The Mystery of Sin, Why We Must Not Despair

Boston Catholic Journal ^ | March 2009

[NYer]

" For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I work, I understand not. For I do not that good which I will; but the evil which I hate, that I do. If then I do that which I will not, I consent to the law, that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that there dwelleth not in me, that is to say, in my flesh, that which is good. For to will, is present with me; but to accomplish that which is good, I find not. For the good which I will, I do not; but the evil which I will not, that I do. ... For I am delighted with the law of God, according to the inward man: But I see another law in my members, fighting against the law of my mind, and captivating me in the law of sin, that is in my members. Unhappy man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? "

Romans 7.14-24

 

Read that again. Carefully. Every word of it. I know that it is a rather long citation, but it is necessary and profitable to you.

Have you read it? Good. Now, let's begin.

You've sinned ... seriously.

The very thing that you were determined never to do again ... you have just done. You even knew it as you were doing it. And you went ahead and did it anyway. Right? It's almost like a second self, and you are watching it abstractly, aware of what is going on, but somehow strangely detached from it. The Siren Song of the moment seems to block out everything else, and you know that it is, after all, "just this one time more and that's it!".

In fact, it has already entered your heart – the sin – you have already committed it in thought, in desire, in intention – and the guilt will accrue to you even if you don't actually do it ... so ... why not? If you're going to pay the penalty you may as well at least enjoy the sin. I wonder who could be whispering this so persuasively to you ...?

You've done it, and now you're miserable.

Could you go back, you would undo it. You would flee the occasion, jump into the snow, hold your tongue, stay your hand ... anything! But the deed is done, and the lie comes crashing down upon your head. "Fool that I am!"

Yes. Fool that you are, that I am, that we are. As Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said, whenever we sin we make fools of ourselves. How true.

And now we hide in shame, guilt – much like Adam and Eve in the Garden who hid from God when He came looking for them in the cool of the evening.

It goes back a long way, doesn't it? To the very beginning.

And now the devil has you in his grip – even more now than in your sin, for you flee from God, hide under something selfish and false called "regret", rather than coming forth with something genuine called "sorrow". You crawl into darkness, that terrible vortex of despair that would carry you off to death ... instead of contrition that will bring you back to life. What a victory! For that miserable serpent. What a loss ... for God, for the Church ... for you.

The mystery of sin. The utter ability of sin to blind! St. Paul understood this, even as he stumbled to understand the terrible power of sin. "For I do not that good which I will; but the evil which I hate, that I do."

Hello? Still with me?

That was Saint Paul. Saint Paul!

We must admire him tremendously! He did not put a veneer over the struggle, nor excuse himself in his failure to vanquish it. But what answer does St. Paul come up with to this terrible enigma? In the agony of his sin, he cries out, "Unhappy man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" 

But in the next breath he answers his own question – and ours: "The grace of God, by Jesus Christ our Lord." HE will deliver me! His grace will deliver me. The Jesus Christ that he proclaimed from Corinth to Galatia, that Jesus Who came to call not the righteous but sinners, to gather the lost, to go after "the one", to go, not to those who are not sick, but to the sick!

Jesus Christ is his answer! Mercy is his answer! Forgiveness is his answer! In other words, all the things you despair of. They are there for you, in abundance. Were it never required of God, how could we call Him Merciful? Were it never required of God, how could we call Him Loving? Were it never required of God, how would we call Him forgiving?

Why is God Loving, Merciful, Forgiving?

Because we are sinful. Because it is needful to us ... a sinful people. To whom will He show His mercy, if not sinners? To whom will He give His loving forgiveness, if not to sinners? We would never be able to predicate of God, "mercy", "forgiveness", were we incapable of sin – in other words, if we were perfect.

[NYer]

Throughout Lent, the Maronite Divine Office includes the following portions of Psalm i51 in the evening prayers. We even have a hymn 'Create in Me A Clean Heart', based on this psalm.

Psalms
Chapter 51

3

Have mercy on me, God, in your goodness; in your abundant compassion blot out my offense.

4

Wash away all my guilt; from my sin cleanse me.

5

For I know my offense; my sin is always before me.

6

Against you alone have I sinned; I have done such evil in your sight That you are just in your sentence, blameless when you condemn.

7

² True, I was born guilty, a sinner, even as my mother conceived me.

8

Still, you insist on sincerity of heart; in my inmost being teach me wisdom.

9

³ Cleanse me with hyssop, that I may be pure; wash me, make me whiter than snow.

10

Let me hear sounds of joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

11

Turn away your face from my sins; blot out all my guilt.

12

A clean heart create for me, God; renew in me a steadfast spirit.

