Reexamining an old sin and is there hope?

Biblelove13 · #1 May 11, '12, 7:00 am

Hello,

When I looked up the unpardonable sin, I had two weeks of fear filled with scruples. Later I confessed the sin, forgot about it, and all was well until yesterday. More scruples came and I did it again. So to reassure myself I decided to look up the definition of blaspheme (hoping I was mistaken in my understanding and I hadn’t blasphemed). My scruples included “f the, I hate the, I don’t believe in the” followed by Holy Spirit. I was terrified but I thought it was ok, because I honestly repented, and I even confessed. Plus, they were just scruples, right? Then I looked up the definition and found it means
1: to speak of or address with irreverence

I plan to confess these at my next confession but I am scared the damage is done. I read Mark 3:28-29 and it doesn’t give any gray areas. It doesn’t say no forgiveness, unless it was an accident. What are your thoughts? Do you honestly think I’m condemned? I’m still going to continue the faith, but I fear it might be in vain.

28Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
29But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:

Layp3rs0n · #2 May 11, '12, 8:06 am

Dear friend, this once had me worried for years. But the point of fact is you are atill HOPING for Salvation. God calls us Himself by the Holy Spirit. If you were somehow dMned beyond hope (which youre not because blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is unrepentence umtil death) He wouls not bother calling to you. You would have absolutely no interest in your own Salvation. God would NEVER call you only to reject you! That would be cruel. God is not cruel.

SonCatcher · #3 May 11, '12, 9:12 am

The context of that teaching has the Pharisees claiming that Jesus performed His good works by the power of the devil. That is the "blasphemy" against the Spirit (so forget about the problem of cussing - just eat a bar of Ivory* and be on your way). In part, it is "unforgivable" because the person who sees God's work and attributes it to the devil cannot recognize God at all. How could that one therefore feel sorrow and repent?

If one does repent, however, then forgiveness is sure.

* just kidding about eating soap - don't try it, you'll just get a stomachache and it isn't a valid mortification.

Maria1993 · #4 May 11, '12, 9:37 am

I was being HEAVILY attacked in spiritual warfare, and the whole "unpardonable sin" thing through me off course and depression went in for 3 months. I went to confession literally streaming my eyes out. When you recieve absolution, you're clean. You repent. I would stay up reading about the "unpardonable sin" until 3 in the morning out of fear. I am scrupulous.
So avoid reading that. I used to get those too. Pray for those scruples to stop and get a spiritual director! Helped me tremendously! Thank You God.

Biblelove13 · #5 May 11, '12, 10:07 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maria1993

I was being HEAVILY attacked in spiritual warfare, and the whole "unpardonable sin" thing through me off course and depression went in for 3 months. I went to confession literally streaming my eyes out. When you recieve absolution, you're clean. You repent. I would stay up reading about the "unpardonable sin" until 3 in the morning out of fear. I am scrupulous.
So avoid reading that. I used to get those too. Pray for those scruples to stop and get a spiritual director! Helped me tremendously! Thank You God.

Thank you all for your help. Your post made me smile because that’s my experience almost exactly.

**Bookcat** · #6 May 11, '12, 10:14 am

Here is the Teaching of the Church from the Catechism-- who is the authentic interpreter of Scripture:

"There is no offense, however serious, that the Church cannot forgive."

Scruple dismissed.

Please see that you have a regular confessor ....such is the age old approach to scruples.

**Bookcat** · #7 May 11, '12, 10:56 am

From another post I posted to be helpful in general:

One must distinguish between a scrupulous conscience and a delicate conscience.

A 'tender conscience or delicate conscience' sees the finer distinctions and seeks very much to avoid even very small sins ...and ...who can judge normally between mortal and venial sin.......when in doubt is able to make judgments overcoming his doubt by prudence or abide by good advice etc

as for scruples...or scrupulosity

Scruples or those who are even of a higher degree of scrupulosity take venial sin to be mortal...or non sins to be sins....or are plagued by doubts...unreasonable fears/anxieties about sins..seeing them or fearing them where they need not...etc etc

The french call it the doubting disease (though it is not a disease) for one has lot of problems knowing one knows...thus with "doubt" (or more often rather "apparent doubt")

Of course there are degrees and it is possible for a person to have generally a delicate conscience or a normal conscience and still have a struggle with scruples in certain areas.....or to have very transient scruples at the time of their conversion ...

and a person may go from one to the other....

one combats scruples with a good regular confessor....

by forming ones conscience...(with such as the Catechism etc)

and with the confessors guidance acting against ones scruples...

possibly by general principles given often historically by confessors to deal with scruples

by prayer.....

by trust and joy in living the Christian life....(not necessarily "emotional" by the way)

With the help of your confessor:

Contra scruplos agendum est, et fixo operis pede certandum

(Act contrary to scruples and with a firm foot overcome them)

Overcoming ones scruples..ones fears with a "firm foot". Learning to act against them under the guidance of your confessor. Dismiss them. Not argue with them. (for example the regular confessor says..."unless you are certain you have committed a mortal sin..go to communion"...and you feel the fear and the doubts and the worries at the time of communion "but perhaps I committed one...?" you tell yourself "I am not certain of any mortal sins and my confessor told me to go" and you act against your fears and go to Communion! or ones confessor says regarding old past sins "only confess old sins if you are certain it was a mortal sin and certain you have not confessed it...(such is often the advice for those who are scrupulous)" one does just that -and if one is mistaken here one it not on you for a it can be the case that those who are scrupulous are in a "different boat" that others.) etc

(in a way one needs be "scrupulous" about attending to ones scruples...)

When scruples arise --turn to God and let the pass by.

Scruples are to be treated like a barking dog or a hissing goose..one does not stop to argue with a barking dog or a hissing goose does one? (image borrowed from a 15th cent. Carthusian).

They are to be "despised"..."dismissed"....

And again a regular confessor is very important here..in even coming to know what ones scruples are...and then what to dismiss... It is he who can particularly guide a person with these difficulties.

Pat Payne · #8 May 11, '12, 11:09 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biblelove13

28Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
29But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:

Checklist for Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit:

1) Must be in a state of mortal sin.
2) Must be unrepentant of said state.
3) Must be dead.

I highly doubt you meet at least one of those requirements (unless the Zombie Apocalypse is upon us

), and most likely 2 because you care enough to pour your heart out to us

.