Will anyone go to Hell if I do not tell them the truth?

[joshrp]

Hi,

If someone is sinning or encouraging sin, and I don’t admonish them or somehow communicate to them what is true, will that person or myself go to Hell?

joshua

 

[tbcrawford]

Each of us is responsible for our own actions and for our soul.However if someone misleads us and causes us to do wrong that person who led us astray will be answerable to God for their actions.Those who have been led astray would not be to blame, they are victims,unless they come to recognise that their actions are worng and do not change.Once we are aware of a wrong action it becomes a sin for us to continue doing wrong knowingly.

None of us know what will happen when we go before God to be judged.Only God alone can know.All we can try to do is follow His path the right path that is difficult to follow.It is full of challenges and temptations.When we do something wrong we take the opportunity to make things right and go to confession. If we knowingly lead another person astray we are answerable for our actions.The innocent person who has been led to do wrong is not knowingly doing wrong so has not committed sin.If however that person becomes aware the actions are wrong and continue to do wrong they then commit sin.

I hope this helps

God bless

 

[Barbkw]

Hi,

If someone is sinning or encouraging sin, and I don’t admonish them or somehow communicate to them what is true, will that person or myself go to Hell?

joshua

If you give an example of what sins are being committed, we can offer more advice for your situation.

 

[bz5]

Wow, several ideas are popping into my head. I wish I were more ready with chapter and verse for you. The Bible tells us when a brother sins against us to address him privately, then, if necessary, to take it to witnesses, then to the church, and if he won’t listen to the church, treat him like a gentile or a tax collector. I can’t recall where, but I’m remembering a verse about warning your brother who is in sin, and if he repents, you’ve won your brother, but if he won’t repent, it’s not a judgment on you. On the other hand, the Bible also tells us to take the plank out of own eye before we point out the splinter in someone else’s and it warns us to judge not, lest we be judged. We all know the phrase “cast the first stone…”

I think the key is prudence. Do you have influence over this person? Warning the woman in the bus seat next to yours that her dress is immodest will only get you in trouble. But if your best friend is having an affair and trying to justify it to you, you must warn him how wrong it is and never participate in helping him in the sin.

 

[po18guy]

Luke 12:45-48
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
“But if that servant shall say in his heart: My lord is long a coming; and shall begin to strike the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and to drink and be drunk: The lord of that servant will come in the day that he hopeth not, and at the hour that he knoweth not, and shall separate him, and shall appoint him his portion with unbelievers. And that servant who knew the will of his lord, and prepared not himself, and did not according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. And unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required: and to whom they have committed much, of him they will demand the more.”

Judgment is meted out according to knowledge and ignorance. Those who engage in sin while knowing it is sinful will be heavily punished. Those who engage in sin while not knowing it is sinful still deserve punishment, since God’s law is written on our hearts - yet they will be punished less severely than those who know. As well, we are called to pray for that person:

1 John 5:16
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
16He that knoweth his brother to sin a sin which is not to death, let him ask, and life shall be given to him, who sinneth not to death. There is a sin unto death: for that I say not that any man ask.

Regarding the correction of others: According to the catechism:

1829 The fruits of charity are joy, peace, and mercy; charity demands beneficence and fraternal correction; it is benevolence; it fosters reciprocity and remains disinterested and generous; it is friendship and communion: Love is itself the fulfillment of all our works. There is the goal; that is why we run: we run toward it, and once we reach it, in it we shall find rest.

It is love that corrects, and thus is not judgment. We must judge behavior, not the state of a person’s heart or soul.

 

[joshrp]

If you give an example of what sins are being committed, we can offer more advice for your situation.

I’m not sure I’d want to discuss the specific nature of it on a public forum.

 

[Barbkw]

I’m not sure I’d want to discuss the specific nature of it on a public forum.

That’s unfortuneate. You don’t need to tell us the details, just the sinful action. A sinful action to you may not in fact be a sinful act in the eyes of the Church.

You wrote, “If someone is sinning or encouraging sin…”

However, if that someone is encouraging the sin of unchastity or the support of murder through abortion you must explain Christ’s position on those matters so that they understand the dangerous position they are putting their soul in.

Sinful acts and the encouragement of others to join in sinful acts are both disconnections from the Holy Spirit and from the Trinity.