13

Do not drive me from your presence, nor take from me your holy spirit.

14

Restore my joy in your salvation; sustain in me a willing spirit.

15

I will teach the wicked your ways, that sinners may return to you.

16

Rescue me from death, God, my saving God, that my tongue may praise your healing power.

17

Lord, open my lips; my mouth will proclaim your praise.

18

⁴ For you do not desire sacrifice; a burnt offering you would not accept.

19

My sacrifice, God, is a broken spirit; God, do not spurn a broken, humbled heart.

[NYer]

Our parish Penance Service is scheduled for Tuesday evening. This is the opening hymn.

I yearn for your pardon, O Lord,
Give me tears to repent in this Season of Lent. 
Lord have mercy. 

I beg for your favors, O Lord,
For your mercy I thirst, for your kindness and love.
Lord have mercy. 

Against you, O Lord, I have sinned, 
Hear the cry of my voice, turn your ear to my prayer.
Lord forgive me. 

O wash me O Lord from my guilt,
Purify me and I shall be whiter than snow. 
Lord forgive me. 

[netmilsmom]

That is beautiful!

I’m going to print it out.

[HangnJudge]

TULIP - from our Calvinist friends

Total Depravity (also known as Total Inability and Original Sin)
Unconditional Election
Limited Atonement (also known as Particular Atonement)
Irresistible Grace
Perseverance of the Saints (also known as Once Saved Always Saved)

Total Depravity: Sin has affected all parts of man. The heart, emotions, will, mind, and body are all affected by sin. We are completely sinful. We are not as sinful as we could be, but we are completely affected by sin. The doctrine of Total Depravity is derived from scriptures that reveal human character: Man’s heart is evil (Mark 7:21-23) and sick (Jer. 17:9). Man is a slave of sin (Rom. 6:20). He does not seek for God (Rom. 3:10-12). He cannot understand spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:14). He is at enmity with God (Eph. 2:15). And, is by nature a child of wrath (Eph. 2:3). The Calvinist asks the question, "In light of the scriptures that declare man’s true nature as being utterly lost and incapable, how is it possible for anyone to choose or desire God?" The answer is, "He cannot. Therefore God must predestine." Calvinism also maintains that because of our s fallen nature we are born again not by our own will but God’s will (John 1:12-13); God grants that we believe (Phil. 1:29); faith is the work of God (John 6:28-29); God appoints people to believe (Acts 13:48); and God predestines (Eph. 1:1-11; Rom. 8:29; 9:9-23).

[AnAmericanMother]

An excellent setting of Psalm 51, sung by the Salisbury Cathedral choir during the Ash Wednesday service -- Miserere Mei

And, just because it's so beautiful, the Faure' Pie Jesu, by the Kings College choir . . . Pie Jesu/Agnus Dei

[humblegunner]

You've sinned ... seriously.

Man.. I am SO bummed out.

The very thing that you were determined never to do again ... you have just done. You even knew it as you were doing it.

I confess, I clicked on a thread. I am worthless.

You've done it, and now you're miserable.

So true. How shall make amends?

But the deed is done, and the lie comes crashing down upon your head. "Fool that I am!"

Enough with bashing me! I'm sorry! I'll never click on another thread!

And now the devil has you in his grip – even more now than in your sin,

Damn the devil! I just clicked on a thread!

To whom will He show His mercy, if not sinners? To whom will He give His loving forgiveness, if not to sinners?

I surely hope the Almighty has better things to do than to damn me for clicking on a thread.

Now really.

[NYer]

Thank you for the link! I absoutely love Pie Jesu! My daughter used to sing it so beautifully. She has now entered that phase “living life’ is more important than singing to the glory of God. The seeds are planted and I daily pester the Blessed Mother asking her to guide my daughter back to her Son.

[AnAmericanMother]

I think quite a few young people have to wander in the wilderness for awhile before coming back to Christ.

I know I did!

[NYer]

Thank you for the post and scriptural references. Just curious but what do the Calvinists do with John 20:23?

[NYer]

I think quite a few young people have to wander in the wilderness for awhile before coming back to Christ.

Ditto! Heck ... just look at the former life of Fr. Corapi. Did you catch last night's segment on confession? He has such a remarkable gift of preaching!

[annalex]

From A Tiptoe through TULIP:

Total depravity

Despite its name, the doctrine of total depravity does not mean men are always and only sinful. Calvinists do not think we are as sinful as we possibly could be. They claim our free will has been injured by original sin to the point that, unless God gives us special grace, we cannot free ourselves from sin and choose to serve God in love. We might choose to serve him out of fear, but not out of unselfish love [9].

