Predestination, is it coercive determinism ?

[Fozzy]

Before the foundation of the world, God already knew what every freely chosen action of every human person would be. God also knew exactly which ones of these persons He would find still faithful to Him at the time of their death, and it is only these faithful-until-death persons that He predestined to eternal life. It is only these faithful-until-death persons that He put into His hand. God knows who these faithful-until-death persons are, but we do not.

So are you playing the robot/puppet card or are you playing the "but we do not know who they are so there you are then" ploy ?

"faithful-until-death"! Prodigal son ?

 

[Jan001]

So are you playing the robot/puppet card or are you playing the "but we do not know who they are so there you are then" ploy ?

"faithful-until-death"! Prodigal son ?

Neither.

A prodigal son repents before he dies. He does good deeds to prove his repentance and he chooses to stop deliberately sinning. Matthew 3:8, 1 John 5:18

Unfortunately, most people do not know exactly when they are going to die and so they continue to knowingly do sinful things. God comes for most of them like a thief in the night and then they have to give account of their own actions for their entire lifetime. Once they die, there is no chance to repent. Matthew 24:43, Matthew 12:36, Hebrews 9:27, Mark 4:17, Romans 14:10-12


The status of a soul at the time of his death determines where he will spend eternity. If the Holy Spirit is living within a soul/temple of the Holy Spirit at the time of his death, he is approved to inherit eternal life. If he has deliberately sinned a sin that causes the Holy Spirit to leave his soul and has not repented of this sin, he will not be approved to inherit eternal life. 1 Corinthians 3:16-18, Galatians 6:7-8

Nobody on earth knows for sure exactly what he will do later today, but God does know. What if an ISIS terrorist demands that he reject Jesus Christ in order to save his family from being beheaded? Will he reject Jesus Christ if he thinks this denial will save his family or will he accept martyrdom for himself and his family? Matthew 10:33, Matthew 13:21

Before the foundation of the world, God knew which people would be faithful until their death, and it is only these people that He predestined to eternal life. It is only these same people that God placed into His hand before the foundation of the world, and that is why they cannot ever be snatched out of His hand.

 

[Fozzy]

Neither.

A prodigal son repents before he dies. He does good deeds to prove his repentance and he chooses to stop deliberately sinning. Matthew 3:8, 1 John 5:18

Unfortunately, most people do not know exactly when they are going to die and so they continue to knowingly do sinful things. God comes for most of them like a thief in the night and then they have to give account of their own actions for their entire lifetime. Once they die, there is no chance to repent. Matthew 24:43, Matthew 12:36, Hebrews 9:27, Mark 4:17, Romans 14:10-12


The status of a soul at the time of his death determines where he will spend eternity. If the Holy Spirit is living within a soul/temple of the Holy Spirit at the time of his death, he is approved to inherit eternal life. If he has deliberately sinned a sin that causes the Holy Spirit to leave his soul and has not repented of this sin, he will not be approved to inherit eternal life. 1 Corinthians 3:16-18, Galatians 6:7-8

Nobody on earth knows for sure exactly what he will do later today, but God does know. What if an ISIS terrorist demands that he reject Jesus Christ in order to save his family from being beheaded? Will he reject Jesus Christ if he thinks this denial will save his family or will he accept martyrdom for himself and his family? Matthew 10:33, Matthew 13:21

Before the foundation of the world, God knew which people would be faithful until their death, and it is only these people that He predestined to eternal life. It is only these same people that God placed into His hand before the foundation of the world, and that is why they cannot ever be snatched out of His hand.

Not sure I fully understand or if I ever shall. A word above, "chooses". Hi-lights the predestination/determinism conumdrum.

Your ID says you are a Catholic. I would be interested in how the Catholic understanding differs (or not) with the calvinist view.

Also "that causes the Holy Spirit to leave his soul". Once saved always saved (OSAS) - not.

Kind regards to you.

 

[Fozzy]

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+13:21&version=RSV
Before the foundation of the world, God knew which people would be faithful until their death, and it is only these people that He predestined to eternal life. It is only these same people that God placed into His hand before the foundation of the world, and that is why they cannot ever be snatched out of His hand.

This sound Biblical to me. I.e. it rings with what I have been taught all my life. Is this not the Arminian position ? I.e foreknowledge (not that it makes any difference).

 

[Jan001]

Not sure I fully understand or if I ever shall. A word above, "chooses". Hi-lights the predestination/determinism conumdrum.

Your ID says you are a Catholic. I would be interested in how the Catholic understanding differs (or not) with the calvinist view.

Also "that causes the Holy Spirit to leave his soul". Once saved always saved (OSAS) - not.

Kind regards to you.

I think (please correct me if I am mistaken) that Calvinists believe in double predestination.

This means that Calvinists believe that God arbitrarily predestined some people to heaven and therefore nothing they do can ever prevent them from inheriting eternal life; and they also believe that God arbitrarily predestined all the other people to hell and therefore nothing they do can ever make it possible for them to inherit eternal life.

