On the Need to Be More Urgent in Preparing for Final Judgment

At every funeral I celebrate, I spend a good portion of the sermon urging everyone, including myself, to be more intent on preparing for death and judgement. I remind the assembled of Jesus’ numerous parables on this theme. I remind them that no one loves them more than does Jesus, and yet no one issued more warnings of judgment and Hell than He did. I do this at funerals because the overwhelming majority of people I see there do not attend church at any other time. I feel that I have to take advantage of the opportunity to wrest them from the sin of presumption that is so prevalent today.

Indeed, the sin of presumption seems to be at an all-time high. This is due to many factors in the world where sin is minimized or declared of little import. Even within the Church, due to the error of “universalism” (the belief that most (if not all) people will go to Heaven), a view almost completely contradictory to Scripture, few people are earnest in preparing for death and judgment. This is tragic. While we shouldn’t run around in a panic, we ought to have a lot more urgency in working for salvation. We can do this through daily prayer, frequent Confession and Holy Communion, holy fellowship, and reading/studying Scripture and Church teaching. We must practice the virtues learned in these holy sources and consistently seek the Lord’s grace and mercy.

It is foolish to fail to do this, to put it off day after day. St. Alphonsus Liguori makes this point beautifully and powerfully in his classic work Preparation for Death. He writes,

What would you say of the man who put off his preparation for a trial on which his life depended, till the day of the trial arrived? Would you not stigmatize as a fool the general who should not begin to lay in a supply of provisions and arms, till the city is besieged? Would it not be folly in a pilot [of a ship] to neglect till the time of the tempest to provide the vessel with an anchor and a helm? Such is the folly of a Christian who neglects his conscience till death arrives …. The Lord called the virgins foolish who wished to prepare their lamps with the spouse came (Preparation for Death, 8^th Ed., edited by Stephen Winchell, p. 91).

And yet this is precisely what most people do. Too many are busy pursuing lesser things such as career, money, and worldly possessions. Meanwhile, death and judgment, which are both more important and more certain, get little attention. Even comparatively frivolous things like sports, television, and gossip are often given more passion and priority than preparing to die well and in God’s favor. People tend to maximize the minimum and minimize the maximum.

According to the Lord, this is the very definition of foolishness. And yet most assume that either they will be able to repent in a flash as death approaches, or that God doesn’t really care about all the things He said He cares about.

There is no basis in Scripture for the idea that last minute repentance or pleas will win the day. In the “Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins” as well as in almost every similar parable, those excluded from the Kingdom (who hear the Lord say, “I know you not”) all protest and lament loudly. Some of the passages speak of wailing and grinding of teeth as the damned depart into outer darkness or into the fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Why is this so? Why does God disregard such pleas? Don’t those pleas represent proper repentance? If they do, then why does God seemingly ignore them?

A person may repent of his sin in two ways: in one way, directly, in another way indirectly. He repents of sin directly who hates sin as such; and repents indirectly who hates it on account of something connected with it, for instance punishment. Accordingly, the wicked will not repent of their sin directly, because consent in the malice of sin remains in them. But they will repent indirectly, inasmuch as they will suffer from the punishment inflicted on them for sin. The damned still will wickedness but shun punishment. And thus indirectly they repent of the wickedness committed (Summa Theologica, Sup. 98. Art. 2).

It would seem that their repentance is not a proper repentance from sin, but rather represents more of a regret at the consequences. It is impossible to enter Heaven while still loving sin. Their repentance is not sufficient to grant the healing necessary to enter Heaven.

St. Alphonsus gives us an insight as to why direct repentance (i.e., the repentance of one who hates sin as such) is unlikely to be found suddenly at the moment of death:

It is necessary at death to hate sin, and to love God above all things. But how can he, then, hate forbidden pleasures who has loved them to till that moment? … It is for this reason that God is deaf to their cry … (Preparation for Death, 8^th Ed., edited by Stephen Winchell, p. 92).

This is perfectly sensible. Most are simply not able to shift their desires 180 degrees in a moment. The Lord warns that if our desires at the time of our death are not for God and the values of His kingdom, it is highly unlikely that we will have a sudden change of heart. Further, when we die, our disposition either for or against God is forever fixed. The wicked do not depart wailing and grinding their teeth because they suddenly hate sin and love God and holiness. No, they wail due to more selfish motives, such as the fear of punishment. They hate the consequences, but not the sin.