What would a Catholic think of this teaching? While he would not use the term "total depravity" to describe the doctrine [10], he would actually agree with it. The accepted Catholic teaching is that, because of the fall of Adam, man cannot do anything out of supernatural love unless God gives him special grace to do so [11].

Thomas Aquinas declared that special grace is necessary for man to do any supernaturally good act, to love God, to fulfill God's commandments, to gain eternal life, to prepare for salvation, to rise from sin, to avoid sin, and to persevere [12].

[...]

Notes:

9. There is nothing wrong with serving out of godly fear. The Bible often uses fear of divine chastisement as a motivator. Love and a certain kind of fear do not exclude each other; a child may both love his parents and have a healthy fear of his parents' discipline. But service based on fear only, being self-interested, does not please God in a supernatural way and does not receive a supernatural reward. Love is necessary to please God and receive rewards.

10. That term is badly misleading, as even Calvinists acknowledge. For example, Calvinist theologian R.C. Sproul proposes the alternative term "radical corruption," although this is not much better. Author Lorraine Boettner uses the much better term "total inability."

11. In Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma Ludwig Ott gives the following as a defined article of faith: "For every salutary act internal supernatural grace of God (gratia elevans) is absolutely necessary" (Ott, 229). He goes on to cite the second Council of Orange, which stated that "as often as we do good God operates in us and with us, so that we may operate" (canon 9) and that "man does no good except that which God brings about" (canon 20). The Council of Trent solemnly condemned the proposition that "without the predisposing inspiration of the Holy Ghost and without his help, man can believe, hope, love, or be repentant as he ought, so that the grace of justification my be bestowed upon him" (Decree on Justification, canon 3). The Church teaches God's grace is necessary to enable man to be lifted out of sin, display genuine supernatural virtues, and please God.

12. Summa Theologiae (hereafter ST) I-II:109:2-10.

[HangnJudge]

I am hardly a Theologian, and am unworthy to comment on any of these truths except to apply to authority. This quote is from a Presbyterian commentary on John 20:19-31

http://home.netcom.com/~jealsup/b2151.html

21 Therefore [Jesus] said to them again, “Peace to you (pl.). Just as the Father commission-sent (Gr. “apostello”) me I also send forth (Gr. “pempo”) you (pl.). 22 And having said this thing he breathed on (Gr. “emphusao”) and says to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 Of whomever you might forgive the sins they are forgiven to them, of whomever you (pl.) hold fast, they are/have been held fast.

I would suggest this is not so much a power as it is a privilege. The word “retain” is the powerful word “kratos”: holding on to something even for one's own use. I believe that if we forgive the sins of another both giver and recipient are set free of the cosequenses. “If you forvive the sins of any they are forgiven.”
We must ask if sins are retained, “By whom?” “If you do not forgive the sins of any they are retained.” This speaks of the sin retained by the one who does not forgive; this no longer speaks of the one who committed the sin. From psychology we know that we tend to become the very things we hate. This verse is a bondage breaker; through forgiveness we can prevent sin to repeat itself in history from generation to generation.

[mgist]

Thank you for that most beautiful Psalm. I would guess that was King David, I needed that.

[AnAmericanMother]

Missed it - but I love to listen to Fr. Corapi. He knows what’s what.

[JSDude1]

Thank you for posting this..

[HangnJudge]

Thank you for the commentary

Though what life I've been appointed
I have worshiped in Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Episcopalian, and most assuredly Catholic Churches

I was privileged to be a Godfather of a boy from a Catholic family - he is now “confirmed”, but my service was pitifully inept

What I have seen from this journey is that amongst Christian Faiths, there is not so much a difference in Truths as much as Vision. Each of the local Bodies of Christ see more clearly some aspects of our walk in Christ, and less well other aspects. The same was true of individuals. I've yet to meet just one man who wasn't severely flawed and damaged, nor have I seen a church that wasn't similarly flawed. Thus is our existence on this Earth

Perhaps there was one, but we killed Him about 2000 years ago

If I had a hope for those who see incompletely (all of us) it would be that We (and I) would learn to honor that Vision that has been appointed to others, without necessarily agreeing with it.

I trust only in the Lord, and what record we have of his days on this Earth, as well as the accounts of those who knew Him. Prophesy and new Vision are possible, but must be tested against that which is known to be true (Testing the Spirits), must not disagree by not one Jot or Tittle, and must further illuminate what is already known

But I see through Darkened Glasses Dimly...

C.S. Lewis had a useful vision in "Mere Christianity" as a building with hallways and rooms. One might live in the hallways all your life, and still be Christian, but the greater depth of life, understand, and Vision was in the rooms off the halls

Live in Peace
Live in Victory
Know that there is also Love in this World