If God could create Mary without original sin, why couldn't he create others the same way?

[Poseidon]

Originally Posted by fhansen

God didn't create Mary without the freedom to sin. She was essentially in the same position as Adam & Eve. She was no more capable of remaining sin-free and spotless as she was capable of sinning. She chose to remain sin free. And having been born without the effects of OS, without concupiscence, didn't necessarily even make her life any easier here on this fallen planet. With grace provided by Christs' sacrifice, we all have the same advantage-we can all overcome sin in the end.

She had freedom to sin, but not the natural inclination to do so, like all us normal people do. He created her in the same state that he created Adam and Eve, and gave her the free will to choose her own fate, while the rest of us poor fools have a natural disadvantage in our tendency to sin (really, it's an inability to not sin).

[Poseidon]

Originally Posted by mangy dog

Because the person you are talking about (The Theotokos) had a singular mission- to be the Mother of God.

As far as resolving the "problem of sin" that you mention as a solution....well, Lucifer already tried that in the desert with Jesus and failed- you won't fair any better.

I'm not sure what you mean by Lucifer in the desert. Do you mean when he tempted Jesus? How is my question like Satan tempting Jesus?

[Poseidon]

Originally Posted by Crux_Sacra

I apologize. I didn't read the religion profile on your original post. I'm acustomed to using Bible verses as conversational shorthand with all Christians, and Catechism references (the "CCC" stuff in my first post) with Catholics. Please bear with me.

"The Father of mercies willed that the Incarnation should be preceeded by assent on the part of the predestined mother, so that just as a woman had a share in the coming of death, so also should a woman contribute to the coming of life." (CCC 488)

Just as Adam and Eve both had a part in the fall of man from grace, Jesus and Mary both had roles in its redemption. Jesus is the Redemptor, and Mary the Co-Redemptrix.

The Immaculate Conception was part of God's preparation of Mary for her role. Mary's coming was prophesied in the very beginning of time, and every prophecy about her has to do with Jesus. We are talking about someone whose role in salvation history actually calls for her to be set apart in a special way.

But it is not necessary to set us all apart through immaculate conception. Jesus left us his holy Church and seven Sacraments for us to receive salvation. Baptism forgives all of our sins up to that point and we are made anew. If we sin after that, we have Confession to bring us back to a state of grace.

So in a nutshell, Mary isn't a regular person?

[DeepBlueSea]

Originally Posted by Poseidon

Since God created someone without original sin (and presumably without the tendency to sin as well) why doesn't he just create everyone else the same way?

Because she was ordained to carry baby Christ.

Originally Posted by Poseidon

Wouldn't that solve the problem of sin in a much easier and more effective way than having Jesus come to be sacrificed?

Because God ordains us to be part of the solution. He ordains our efforts to overcome sins and to defeat sins in the way Christ taught us without which we are hopeless. Of course, always under the grace and guidance by the Holy Spirit.

"And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it." (Genesis 4:7)

That's my understanding. Correct me if I'm not right.

I'm interested to know whether Mother Mary was ever subjected to temptation and how she resisted temptation without any struggle.

[Journey322]

Originally Posted by Crux_Sacra

CCC491: Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, "full of grace" through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854: The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.

492: The "splendor of an entirely unique holiness" by which Mary is "enriched from the first instant of her conception" comes wholly from Christ: she is "redeemed, in a more exalted fashion, by the merits of her Son." The Father blessed Mary more than any other created person "in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" and chose her "in Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before him in love."

493: The Fathers of the Eastern tradition call the Mother of God "the All-Holy" (Panagia) and celebrate her as "free from any stain of sin, as though fashioned by the Holy Spirit and formed as a new creature." By the Grace of God Mary remained free of every personal sin her whole life long.

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Mary, too is redeemed by Christ. There is no redemption without Christ. The price for mankind sinning is death. Genesis 3:3, 19; Romans 6:23. Jesus paid the price for us, once for all. 1 Peter 3:18

The example usually given is about falling into a mud puddle. We have fallen in and Jesus pulls us out. Mary was prevented by Jesus from ever falling in.

Mary was told what God had in store for her in the Gospel of Luke, and she consented to it, undoing the "no" of Eve. Mary could have said no, but said yes. She, too had free will, but was unencumbered by the attachment to sin and the clouded judgment that comes with it. God wants us to love him. Love, by its nature, means making a decision. If the decision is removed from the equation, then it cannot be love.

This is how it was explained to me at the parish I attend as well. Mary wasn't created without sin. She was a genuine daughter of Eve, and thus bore the inherited sin nature just like the rest of us. However, the Holy Spirit wiped her clean for the conception.