State of grace and timing of death

[aperture]

Because some people in life have a role to play beyond that. They might repent, or they might be used by God to influence other people.

Only God knows what the future will hold.

But those “roles to play” only matter, if I understand you correctly, as far as they either:

1. repent or sin
2. influence others to repent or sin

God knows whether either will occur. If God kills some people because He knew they were going to sin, why let others live because He knows they’re going to help others? There’s no difference. If He knows that others will be helped, He knows what’s going to happen either way.

 

[marymichael10]

Your analogy to getting into heaven with passing grades actually makes sense to me but that’s not what the Church teaches, as far as I know, which is where I get stuck.

I’m not looking for God to give miracles. What seems contradictory to me is this scenario… A good Catholic at one time experinces disillusionment with life and the Church, doesn’t become a bad person but commits mortal sins according to the Church which puts this person at serious risk of hell according to the Church. If God loves us so much why would He not take that person at the time when he would make it to Heaven? And if we just rely on God’s mercy and not what the Church teaches then why aren’t we all Protestants?

I, again, think this is a matter of Purgatory and God’s mercy. The Church teaches that mortal sin gains Hell, but also depends on other factors such as the persons willingness to turn from sin, and the force of the sin and mental state of the individual. Sin is addiction in various ways, obviously. If someone is an alchoholic, it’s not going to be a miracle of conversion, turning once and for all from alchohol (usually). Such strength to take a huge step away from this sin would be a great grace from God. It also applies to pornography, masturbation, cleptomania…sometimes it’s just hard to up and stop a sin. But it’s in our will to do so that looks. God recognizes that we are creatures of sin, and are prone to it. If one makes a solid promise to God and self to stop sin, but ‘slips up’ occasionally, it’s worthy of blame, but alot better than simply rejecting God for the sin. God wants us to turn from our sins, and is still there when we fall, ready with more graces! That is why I think that it’s really up to God to decide. I don’t believe God wants us to worry about scenarios of sin and damnation; He simply wants us to turn from sin, to the best of our power and with His grace, permanently. But the doctrine of Purgatory still strongly applies to your question about a devout catholic found confused.
St. Teresa said that mortal sin simply ‘blackens the soul, like a crystal being covered with mud,’ and that ‘one the light is gone, we have no chance.’ We must constantly work to clean our souls of sin, in particular, mortal sin. She said that mortal sin keeps us from union with God, but I think she mainly meant in this lifetime, while we have the time and chance to change ourselves. Not to say that mortal sin isn’t grave; it’s always grave, but it depends on our addiction and level of reason, and knowledge of doctrine that we are damned.
If the aforementioned devout catholic found confused was slowly rejecting God with these sins, and not working to rid himself of them…he could be found in Hell. If he had the will to approach confession asap (and not abuse weekly confession) and become clean in God, and then died, certainly, God will not forget him. Ultimately, these are things not for us to decide and ponder, but for God to decide. Lets just try to rid ourselves of the sins that keep us from full union with God, and be assured that He won’t forget us.
“God alone knows the hearts of all men, and alone is their judge.”

 

[Marc_Anthony]

But those “roles to play” only matter, if I understand you correctly, as far as they either:

1. repent or sin
2. influence others to repent or sin

God knows whether either will occur. If God kills some people because He knew they were going to sin, why let others live because He knows they’re going to help others? There’s no difference. If He knows that others will be helped, He knows what’s going to happen either way.

Can you please explain this a little more quickly? I’m not sure what you’re getting at there.

 

[marymichael10]

The only safe bet we have is if we are constantly in a state of grace, or constantly trying for that state of grace.

Its kind of a moot point to argue over what God’s thinking about all this or why He’s doing what He’s doing.

I think this might be a good place to say: God alone can forgive sins. Not the Church alone. God forgives through His Church, but not always.
(this statement in no way is meant to undermine the infallibility of God’s true Church…only to show that God alone is judge…He can forgive who He wants, for He alone knows all of our hearts.)