Introduction
One of the questions that often comes up in Christian circles is: Can we lose our salvation? For Catholics, this is not a question to be taken lightly. It touches on matters of grace, free will, and the mercy of God. In this article, I’ll dig into what the Catholic Church teaches about this issue, grounded in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Holy Bible. We’ll explore the nuances of this subject to arrive at a fuller understanding.
Salvation as a Process
Initial Justification
In the Catholic understanding, salvation isn’t a one-time event but a lifelong process. The journey starts with what is known as “initial justification,” which happens when we first come into a relationship with God. This is usually initiated through the sacrament of Baptism. According to the Catechism, “The grace of Christ is the gratuitous gift that God makes to us of his own life, infused by the Holy Spirit into our soul to heal it of sin and to sanctify it” (CCC 1999).
Lifelong Conversion
From this point on, we enter into a process of continual conversion, where we are called to grow closer to God every day. This involves not only believing in Jesus but also obeying His commandments. Jesus Himself says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
Free Will and Cooperation with Grace
Role of Free Will
The Catholic Church believes that humans have free will and that this freedom plays a significant role in our salvation. The Catechism states, “Freedom is the power, rooted in reason and will, to act or not to act, to do this or that, and so to perform deliberate actions on one’s own responsibility” (CCC 1731).
Cooperation with God’s Grace
It’s essential to understand that while salvation is a gift from God, we must cooperate with that grace. God doesn’t force anyone into a relationship with Him. We have the free will to accept or reject God’s love and grace at any point in our lives.
Can We Lose Salvation?
Biblical Perspectives
Scripture offers examples that suggest it is indeed possible to lose salvation. In the Letter to the Hebrews, it is written, “For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance” (Hebrews 6:4-6).
The Teaching of the Church
The Church teaches that salvation can be lost through what is known as “mortal sin.” According to the Catechism, “Mortal sin destroys charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God’s law; it turns man away from God, who is his ultimate end and his beatitude, by preferring an inferior good to him” (CCC 1855).
In the Catholic understanding, to commit a mortal sin, three conditions must be met:
- The act must be of a grave matter.
- It must be committed with full knowledge.
- It must be committed with deliberate consent (CCC 1857).
When one commits a mortal sin, they essentially sever their relationship with God and, unless they repent and seek forgiveness, put themselves in a state of damnation.
The Gift of Confession and Reconciliation
Fortunately, the Catholic Church teaches that if one has committed a mortal sin, all is not lost. The sacrament of Confession offers a way to reconcile with God and the Church. The Catechism reminds us, “Through such an admission man looks squarely at the sins he is guilty of, takes responsibility for them, and thereby opens himself again to God and to the communion of the Church in order to make a new future possible” (CCC 1455).
Conclusion: A Balanced View
To answer the question, “Can we lose our salvation?” the Catholic Church would say that salvation is a gift that requires our free will cooperation. While salvation is initiated and sustained by God’s grace, our actions can indeed separate us from that grace. However, God’s mercy is always available, especially through the sacrament of Confession, to bring us back into communion with Him.
This is not a cause for fear but a call to responsibility and continual conversion. It’s a balanced view that honors both the sovereignty of God’s grace and the dignity of human free will. We are called to “work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12), but always with the assurance that God’s grace is available to us at every step of the way.