Talents Parable vs. Confession paradox

[opusAquinas]

The parable of the Talents concludes:
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. 29* e For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30* And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’

But what if you go to confession before you die then God will forgive you and you will go to heaven?

 

[christofirst]

The parable of the Talents concludes:
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. 29* e For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30* And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’

But what if you go to confession before you die then God will forgive you and you will go to heaven?

Who says one would go straight to Heaven? There could well be a detour through Purgatory. And what if it is not a “death-bed confession”? One would still have to amend their life to align with the Gospel message for as long as they live after confession. The whole problem with the idea of confessing right before you die is that you never really know when that time will come. It is much better to be prepared, in a state of grace, right now.

 

[opusAquinas]

Who says one would go straight to Heaven? There could well be a detour through Purgatory. And what if it is not a “death-bed confession”? One would still have to amend their life to align with the Gospel message for as long as they live after confession. The whole problem with the idea of confessing right before you die is that you never really know when that time will come. It is much better to be prepared, in a state of grace, right now.

Person X can say I was never a generous Christian, that is Catholic. He goes to confession “I’ve been stingy with my blessings” all is forgiven.
So not necessarily do those who are stingy with their graces are going to hell.

 

[christofirst]

Person X can say I was never a generous Christian, that is Catholic. He goes to confession “I’ve been stingy with my blessings” all is forgiven.
So not necessarily do those who are stingy with their graces are going to hell.

If that person makes confession without any intention to amend their life, to start using their talents for the glory of God, how can they be forgiven? They may fool the priest with empty words, but they do not fool God. Practice of the virtues is very much tied with habit: we must try to live virtuously as often as we can. The attitude that says, “I can sin a lot, or waste my God-given talents, and then confess right before I die, or make many confessions with absolutely no intention to amend my life,” is a minimalist, dangerous attitude that could have disastrous consequences. But you are right, those who are stingy with graces will not necessarily go to hell. This does not in any way invalidate Our Lord’s warning and admonition.

 

[opusAquinas]

If that person makes confession without any intention to amend their life, to start using their talents for the glory of God, how can they be forgiven? They may fool the priest with empty words, but they do not fool God. Practice of the virtues is very much tied with habit: we must try to live virtuously as often as we can. The attitude that says, “I can sin a lot, or waste my God-given talents, and then confess right before I die, or make many confessions with absolutely no intention to amend my life,” is a minimalist, dangerous attitude that could have disastrous consequences. But you are right, those who are stingy with graces will not necessarily go to hell. This does not in any way invalidate Our Lord’s warning and admonition.

Two people (not you or I just thinking out loud here as a thought exercise)
A: People do it all the time!
B: How do you know?
A: Look at the world! Do you see firm conviction anywhere???
B: Yes but there are at least some…
A: Forget about numbers. Point is 1talent John Doe goes to confession afraid of hell confesses, 1t sins again same thing again - the one talent is just this. Minimal.
B: Your point?
A: Exactly that- the 1 talents don’t go to hell as long as they get to confession. the 1ts don’t just have little talent but I assume want to do the minimum required or none at all.