Problem of Forgiveness

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inomcoke

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I’ve got a relative that has an issue with Christianity where it comes to forgiveness and I’m looking for suggestions on how to reply. Any tips on what to say or books to suggest would be appreciated. I don’t know too much about her religious background or anything like that.

The issue is she can’t buy into the idea that a God could give the same (more or less) reward (heaven) to one person who has been good and Holy their entire life as someone else who has committed awful sins their entire life and only asks for forgiveness on their death bed (or anytime near the end of their life.

The example given is if Hitler rather than killing himself was found by a priest who quickly convinced him of the errors of his ways. Hitler confesses to the priest and immediately after the allied troops storm the area and kill him.

Purgatory aside, Hitler will receive the same basic reward as Blessed John Paul II The Great (she’s not Catholic, JPII is just an example).

Any ideas?
 
Think of all the blessings that JPII recieved in his lifetime because of his goodness. Think of what he will see when he sees the fruits of his labor at the end of time. Those are two extra bonus of “being good” one’s whole life.
 
inomcoke said:
I’ve got a relative that has an issue with Christianity where it comes to forgiveness and I’m looking for suggestions on how to reply. Any tips on what to say or books to suggest would be appreciated. I don’t know too much about her religious background or anything like that.

The issue is she can’t buy into the idea that a God could give the same (more or less) reward (heaven) to one person who has been good and Holy their entire life as someone else who has committed awful sins their entire life and only asks for forgiveness on their death bed (or anytime near the end of their life.

The example given is if Hitler rather than killing himself was found by a priest who quickly convinced him of the errors of his ways. Hitler confesses to the priest and immediately after the allied troops storm the area and kill him.

Purgatory aside, Hitler will receive the same basic reward as Blessed John Paul II The Great (she’s not Catholic, JPII is just an example).

Any ideas?
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I think there are a couple of thoughts:
First of all, if a bad person changes their ways-they must TRULY repent…it can’t just be a deathbed whatever conversion it has to be sincere (at least attrition).

Second- we all are sinners not worthy of heaven, heaven is a complete gift of God. So God giving heaven to any of us isn’t strictly “just” hence why Christ had to die. But Christ’s death happened and it did the job so anyone no matter how bad their sins are can be forgiven. This is the mystery of God’s mercy. He loves us so much so that He gives us what we do not and cannot earn (strictly speaking). The mercy of God is great however because we know no matter who we are or what we have done God is ready to forget our sins.

Thirdly- The same reward is still not entirely correct. To begin with, purgatory is no minor punishment. It is serious business so yeah at the end of the day both may be in heaven but purgatory isn’t easy. Sure we are so happy in purgatory to have been saved yet we are under intense purification, many Saints thought that hte fires in purgatory were as intense as those in hell??? :eek:
yet still, once both are in heaven they are not at the same degree of glory or “level” of happiness as one another. Mother Theresa and Mr. Death bed penitent are both 100% perfectly happy yet each one’s capacity for happiness is far different, one who is closer to God in this life surely will be closer to Him forever in eternity

Hope this is helpful
 
As has been said, none of us get into Heaven by our own merits. It’s not a reward for goodness, it’s an unmerited gift. That gift comes with one string attached, which is repentance/acceptance of the Lord.

The fact that it is even conceivable that Hitler could get into Heaven should be an occasion of joy for all of us. Because if God can save Hitler, whom can’t He save?
 
I think a person who has lived a good and holy life will actually be happy that another soul has been saved. Being close to God is the greatest reward a man can get. And a holy person would be happy to see God’s child coming back to Him and experiencing the same happiness he does. Just the way a mother wouldn’t continue to hate a bad son who has repented, and show him lesser love than the rest of her children. God loves us more. He will grant justice to every soul in ‘GOD’s’ way and not man’s way.
 
inomcoke said:
I’ve got a relative that has an issue with Christianity where it comes to forgiveness and I’m looking for suggestions on how to reply. Any tips on what to say or books to suggest would be appreciated. I don’t know too much about her religious background or anything like that.

The issue is she can’t buy into the idea that a God could give the same (more or less) reward (heaven) to one person who has been good and Holy their entire life as someone else who has committed awful sins their entire life and only asks for forgiveness on their death bed (or anytime near the end of their life.