The Catholic view as I understand it, is that every person is given free will to choose for himself to do good or to do evil. Catholics believe that God does not force any person to do evil and they believe that God does not prevent any person from doing good.

However, God sometimes prevents people from doing their planned evil (for example, the Jews in Luke 4:28-30) by causing them to be unable to carry out their planned evil and God sometimes helps people (for example, Saul/Paul in Acts 9:3-5) to choose to repent and do good for Him.

I believe that Jesus died for the redemption of all mankind, therefore it is possible for every person to be saved through baptism (by calling on the name of the Lord as Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:18-20), and if a person is still saved/faithful to God's commandments at the time of his death, he will be then be approved worthy to inherit eternal life. John 3:5, Mark 16:16, Revelation 2:10

Romans 10:13
For, “every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” rsv​

1 Timothy 2:3-6
This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony to which was borne at the proper time. rsv

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.​

Catholics do not believe in OSAS. Jesus taught the following:

Matthew 13:20-22
As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the delight in riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. rsv

Mark 4:16-19
And these in like manner are the ones sown upon rocky ground, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; 17 and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns; they are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things, enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. rsv

The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. ​

Joshua 24:14-15
Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if you be unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. rsv
​

It is the Holy Spirit's presence within a person's soul/heart at the time of his death which is his guarantee that he will be approved worthy to inherit eternal life.
2 Corinthians 1:22, Ephesians 1:13-15, 2 Corinthians 5:5, Acts 5:32, 1 John 2:3-6

If the person falls away from the faith because of his own choice to do evil, the Holy Spirit leaves this person's soul. Therefore if the person does not repent of his evil before he dies, he will not be approved worthy to inherit eternal life.

Examples of sins that cause the Holy Spirit to leave a person's soul/heart: 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Ephesians 5:5, 1 Timothy 5:8

Hebrews 10:26-27
For if we sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful prospect of judgment, and a fury of fire which will consume the adversaries. rsv
​

Not all sins cause the Holy Spirit to leave a person's soul. Mortal sins do cause the Holy Spirit to leave a person's soul, but sins that are not mortal sins do not cause the Holy Spirit to leave a person's soul. God always forgives a person who truly repents of his sins regardless if his sins are mortal sins or not mortal sins. 1 John 2:1-2

1 John 5:16-18
If any one sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and Goda]" will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal. 18 We know that any one born of God does not sin (he personally chooses to not sin), but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him (because he has personally chosen to resist and to overcome the temptations of his flesh, the world, and the devil).

James 4:7-8
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you men of double mind.
​

 

[Jan001]

This sound Biblical to me. I.e. it rings with what I have been taught all my life. Is this not the Arminian position ? I.e foreknowledge (not that it makes any difference).

I have no idea what the Arminian position is. I have heard the term Arminian, but I have not researched it. I believe in the Catholic position. It makes sense to me. I am not Catholic because someone told me that I should be Catholic. I am Catholic because I believe that the teachings of the Catholic Church are true.

 

[Razare]

Predestination in a nutshell.

God gave us free will, the same free will God possesses. God's ability to choose, does not differ from man's ability to choose. God is perfectly fair then in stating, man has free will and ability to choose.

God knows in advance all his choices that he makes. The ability to choose something, does not mean "no foreknowledge" of choice. That is something men thought and came up with, but there is no reason to think this way.

God foreknows his own choices. God foreknows man's choices. Both man and God can choose, exactly the same.

The dominion of power of God is absolute, the dominion of power of man is confined to the heaven and Earth.

The dominion to know of God is absolute, the dominion of man to know is limited.

Predestination then is God knowing all our choices, whether we choose him or not, in advance of us choosing him.

Since God knows in advance, he plans in advance. He builds us a place in heaven, before we are born. He knew us before creation.

A great example of predestination is when I became a Christian.

In a vision I opened my arms to the morning star who is Christ. God came to me and said, "You are my child." I believed God. I was not a Christian. Within a few days, I became a Christian and made Jesus my Lord with understanding.

"What if I didn't choose Jesus!?!?" after that vision... God would have been wrong!

But that didn't happen. I chose Jesus and God knew I would choose him, because the choices had been known by God before the creation of the world.

I still had to choose him, though... but the real kicker is that "God chose me".

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. - Ephesians 1:4

And if I used this as an excuse to fall away, then I could lose salvation, and I would be one of those whom departed from the faith. I would have thought there was a place in heaven for me, but there was not, because God would have known before the creation of the world, that I would believe and then depart from him. God is not saying this to me, but God certainly would never tell me this is the case before it happens, because God is good and gives people every chance, and the benefit of the doubt.

Jesus Christ treated Judas exactly the same as the other 12, until he departed to his own destruction.

 

[Fozzy]

Hi Jan001 and Razare

I love your posts above (986 and 988). Heart warming and fills me with joy, warmth and hope. Though I am not a Catholic there is nothing in post 986 I can take issue on. Which also give me a good feeling since I am a protestant (kind of).

You both mention predestination. I know a lot about the cavinist position as I have had the full 5 barrels shot in my face, many times ( the 5 barrels being a philosophy with the acronym TULIP).

