians who are not familiar with the Sacrament of Confession, are automatically doomed to hell? If you say yes, you yourself go against Church teaching. And if you say no, then you’ve just agreed with me that His mercy is found in infinitely more ways and places than Confession.

At any rate, it is not YOUR job to decide who is and who isn’t going to “burn.” That was the part of your statement I took to be absurd.

 

[Benedictus]

I didn’t say any particular individual would burn. I said a person dying in mortal sin would burn.