Chastisement QUESTION from Paul on December 2, 2002 Dear Bro. John-Paul,
I believe I'm undergoing chastisement for some sins I committed. I'm joyfully accepting it while trusting in God's mercy. I'm also starting to believe that because God bothers to punish me, I'm still in a state of grace (although nevertheless I intend to go through confession).
Is this a correct mindset, that when a God chastises, I'm essentially okay? If someone were hellbound, would God bother to send temporal punishment on that someone?
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on December 21, 2002 Dear Paul:
No, that is not the correct mindset. All good Fathers chastise their children and God does chastise us. But Chastisement is the consequence of our sin, it does not forgive the sin.
If you have committed grave sin you MUST go to confession. Grave sin destroys sanctifying grace in us and no amount of chastisement restores that grace. You MUST go to confession and be absolved by a priest to be restored to a state of grace.
If we were okay because we are being chastised then there would be no need for the Sacrament of Confession.
It is the Sacrament of Confession that restores us to a State of Grace, not chastisement.
As for the hellbound, being hellbound does not mean being in hell. Chastisement is FOR the hellbound in hopes that by being chastised (spanked) they will repent.
Each time we commit a grave sin, we are essentially hellbound, unless we go to confession to restore that grace because to die without a state of grace condemns us.
Thus chastisement is a sign of a loving God spanking us in hopes that we will repent and be restored to Him through the Sacrament of Confession.
Get to confession Paul.
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