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Anonymous Allison wrote: |
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Hi, guys —
- What does "sufficient grace" really mean?
- that there is sufficient grace that I will never commit a mortal sin again?
- that I will always be able to make a choice to not commit a mortal sin and flee from it?
- That there's always a way out to flee from the sin?
- If so, then why do billions of people commit grave sins, if there's always a way out and sufficient grace for them?
Allison
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| { What does "sufficient grace" mean and why do people commit grave sins, if there's a way out? } |
Eric replied:
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Allison,
The topic of "sufficient grace" comes up typically in conversations of the possibility of salvation for all men, vis-a-vis the Calvinist view that some people are predestined to reprobation (Hell), either because God sovereignly decides, independent of their will, that they will go to Hell, or because he refuses to give them the grace they need to turn and be saved.
Catholic teaching is that all men have "sufficient grace" to be saved if they will it, so that if they end up condemned, it is due to their own will, not God's responsibility.
I am not aware of any promise that one will not commit a mortal sin again; the promise is that you have an opportunity to be saved, which could mean that, or could mean that you have the grace to repent of a mortal sin once committed. Scripture says,
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
(1 Corinthians 10:13, NRSVCE or RSV2CE) |
So yes, there is always a way out of temptation, and if you give into temptation, you are responsible and cannot "blame" it on God.
Billions of people commit grave sins because they resist grace and choose to do evil due to free will. Grace elevates and ennobles free will. Sufficient grace is distinguished from efficacious grace.
- Efficacious grace is grace which always produces the desired effect (working within the person's will).
- Sufficient grace only enables the desired effect, but does not infallibly bring it about.
If everyone received efficacious sanctifying grace all the time, everyone would be saved. But some (probably most) people only receive sufficient grace, which means they are enabled to repent and turn to the Lord, but it isn't an infallible consequence.
Think of it this way:
There is a fork in the road, representing a temptation. The left fork leads to mortal sin; the right avoids it. You stand at the fork making a decision which one to take. Without sufficient grace, you'd infallibly end up taking the left-hand path, because all of us are created under the dominion of Satan (Colossians 1:13).
With efficacious grace, you'd infallibly end up taking the right-hand path. But with sufficient grace, you have enough grace to enable you to choose the right path, but not so much grace that you infallibly reject the left path. Consequently, you might take either path. The billions of people in your example have chosen to take the left path.
Eric |
Allison replied:
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Eric,
- Does this mean that at all times and with all temptations, even venial sins, there's always a way out and you will find that way every time even if you don't do any work to flee from the temptations — temptations that really do happen on earth not theoretical ones?
- Is sufficient grace the bare minimum required so that you are able to make the choice?
- This fork in the road analogy makes sense to me but it seems more like the left fork of the road is larger and easier than the right fork of the road because of our fallen nature and damaged free will, or
- Does this not apply because mortal sin requires grave matter, full knowledge, and full consent?
- Does God not respond to prayers, where you are asking for help to not sin on purpose, to protect your free will, and other reasons, such as developing an ability to not sin?
- Then what’s the point of asking God to help you to not sin?
- Is praying, that foolish?
Allison
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Eric replied:
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Allison,
It means there is always a way out, but it doesn't mean that you'll find it, and it may require a lot of willpower to escape it. It may be exceedingly difficult. I have cried in agony over temptations. You have to renounce sin and do battle against it.
Sufficient grace enables you to make a choice but it does not guarantee you will make that choice. Yes, the left fork is definitely larger and easier, this is what Jesus says in Matthew 7:13 when the disciples ask him whether many will be saved.
It is not foolish to pray not to sin, but God wants you to persevere in prayer and be persistent, (See Luke 18:1-7), so we can't expect one prayer to do the trick. It can take years of prayer and struggling to free ourselves from habitual sin. I think what you say is quite correct; God wants us to grow in our ability not to sin. God is a gentleman; He only acts when we explicitly invite him. But when we sin, we become enslaved to Satan (cf. 1 John 3:8, Romans 6:16), who is definitely not a gentleman.
When we sin, we grant Satan a certain dominion over us, making it hard to do what is right. We bind ourselves to him. Moreover, the heart of man is corrupt (Jeremiah 17:9). So often we are divided in our hearts:
- to some degree our hearts are attached to sin.
- to some degree we want to be free.
This is why we have to persevere in prayer and seek God, renouncing sin and renouncing Satan, because if Satan has a hold on us through sin, he is not going to want to let go. So when we are attached to sin, it is harder to reject temptation and pursue righteousness than to sin.
Eric |
Allison replied:
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Eric,
- How can mortal sin be a free choice then if you're not even guaranteed to find a way out?
If the left fork is so big and goes in 359 degrees around where you're standing and the remaining 1 degree is the right path and it’s hidden behind a bush, this doesn't sound like a free choice even if you still have the ability to choose.
It’s like someone who can’t swim falling into a lake and being weighted down with a dumbbell that will only be released if they enter a password that they don’t even know. Sure, they have sufficient grace by having arms and a brain to try and survive but it doesn't seem like a free choice.
- What about an Olympic swimmer who falls into a lake with no dumbbell but they’re simply exhausted from an Ironman triathlon?
And my questions don't even touch on the subjects of Pelagianism [Wikipedia] and damaged free will.
Allison |
Eric replied:
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Allison —
When I say "It means there is always a way out, but it doesn't mean that you'll find it." I mean, it doesn't mean that you'll take it and escape. You have a free choice: you may take it, or you may not, but it's always available.
- I'm not sure where you get your illustrations from?
We aren't hindered from being saved as you propose, it's just that the "path to destruction is wide and many are those who enter it." (Matthew 7:13). They enter it because they freely choose to enter it. They aren't forced into it, nor is it a Hobson's choice. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, we will never be tempted beyond our strength. Jesus said "With God, all things are possible."
You have to cooperate with grace to escape temptation; it requires effort. But not nearly as much effort as you propose. God's grace is there to help us if we invoke it. We have to rely on Jesus to help us. We can't do it on our own.
Eric |
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