Posted on 06/18/2016 7:39:54 AM PDT by Salvation
While Scripture could be taken to mean saints in heaven are aware of details of our sin, it is unlikely
Msgr. Charles Pope
Question: Do the souls in heaven know our sins, or is that knowledge reserved to God alone?— Peter Tate, Long Beach, California
Answer: We are in the realm of speculative theology when it comes to answering questions like this. However, it does not seem to pertain to God’s justice that he would reveal our sins to others (even the saints in heaven), especially our more hidden sins. We are not to reveal to others the sins of people we might know, except in certain rare situations. Only those who really need to know for a just reason should be informed. So in justice, it seems unlikely that God would reveal the details of our sins, even to the saints in heaven, since they do not need to know such things.
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Some will refer to Hebrews 12:1, which refers to the saints in heaven as a “great cloud of witnesses.” But the context there is that they are witnesses to us of their life and the power of faith to transform, not that they are watching us like spectators.
There is another text that says, “For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light” (Lk 8:17). But here, the context is not our hidden deeds but the truth of the Gospel that comes out of the darkness to dawn on the minds of believers.
There are other verses that seek to console us in our oppression. For example, “Therefore do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known” (Mt 10:26). But here, the context is that unrepented sins will one day be revealed, not that a camera is running and the saints in heaven are seeing it as it happens now. Saints know our expressed needs and intercede for us (Rv 5:8; 8:3-4) but that does not mean detailed knowledge of our immediate actions.
If there is to be a detailed revealing of sins committed, that would seem to wait for the Last Judgment. St. Paul says, “do not make any judgment before the appointed time, until the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness” (1 Cor 4:5). How detailed this revelation will be is not certain, but the distinction between the just and the unjust will be clear. The Lord implies that significant detail will be revealed at the last judgment: “Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light” (Lk 12:3).
Monsignor Pope’s OSV Column Ping!
The souls in heaven are face to face with GOD! What possible need would they have for anything else? Dumb argument. Really dumb.
Are the saints in Heaven grieving over us still struggling with our sin nature? That would be counter state of being for it would not generate joy ...
Your sins are either forgiven and forgotten or they are not. Holy Scripture says if they are forgiven then they are forgotten.
Psalm 103:12 King James Version (KJV)
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Isaiah 43:25 King James Version (KJV)
25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
Hebrews 8:12 King James Version (KJV)
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
Thanks, Salvation.
Most welcome, trisham.
Anyone who wants to can know mine. It’s (all) that boring.
Indeed.
Question is right up there with how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.
Bkmk
Not asking in an adversarial fashion, but from where is this doctrine derived?
We know Evil loves the darkness and races to sin (Prov 6). If Jesus Christ Himself already had all sins imputed to Him, and they have been, (Romans 4, 5), what does it matter if others know what sins were imputed to Him? It is only embarrassing to those not in fellowship with Him, recognizing He has paid the price for them.
There are 3 manifestations of the old sin nature: personal sin, human good, and human evil. The Old Sin Nature was not created by God. God created our soul. When Adam stepped away from God spiritually, he formed the basis of the old sin nature in each human being passed genetically (this is why Jesus Christ was the first perfect human without the old sin nature, from the virgin birth.)
The question is fodder for those who seek to avoid the work of Christ on the Cross and attempt to imply personal guilt with personal sin after the payment has been made.
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