Two Theological Questions

TWO THEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS

Question 1. Can the devil see which souls are in the state of mortal sin?

Several years ago a friend of mine remarked that the devil has the power to see which souls are in the state of mortal sin.

I found this claim unusual, and it didn’t sit well with me. I was unconvinced, but I couldn’t say exactly why not. Every so often I would search the Internet for this claim and support for it but found nothing.

At one time recently I found a website that appeared to shed light on this question:

https://www.ibelieve.com/faith/what-power-does-satan-have-in-this-world-what-are-his-limits.html 

 

—Debbie McDaniel, “What Power Does Satan Have in this World: What Are His Limits?” iBelieve, June 21, 2018

The website does not address the claim directly. Using persuasive Biblically based arguments, the website says that Satan’s power is limited by God.

We know that Satan’s power is indeed limited by God, but does he have the power to see which souls are in the state of mortal sin, and if yes, is his exercise of this power as a rule restricted by God?

I discussed this question with another friend of mine and came to the conclusion that the answer is if the devil were given the power to see which souls are in the state of mortal sin, then the devil would be accorded an undue advantage over human beings in his pursuit to drag as many souls to Hell as possible. Therefore, the answer is Satan does not have this power, unless God allows it in specific instances, if at all.

In my opinion, God in his mercy will not allow the devil to acquire this kind of undue advantage over human beings. The answer to this question does not lie in the nature of the devil but in the nature of God.

On the other hand, it is possible, for whatever reason, that God will allow the devil to exercise this power. After all, on rare occasions he has allowed some human beings—some saints, for example—to have this power. See, for instance, the following excerpt from St. Teresa of Avila, The Interior Castle, Chapter 2, note 30 and the related text:

http://www.catholictreasury.info/books/interior_castle/ic6.php

Question 2. How do we know we are in the state of sanctifying grace?

A ready answer can be obtained by doing an examination of conscience. Do any of the sins we have committed and not confessed fulfill the three criteria of mortal sin, namely: grave matter, full knowledge, and full consent?

Asked this question, “How do we know we are in the state of sanctifying grace?” a friend of mine quickly responded, “Moral certainty.”

I objected, saying it is possible to be morally certain but wrong. If a person has an erroneous conscience, they may be morally certain that they are in the state of grace but are actually not.

He answered with a persuasive rejoinder. “There are signs that a person is in a state of mortal sin,” and he gave some examples.

Yes, I would agree that there are some signs that a person is in a state of mortal sin—for example, a person who is engaged in habitual grave sin, e.g. a member of a human trafficking and prostitution ring, who does not believe in God, mocks the idea, and blasphemes, would be a good candidate. For this reason, among others, publicly known members of the Mafia are as a rule not permitted by the Roman Catholic Church to be buried in a Roman Catholic cemetery. Many have said that if Adolph Hitler is not in Hell, then who is?—in other words, Hitler, based on the evidence of the grave iniquity of his life, is a prime candidate for hellfire. Murder was a way of life for Hitler. Hitler, a lapsed Roman Catholic, showed many signs during his life that he had rejected God and the love of God.

Saint Joan of Arc gave an inspired answer to the question during her trial about whether or not she was in the state of grace: “If I am not, may God put me there; if I am, may He keep me there.”

Saint Joan’s answer is revealing in the following respect. At least two signs of being in the state of grace are fear of God and trust in God. We do not know with absolute certainty if we are in the state of grace, but because we wholly value our friendship with God, we fear God and trust that in his mercy he will give us the grace to remain in his friendship.

Presumption, the converse of the fear of God, would appear to indicate the opposite condition.

Ultimately, however, we cannot know if we are in the state of sanctifying grace because our capacity to know our condition in this regard is beyond our natural powers.

On the other hand, we can know by private revelation whether or not we are in the state of mortal sin and thereby arrive at moral certainty at least, concerning our condition in this regard.