Unbaptized infants could receive sanctifying grace by virtue of a privilege granted by God. That’s where the hope lies. The Church has defined that those who die in mortal sin or original sin go to Hell, but suffer different punishments.I don’t think the Church has ever intended to absolutely preclude any other way. Indeed, the modern Church expresses “hope” for the salvation of unbaptized children (who could not be in a state of Grace).
Therefore, for us to have a hope that an unbaptized infant is saved, we have to hope that God cleans their soul of original sin.But the souls of those who depart this life in actual mortal sin, or in original sin alone, go down straightaway to hell to be punished, but with unequal pains.
The Church infallibly teaches that some form of baptism, and dying in the state of grace are absolutely essential for salvation. God is bound by His own teachings, since God is truth. He cannot teach one thing, through the Church, then ignore or contradict his own true assertions.I don’t think the Church has ever intended to absolutely preclude any other way. Indeed, the modern Church expresses “hope” for the salvation of unbaptized children (who could not be in a state of Grace).
I don’t think the Church has ever taught that Desire and Blood (which is really just a subset of desire) are the ONLY ways that the Grace of Baptism can be imparted without getting wet. There might be other avenues which are unknown to us.
As we say all the time, God is bound by the Sacraments but is not limited by them.
Pope Francis in the encyclical Laudato si, seems to have developed further a way of redemption through the natural world as a source of the grace of the Holy Spirit.How should we understand the teaching of Pope Saint John Paul II in the encyclical Redemptoris Missio [n. 10] ??
“The universality of salvation means that it is granted not only to those who explicitly believe in Christ and have entered the Church. Since salvation is offered to all, it must be made concretely available to all.”
The universal salvific will of God is a teaching of Scripture and the Magisterium. But many current opinions in salvation theology have no clear explanation for – or seem to rule out or severely restrict – the salvation of prenatals and infants who die without baptism, or for the vast majority of human persons who are non-Christian and unbaptized.
We could say that these persons would have been saved, if they had been baptized. But that position seems too weak to accord with the universal salvific will and a “concretely available” offer of salvation.
I would say that the offer of salvation includes a very broad availability of the baptisms of desire and of blood, for those without the formal Sacrament of Baptism with water.
Let’s not make this endlessly complicated. The only thing that saves a man is repentance before God and trust in His Son. ( that the sacrifice of Christ is sufficient to fulfill all righteousness)The Church teaches that dying in the state of grace is absolutely necessary for salvation. And the Church also teaches that the state of grace always includes all three theological virtues: love, faith, hope. So faith, enlivened by love and hope, is necessary and sufficient for salvation.
Baptism confers the state of grace and the three theological virtues (love, faith, hope). A baptism can be by desire, or even by implicit desire. An act of true selfless love is sufficient to obtain a baptism of desire, so also is an act of perfect contrition for past sins (for an unbaptized person).
The Catechism of Pope Saint Pius X:
The Creed, Ninth Article, The Church in Particular: 29
“Q. But if a man through no fault of his own is outside the Church, can he be saved? A. If he is outside the Church through no fault of his, that is, if he is in good faith, and if he has received Baptism, or at least has the implicit desire of Baptism; and if, moreover, he sincerely seeks the truth and does God’s will as best he can such a man is indeed separated from the body of the Church, but is united to the soul of the Church and consequently is on the way of salvation”
Baptism, Necessity of Baptism and Obligations of the Baptized: 17
“Q. Can the absence of Baptism be supplied in any other way? A. The absence of Baptism can be supplied by martyrdom, which is called Baptism of Blood, or by an act of perfect love of God, or of contrition, along with the desire, at least implicit, of Baptism, and this is called Baptism of Desire.”
Pope Pius XII, Address to Midwives: “An act of love is sufficient for the adult to obtain sanctifying grace and to supply the lack of baptism.”
Final repentance, so if it is not present at death, but was at some other time, it is insufficient.Let’s not make this endlessly complicated. The only thing that saves a man is repentance before God and trust in His Son. ( that the sacrifice of Christ is sufficient to fulfill all righteousness)
Repentance means literally to “change direction”. If one were to un-repent it would mean to reject Christ and His forgiveness. If you did that at ANY time you would be lost, but I can’t see anyone doing that if they are still in their right mind.Final repentance, so if it is not present at death, but was at some other time, it is insufficient.