Consider well these admonitions from two great saints, which speak directly and clearly against the presumptiveness and foolishness of our age. Get to work while there is still time. Tell everyone you love to set his or her house in order before the day of reckoning. Do not delay your conversion to the Lord!

Oh, and by the way: So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure -- Philippians 2:12-13

Indeed, which contextually is addressed to those who presently have their communion in Heaven (where they are made to sit with Christ, and have direct access into the holy of holies by the blood of Christ), and who thus are to work out (katergazomai) that salvation which they already have, to continue in that faith, to perform it, as Paul himself did. And the same Philippians who were told by Paul, I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better, (Philippians 1:23; cf. 2Co. 5:8) though Paul himself testified to them that he "had not arrived," he earnestly sought "the high calling of God in Christ Jesus," to be perfect as he could be as those in the resurrection will be. (Phil. 3:10 But which resurrection is the only transformative event after this life that Paul manifestly teaches for the believer, and in which one will become like Christ.

For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:20-21)

But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:12-14)

Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:18-22)

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:2-3)

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13)

Thus the true believer presently has salvation, and positionally is in Heaven and will be with the Lord at death or His return, but is exhorted to continue in the faith, to live out his faith, and is warned against falling away in unbelief and what it effects. (Gal. 5:1-4; Heb. 3;6-14; 10;19-39) And it is this life with its trials and temptations that faith is proved, and character developed, thus even Christ was made "perfect" (as being tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin: Heb. 2:10,18; 4:15). But with the only transformative event after this life being that of the resurrection, which is when this vile body shall be changed, and be subdued to Christ, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." (Romans 8:7)

But a mark of saving faith is to continue in the faith and realize final full salvation, with the holy desire to be, as much as one can be, like Christ, because he was apprehended by Him to ultimately be so, and has already been made accepted by God in Him, being "bought with a price," (1Co. 6:20) no less than His sinless shed blood. Thanks to be God.

The God of Truth isn't going to be moved by a legal fiction or sleight of hand.

So you think that one is made accepted in the Beloved and will be with Christ at death or His return because he actually practically has become perfect in character as God, not merely forgiven, or that one is accounted righteous by the kind of faith that effects obedience? Its either one or the other. A system of salvation by actually attaining to moral worthiness, which the Law represents, or salvation by faith for those who abase themselves as unworthy of God, unable to attain glory, and worthy of damnation, and thus cast all their faith upon the risen Lord Jesus to save them by His sinless shed blood.

Which regenerative faith means make them new creations, washed, justified and sanctified, resulting in obedience, to which salvation is promised, who will be with the Lord at death or His return, Paul expressed, though as with Paul, they have not attained to moral perfection.

...if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. (Galatians 3:21)

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (Romans 3:23-25) p>But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:5)

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11)

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 2:6)

For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:23)

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)

Faith that saves must be one that effects practical holiness, but salvation is not a means whereby one is saved by becoming practically morally perfect, which would be salvation under the Law, but just as one is made accepted in the Beloved on Christ's account, so it is on that basis that they are saved, with works of faith justifying them as being believers, and fit to be rewarded for obedience which God motivated and enabled them to do. (Heb. 10:35; Rv. 3:21; 1Co. 3:8ff)

Sorry, Mr. Luther, He's smart enough to know the difference between a dungheap covered by snow and a snowdrift.

So you think Luther taught that one is saved by a faith that does not actually make one clean, and is inert, that it does not effect righteousness?

and still less do we work to earn salvation_God works it in us._

Which is just the statement i said Caths make, in contradiction to what the priest penned, as even with the qualification, God working it in you means that you must attain actual perfection of character to be with God. Under which system "salvation by faith" is a means of attaining to the practical perfection which the Law demanded, which Christ alone fulfilled, but more grace is simply given to attain to this perfection. Yet in a matter of a few hours on the cross, the so-called "good thief" became perfect enough to be with God.

That's the Biblical teaching, not Luther's idea that God works a legal fiction, fools himself (!!), and agrees to ignore our sins.

I see, so effectual faith does not result in being washed, justified and sanctified, yet still having a sinful nature that cannot be subject to God, but which faith will testify to its salvific nature by effecting characteristic obedience, including repentance when convicted or not walking therein?

Your Augustine taught that one could be engaging in such sinful activity as marital relations but that it would not be accounted as sin for the elect.

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