Beyond the Death of Sin

Beyond the Death of Sin

Sin in its most heinous attraction is too readily available for human participation and when it gets deeply rooted within our psyche it becomes a death to common sense.  Scripture teaches us that death, which everyone must face, came into existence in the garden God made for us and as humans the beauty of God’s gift of life became tarnished.  As a result death entered the world and we are recipients of death from sin.  Gen. 3: 14-19).  

We are reminded of the cunningness satan uses to trick us into viewing sin from the outside of any entity.  The tentacles of evil reach out pulling us into its treacherous arms of pleasure.  The temptations of Jesus uses a very descriptive manner offering him untold treasures if he only would reject his Father and worship the very one who was promising him the needs of humanity if he would fall down and worship him.  “When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.  (Lk. 4: 1-12).  

Trusting in God alone Jesus waits until he is tempted again fulfilling the devil’s opportunity for one last temptation.  That would occur when Jesus is on his knees; “he prayed Father, if you are willing, take away this cup from me; still, not my will but yours be done.”  (Lk. 22: 42).   The opportunity for a temptation to seduce Jesus into sinning, as the temptations of Jesus were offered on the mountain, our Lord succeeds and this begins the Death of Sin culminating when Jesus bows his head saying; “It is finished.”  (Jn. 19: 30b).

Placing the very persona each of us must be open to the temptations are plentiful and usually very attractive.  See my article “Attraction to Deadly Sin” wherein some teaching of the CCC states “Man’s freedom is limited and fallible.”  (CCC 1739).

It is here, the fallibility of man’s weakness, that sin has entered into his existence, crippling his ability to avoid the attractions that are so subtle he doesn’t recognize where the temptations are coming from.  

The Death of Sin became real with Jesus’ expiring on the Cross and we have been freed from eternal death; we will die only once, physically while our souls reach for the bliss of heaven.  Without this act of the Christ we would be susceptible to the second death from which there is no return.  

“CCC 1035 says,”The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity.  Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, eternal fire.  The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.”      

Ralph B. Hathaway, Freed from eternal death.  January 2022