Sacraments

[dominikus28]

I understand that the sacraments are necessary for salvation. I think (corect me if I am mistaken) this only refers to baptism. If I am mistaken ( and I probably am) please tell me, are all the sacraments necessary?

Also, does a right ans a wrong make a right? E.g. If you have to kill someone to stop them from destroying the eucharist (after consecration), have you just sinned or done a good thing?

Also, would it be a sin to lie to someone inorder to prevent them from lying to someone else?

Puzzled…

 

[Tom]

I understand that the sacraments are necessary for salvation. I think (corect me if I am mistaken) this only refers to baptism. If I am mistaken ( and I probably am) please tell me, are all the sacraments necessary?

You are wrong; Baptism is not the only Sacrament “necessary”. What is necessary for salvation is to love God with all of your heart. “If” you do indeed love God with all of your heart, you won’t be concerned with what the least you need to do, you’ll want to do the most you can do. If God gives you a gift do you joyfully accept it because of your love for Him? Or is rejecting His gift showing your love more? God gives us seven wonderful gifts in the Sacraments, no, you don’t “need” to, and most people will never, receive them all. Does that mean we shouldn’t want all we can? God gives you a wonderful gift of reconciliation (confession), should we joyfully accept His gift? Or make excuses to try to avoid His gift? God gives us His body, blood, soul, and divinity in the Eucharist, should we joyfully accept His gift? Or try to figure out ways we don’t need it? I know we are only human, and our minds certainly not Gods’, but, if you offered your family the sacrifice of your life, and they said no thank you, how would you feel?

Also, does a right ans a wrong make a right? E.g. If you have to kill someone to stop them from destroying the eucharist (after consecration), have you just sinned or done a good thing?

You should not kill someone for destroying the Eucharist; you could however offer your life in defense of the Eucharist.

Also, would it be a sin to lie to someone inorder to prevent them from lying to someone else? Puzzled…

It would be a sin to intentionally bare false witness, knowing full well that it is a grievous offense toward God, knowing the lie separates you from the grace of God, and fully accepting this separation from God and its eternal consequence.

 

[promethius95945]

You are wrong; Baptism is not the only Sacrament “necessary”. What is necessary for salvation is to love God with all of your heart. “If” you do indeed love God with all of your heart, you won’t be concerned with what the least you need to do,…

while i agree with the main idea of what you’re saying, this first statement is not quite correct. We know from the Bible and from the church that, as a minimum, two sacraments are absolutely required: Baptism, and Communion (unless you eat My Flesh and drink My Blood, you shall not have Life within you). Yes, we SHOULD desire to enjoin in these sacraments, however they are not to be taken lightly because to miss these sacraments is a fault MOST grave.

 

[SyCarl]

while i agree with the main idea of what you’re saying, this first statement is not quite correct. We know from the Bible and from the church that, as a minimum, two sacraments are absolutely required: Baptism, and Communion (unless you eat My Flesh and drink My Blood, you shall not have Life within you). Yes, we SHOULD desire to enjoin in these sacraments, however they are not to be taken lightly because to miss these sacraments is a fault MOST grave.

Correct me if I am wrong but my understanding of Catholic doctrine was that if someone is baptized and does not commit a mortal sin, then that person has salvation even if he does not partake of theother sacranents. The classical example would be an infant.

 

[dylanschrader]

The Council of Trent decreed (DS 1604):

If anyone says that the sacraments of the New Law are not necessary for salvation but that they are superfluous; and that without the sacraments or the desire of them men obtain from God the grace of justification through faith alone, although it is true that not all sacraments are necessary for each person, anathema sit.

Regarding your question about morality, if you are asking whether one may do evil so that good may result from it the answer is no: one may not do evil even for the purpose of achieving a good result.

See also CCC #1753 and #1759:

A good intention (for example, that of helping one’s neighbor) does not make behavior that is intrinsically disordered, such as lying and calumny, good or just. The end does not justify the means. Thus the condemnation of an innocent person cannot be justified as a legitimate means of saving the nation. On the other hand, an added bad intention (such as vainglory) makes an act evil that, in and of itself, can be good (such as almsgiving).

“An evil action cannot be justified by reference to a good intention” (cf. St. Thomas Aquinas, Dec. praec. 6). The end does not justify the means.

 

[steve99]

I don’t think you can say that the sacrament of baptism is necessary without some qualification. We recognise “baptism of desire” and “baptism of blood” which are not sacraments, although from them we recive the fruits of the sacrament of baptism. (see CCC1258)

We are saved by God’s grace. The next question is how do we obtain that grace, to which the answer is, normally through the sacraments, all of them such as are appropriate to our state in life.

 

[mercygate]

Not all sacraments are necessary for salvation. Marriage, Anointing of the sick, and Holy Orders are certainly not necessary. Confession is not necessary if you are baptized on your deathbed. An unconfirmed, baptized person is good to go if he has no mortal sin on his conscience.

 

[promethius95945]

Correct me if I am wrong but my understanding of Catholic doctrine was that if someone is baptized and does not commit a mortal sin, then that person has salvation even if he does not partake of theother sacranents. The classical example would be an infant.

no, communion is required at least once a year. Assuming that you have reached the appropriate age and faith developement, that is. If you have NOT recieved communion due to age or faith developement and died, one would assume that you had partaken of the sacrament by desire (that you were working towards it and desire to partake of the sacrament).

To clarify something someone else said: Baptism by Blood is a fully sacramental baptism, it just isn’t done often anymore.

Baptism by desire (or partaking in ANY sacrament by desire) is also sacramental participation, though posthumous. You don’t just GET the benefit of the sacrament, your soul partakes in the sacrament by virtue of willing participation even if the body is no longer able (dead).

 

[dominikus28]

CCC states:
1129 The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation.51 “Sacramental grace” is the grace of the Holy Spirit, given by Christ and proper to each sacrament. The Spirit heals and transforms those who receive him by conforming them to the Son of God. The fruit of the sacramental life is that the Spirit of adoption makes the faithful partakers in the divine nature52 by uniting them in a living union with the only Son, the Savior.