 

[bmonk]

Hi,

If someone is sinning or encouraging sin, and I don’t admonish them or somehow communicate to them what is true, will that person or myself go to Hell?

joshua

First, they are responsible for their own sin.

That is, if they understand that what they are doing is wrong, even if it’s a rather vague feeling, they have some culpability for their actions. If they act and realize later that they acted wrongly, they need to take that opportunity to repent. However, it is also possible that they do not realize that they are acting wrongly, and have no way to come to see it–this used to be called “invincible ignorance,” and so be innocent of sin.

In any or all of these cases, you may be God’s agent to enlighten them and so invite them to repentance. But you have to try to approach them in a way that is helpful, and doesn’t just cause them to resist.

Second, if you allow them to continue to sin and don’t try to enlighten them, you may be guilty of an act of omission, especially if you have some responsibility for them–such as if you are a parent or pastor, a teacher, and so on.

Again, you may want to find a non-confrontational way to approach the situation. For example, you may note to them how their action hurts them, you, and others it affects. From that you can show how it is wrong, and invite them to change.

 

[joshrp]

It is mostly unchaste acts that prompted me to post this thread. I was talking to someone who was pretty upfront about what their sexual behavior is and what she does and how it is ok and normal and good for you. I think that is the first time a female has just explicitly said to me in personal private conversation those sorts of things, and I was just kind of like “wow”. I didn’t really know what to say. It was all in email conversation but I’ve just been trying to think of what sort of things I should say to her. I wonder if I can actually say anything that would turn her around.

 

[Bearontherun]

It is mostly unchaste acts that prompted me to post this thread. I was talking to someone who was pretty upfront about what their sexual behavior is and what she does and how it is ok and normal and good for you. I think that is the first time a female has just explicitly said to me in personal private conversation those sorts of things, and I was just kind of like “wow”. I didn’t really know what to say. It was all in email conversation but I’ve just been trying to think of what sort of things I should say to her. I wonder if I can actually say anything that would turn her around.

First I would pray for her. Then IMHO you could try to say something very gentle to let her know that you don’t agree with her actions. The email she sent you giving info could be a cry for help without her even realizing it yet… Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance.

Maybe you could start by suggesting that you are concerned that her actions may end up causing her pain in the future?

 

[bmonk]

It is mostly unchaste acts that prompted me to post this thread. I was talking to someone who was pretty upfront about what their sexual behavior is and what she does and how it is ok and normal and good for you. I think that is the first time a female has just explicitly said to me in personal private conversation those sorts of things, and I was just kind of like “wow”. I didn’t really know what to say. It was all in email conversation but I’ve just been trying to think of what sort of things I should say to her. I wonder if I can actually say anything that would turn her around.

I agree: pray for her.

You might think about these sort of questions. (I suspect they need to be more delicately put.):

What she will do if she becomes pregnant? If a child becomes a problem rather than a gift, doesn’t that say we are doing something wrong?

Giving yourself in a sexual way makes a promise. In the right context (marriage), the promise is good and life-giving. Outside of that context, it becomes a lie. Will she continue to lie, promising more than she is willing to promise, to herself and her partner?

If she needs to protect herself against pregnancy, disease, excessive commitment–what does that say about the intimacy she seeks? What better ways does she have to get true and lasting intimacy than the way she is acting?

(This may not apply in her case.) If she is ashamed to tell her parents or other good people what she is up to, what does that say about her actions?

 

[joshrp]

My argument is that if you are not ready for kids, you are not ready for sex. If someone is totally paranoid about the most important aspect of sex, creation of new life, then what does that say about the love they supposedly have for each other. They hate something about each other, and they want to destroy it.

 

[Barbkw]

It is mostly unchaste acts that prompted me to post this thread. I was talking to someone who was pretty upfront about what their sexual behavior is and what she does and how it is ok and normal and good for you. I think that is the first time a female has just explicitly said to me in personal private conversation those sorts of things, and I was just kind of like “wow”. I didn’t really know what to say. It was all in email conversation but I’ve just been trying to think of what sort of things I should say to her. I wonder if I can actually say anything that would turn her around.

Joshrp,

She’s taking cues from television, society, etc and now believes that her actions are what adults do and how adults act with one another.

She may feel that she has to be sexually forward with people in order to “fit in”.

If you’re comfortable explaining your Christian viewpoint on sexuality, it may be very very life changing and helpful to her.