The example given is if Hitler rather than killing himself was found by a priest who quickly convinced him of the errors of his ways. Hitler confesses to the priest and immediately after the allied troops storm the area and kill him.

Purgatory aside, Hitler will receive the same basic reward as Blessed John Paul II The Great (she’s not Catholic, JPII is just an example).

Any ideas?
Click to expand...
There is a parable about this. I wish I could point you to it. It was harvest time and the owner of the field needed workers. He hired a crew early in the morning and they worked all day. He hired another crew in the afternoon and they only worked part of the day. At the end of the day, he paid both crews a full days wages. Those who worked the full day complained. Why should those other guys get a full day’s wages? The owner told them, what business is it of theirs if he wants to pay the 2nd crew a whole days wages? Afterall, the 1st crew wasn’t cheated. They got a day’s pay for a day’s work. If the owner wants to pay the 2nd crew for a whole day, why is that anyone’s business but the owner. It’s his money. He can spend it how he wants. Here I think Jesus is trying to teach us about the generosity of God. And who are we to question that?
 
1 Corinthians 3:14 & 15 teaches that Hitler may have made it throught the fires of Purgatory, and with a new pure heart attain Heaven, but he will have NOTHING to show for the life that God blessed him with. The Holy person who followed God’s leading will see all the good, and miraculous that came out of living the faith! I hope to meet many thousands of people who lived because of the babies I helped saved by being an crisis pregnancy counselor, and through prayers! I know of a least 2 people who’s lives were turned to God because I was led to witness to them! They have a Godly marriage, and have witnessed to their children, and many others about God! How many more may make it to Heaven because I shared my love for God! I can’t wait to find out! It is so completely awesome! No wonder we will spend eternity praising God as we find out one thing after another how our lives have helped others!

How incredibly sad to get to Heaven having helped no one. HUGE DIFFERENCE!
 
inomcoke said:
The issue is she can’t buy into the idea that a God could give the same (more or less) reward (heaven) to one person who has been good and Holy their entire life as someone else who has committed awful sins their entire life and only asks for forgiveness on their death bed (or anytime near the end of their life.

The example given is if Hitler rather than killing himself was found by a priest who quickly convinced him of the errors of his ways. Hitler confesses to the priest and immediately after the allied troops storm the area and kill him.
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She need not worry. All sins are fully punished. Either Christ paid the punishment on the Cross in place of the person or the person will pay the punishment in Hell. Either way the punishment will be paid. 🙂
 
God pours out his blessings on those who live for him now! His kingdom has come now for those of us that follow God. I have enjoyed 27 years of blessed marriage to my Holy spouse! We are so happy together. By the miracles of God we have been blessed to adopt and raise 2 beautiful children! God has inspired us to have open adoptions with their Birthparents. I can’t describe what a beautiful blessing that is. God saw these 17 year old girls crying because they had babies they weren’t ready to parent. God saw me crying myself to sleep because we had a wonderful faith filled marriage, a beautiful home, yet no babies to share our love with. God brought us together, to be the answer to each others prayers! God led us to have an open adoption! Our children are alive, know they are loved by both sets of parents! Our Birthparents were free to graduate from college, get married, and start familes in God’s good order. ** It is a WIN, WIN, WIN situation! That is God’s kingdom exisiting now on earth!**
 
Regina_Love said:
God pours out his blessings on those who live for him now! His kingdom has come now for those of us that follow God. I have enjoyed 27 years of blessed marriage to my Holy spouse! We are so happy together. By the miracles of God we have been blessed to adopt and raise 2 beautiful children! God has inspired us to have open adoptions with their Birthparents. I can’t describe what a beautiful blessing that is. God saw these 17 year old girls crying because they had babies they weren’t ready to parent. God saw me crying myself to sleep because we had a wonderful faith filled marriage, a beautiful home, yet no babies to share our love with. God brought us together, to be the answer to each others prayers! God led us to have an open adoption! Our children are alive, know they are loved by both sets of parents! Our Birthparents were free to graduate from college, get married, and start familes in God’s good order. It is a WIN, WIN, WIN situation! That is God’s kingdom exisiting now on earth!
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Beautiful. God knows what he’s doing.
 
God’s mercy and generosity are far beyond our human comprehension.

You may or may not be able to adequately explain it.

Life’s not fair, but God is good.
 
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