People in mortal sin

[JRKH]

This is a confusing topic. So, say I were in a state of mortal sin, does that mean that I’m not doing good deeds because its the right thing to do, or that I’m doing them for my own selfish reasons?

Nobody can do a good deed for selfish reasons. God know that, and such deed is not good in His eyes. A good deed is to do God’s will, and that can never be selfish.

I think that these two posts illustrate part of the difficulty in understanding these things.
The first question (which has been at least partially answered) is what constitutes being in a state of mortal sin…and the second question, which lasting faith is touching on here, is what constitutes a “good deed” in the eyes of God.

These two things can be and are described - at least to some extent - in the catechism and other teachings of the Church. But as we have seen here and in other threads, they lend themselves to a lot of, “yea but what if…” questions.

I would offer this from 1 John 4:7-8 as the key:
7 Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God; for God is love.
Now I know that the above will not instantly make all else clear…but a sincere and prayerful contemplation on this will provide much insight into these questions.

Peace
James

 

[AnneTeresa]

God measure people by what they do. If you do a good deed it is a good thing in God’s eyes. Salvation comes only thru The Church, as you well know, but we can rely on the everlasting truth and love God have for us that also those who are not part of His Church have more then a fair possibilty to go to Heaven because of what they have done, not what they are. I am a Catholic, but if I do nothing good I am Hell bound. My neighbour is most likely a Muslim, and if he live his life doing what is pure and right in the eyes of God, he will go to Heaven. The thru meaning of “Salvation only thru The Church” is only because The RCC teach what is right and what God want us to do. It is a “safer way” to Heaven. But doing good no matter what you believe, is the “other” way. It might take a bit longer, but for sure it ends with the person entering the Pearl Gate.

This makes a lot of sense to me on a topic that’s always been difficult for me to understand. Thank you for posting it!

 

[Credo_in_Deum]

Hello Bros. and Sis. in Christ,

My question in this topic is quite straightforward (though I am not sure whether the answer will be easy or not). Anyways, my questions relates to the people who live in a state of mortal sin. I know people in mortal sin who supposedly commit various acts of love and mercy throughout various times in their lives. But does that mean that God won’t accept these acts of mercy/love when a person is in a state of mortal sin?

G-D Bless!

If the conditions to mortal sin have been, so to say, accomplished then the actions they perform are of no sanctifying merit and thus do not increase sanctifying grace in their soul. They are performed, however, with actual grace which means all of these actions are helping a person be more receptive to God’s constant call to reconciliation with Him in the sacrament of confession or in a perfect act of contrition if confession is not possible before they die. God however does not accept these actions as love towards Him because they are not true acts of love if done in the state of mortal sin; especially if the person wills to stay in this state because they will not give up a certain sin.

It would be like a married man telling his wife he met his new secretary who he likes a lot, but not to worry because he still loves his wife 80% but her only 20%. Nothing that husband would do, could ever been taken as an act of true love towards his wife as long as the love owed to his wife is being place toward another woman, and the same is said for God. When we will not give up a certain sin, then we are saying the same thing to God and He has no choice but to not accept our offerings as acts of love because they truly aren’t. Yet the mercy of God is so great that he stays by us constantly calling us back, asking us to give Him all of our love not for His benefit but for ours; and when we do come back and turn all of our love towards Him then he forgives us and treats us as if nothing ever happened.

 

[fred_conty]

In order for a catholic to obtain a higher degree of holiness, that is…the degree of the state of grace increases, the state of grace is necessary to begin with. I’ve noticed that some catholics are oblivious that we actually do become more and more pleasing to our heavenly Father by our good virtuous actions. We literally grow in the image of Jesus Christ. For this to take place, a catholic must first be in the state of sanctity, or sanctifying grace. For how would it be possible to grow in something that is not possessed?

If a catholic is not in the state of holliness, the state of sanctifying grace, then all the virtuous acts performed may be rewarded by God in this life in this world, tho obviously growth in sanctity does not. I say rewarded in this world, for God is a just God and he does not overlook a just payment for our good deeds. My source for saying this is St. Catherine of Sienna, a doctor of the church. That is what she said in her book “Little Talks with God”. And she said that God will reward those good deeds even if one is not in the state of sanctity. God does not overlook any good deed.

Now obviously this dosen’t answer the “purposes” a person is virtuous, but it is assumed that they do it for a good and noble reasons, namely for themselves but especially for their neighbor. Done for selfish or sinful reasons changes the aspect of a good deed and probably the reward.

If we could but see someone in the state of grace, we would probably have to cover our eyes because their brilliance of soul would be so great since they are reflectors of God’s divine life in them. Yet this brilliance, glory, beauty, can continue to grow all thru life and yet go undetected by anyone on earth. Only at the end of the world will those in grace and holliness be seen in this way. And the degree of this will depend on God’s own will but also the quality of our life in God while on earth. Mary being the prime person of supreme grace gifted by the Holy Trinity.​

“We plow the fields and scatter the good seed on the land, but it is fed and watered by God’s own almighty hand.” (hymn)