That rejection happens with serious sin, which may occur very many times during a persons life, even after baptism. The Catholic term for it is mortal sin. All sin is irrational.Repentance means literally to “change direction”. If one were to un-repent it would mean to reject Christ and His forgiveness. If you did that at ANY time you would be lost, but I can’t see anyone doing that if they are still in their right mind.
We are all one heart beat away from the next life. No one knows when that moment will be. A person can completely get caught in a state of unrepentence and not be able to say they are sorry.Repentance means literally to “change direction”. If one were to un-repent it would mean to reject Christ and His forgiveness. If you did that at ANY time you would be lost, but I can’t see anyone doing that if they are still in their right mind.
those 3 conditions are a breeze to accomplish.To lose the state of grace, the sin must meet all three conditions for an actual mortal sin:
otherwise, the baptized person retains the state of grace.
- grave matter – so the act must be objectively a mortal sin
- full knowledge of the grave immorality of the act
- full consent, also called full deliberation
This is an example of law keeping mindset. Christians in a time of weakness can fall into sin. This does not mean God rejects us or cancels our salvation. St. Peter sinned and denied Jesus, but God did not abandon him, but loved him all the more and completely restored him. This is God’s mercy for his children. King David sinned, but he did not lose his salvation, but only the joy of it (Ps51). Yes believers do fall at times. Proverbs says a righteousness man falls 7 times, but God’s Grace is greater. The one who is forgiven of much also loves much. This is what King David would say. The law keeper will not understand such love.That rejection happens with serious sin, which may occur very many times during a persons life, even after baptism. The Catholic term for it is mortal sin. All sin is irrational.
Catechism of the Catholic Church explains:
1861 Mortal sin is a radical possibility of human freedom, as is love itself. It results in the loss of charity and the privation of sanctifying grace, that is, of the state of grace. If it is not redeemed by repentance and God’s forgiveness, it causes exclusion from Christ’s kingdom and the eternal death of hell, for our freedom has the power to make choices for ever, with no turning back. However, although we can judge that an act is in itself a grave offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God.
1872 Sin is an act contrary to reason. It wounds man’s nature and injures human solidarity.
1874 To choose deliberately - that is, both knowing it and willing it - something gravely contrary to the divine law and to the ultimate end of man is to commit a mortal sin. This destroys in us the charity without which eternal beatitude is impossible. Unrepented, it brings eternal death.
There is nothing there from the Catechism that indicates that God rejects us or cancels our salvation, such is only of our own doing through our own fee will, which is what lack of repentance is.This is an example of law keeping mindset. Christians in a time of weakness can fall into sin. This does not mean God rejects us or cancels our salvation. St. Peter sinned and denied Jesus, but God did not abandon him, but loved him all the more and completely restored him. This is God’s mercy for his children. King David sinned, but he did not lose his salvation, but only the joy of it (Ps51). Yes believers do fall at times. Proverbs says a righteousness man falls 7 times, but God’s Grace is greater. The one who is forgiven of much also loves much. This is what King David would say. The law keeper will not understand such love.
Is obedience to faith and the rules that go along with faith and obedience, just keeping a rules mindset? If actions had no consequences, then rules and obedience and law have no purpose.This is an example of law keeping mindset.
It’s a question of timing. If one dies in mortal sin they have no salvation. THAT is scripture.Christians in a time of weakness can fall into sin. This does not mean God rejects us or cancels our salvation.
All that has “ifs” connected to it. If one repents of breaking commands, then they are forgiven. If they die before they repent of mortal sin, then there is no salvation for them.St. Peter sinned and denied Jesus, but God did not abandon him, but loved him all the more and completely restored him. This is God’s mercy for his children. King David sinned, but he did not lose his salvation, but only the joy of it (Ps51). Yes believers do fall at times. Proverbs says a righteousness man falls 7 times, but God’s Grace is greater. The one who is forgiven of much also loves much. This is what King David would say. The law keeper will not understand such love.