"I think (please correct me if I am mistaken) that Calvinists believe in double predestination."
Yes but no!!!

The original calvinist did believe this and examination of any extant reformist text will demonstrate this 100%.

Todays calvy does believe double predestination deep down but will pull all manor of dodges to deny it. However, single predestination is nothing more than an absurd contradiction. There is no solution to this contradiction and never will be.

When all said and done the modern day calvinist has to believe that God even predestined the very second that Adam and Eve would sin. There is NO free will in their system. Quote a mainstream media Calvinist - R.C Sproul. "If even one electron did its own thing then God would not be sovereign". To grown ups this is just nonsensical assumption (but the calvinist dismisses them as the non elect).

But enough of me knocking these guys. For me the issue can be demonstrated in the parable of the seed thrown on rocky ground. To rise up, flourish even, but only for a while, then to die back ( fall away) and hence never be saved. I am told by a Calvinist pastors this scenario is predestined by God himself before the foundation of the world.

How does this relate to me ? Did God predestine me to rise up and flourish, only to later fall away, such that my salvation is a pre-determined (by God) impossibility ? How can I ever know and be assured ?

Be blessed.

 

[Jan001]

....... For me the issue can be demonstrated in the parable of the seed thrown on rocky ground. To rise up, flourish even, but only for a while, then to die back ( fall away) and hence never be saved. I am told by a Calvinist pastors this scenario is predestined by God himself before the foundation of the world.

How does this relate to me ? Did God predestine me to rise up and flourish, only to later fall away, such that my salvation is a pre-determined (by God) impossibility ? How can I ever know and be assured ?

Genuine question for me. It has DESTROYED my assurance. The damage, not just the hurt, is IMMENSE. Am I a dip stick idiot ? maybe but I am not the only one with this dilemma. Since this doctrine came over from mainland Europe centuries ago, many have faced this dilemma. Many have been driven to even kill themselves by setting themselves on fire- trying to purge and purify themselves enough to find favour with God. Nasty, nasty stuff. It is even list on the 'DSM' of mental illness!

So, may I say again. Thank you for you postings.

Be blessed.

Thank you for your kind words.

Predestine should only be used in a positive sense. God did not predestine any person to hell. Persons who are in hell were condemned by their own evil free-will choices. Matthew 12:37, James 5:12, 1 Corinthians 10:13, John 5:28-29

Before the foundation of the world, God predestined to eternal life the persons who He knew were faithful to His commandments at the time of their death. Revelation 2:10

Some of these predestined were faithful their whole lives. They never fell away at any time.

Many others of these predestined were faithful at first, they fell away due to their own evildoing, and then they repented again, and they were living according to God's commandments at the time of their death. This cycle of sin, falling away, and repentance, may have happened dozens of times during a person's lifetime, but he was living in Christ according to His commandments at the time of his death and so he was approved to inherit/enter eternal life. 1 John 1:9

A very small number of the predestined did evil their whole lives until shortly before they died. These people chose to humbly repent of their sins on their deathbed and God forgave them. How very close they came to hell! Luke 23:39-43, Jude 1:20-23

God loves us. He wants us to inherit/enter eternal life. He makes it possible for every person to inherit eternal life. He wants to help us to inherit eternal life and He will if we allow Him to help us. He gives us the Holy Spirit to be our guide. The Holy Spirit speaks to us in our conscience. We are made aware that we are doing evil when we are doing evil. Some people do purposefully choose to ignore their conscience.


Salvation is a life-long process.

What matters is that we strive, that we do our best to keep God's commandments. This is what is expected of us.

If we fail to keep God's commandments, we must repent and confess our sins and then God will graciously forgive us. We must do good works to show that we are truly repentant. Acts 26:20, Matthew 21:43, Titus 3:8, Ephesians 2:10, James 2:17

Luke 13:23-27
And some one said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24 “Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the householder has risen up and shut the door, you will begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us.’ He will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity!’ rsv

​

What should we do now today so that we can make sure that we were chosen to be one of God's elect/predestined?

Peter's advice:

2 Peter 1:3-11
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature. 5 For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be the more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall; 11 so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. rsv

​

Paul's advice:

1 Corinthians 9:25-27
Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Well, I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air; 27 but I pommel my body and subdue it (I do not give in to my body's immoral fleshly desires), lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. rsv (God does not want us to physically harm our own bodies. Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit and so they should be treated with respect and kindness .)

​

James' advice:

James 1:19-22
Know this, my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, 20 for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rank growth of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. rsv​

James 4:1-8
What causes wars, and what causes fightings among you? Is it not your passions that are at war in your members? 2 You desire and do not have; so you kill. And you covet and cannot obtain; so you fight and wage war. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 Unfaithful creatures! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is in vain that the scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit which he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace; therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you men of double mind. rsv
​

Many Christians will be dismayed at the time of their death and judgment. They believed that they were saved and that they would inherit eternal life no matter what evil things they did and so they did not confess and repent of their sins before they died:

Matthew 7:21-23
Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’ rsv

​

Tonight, and every night, before we go to sleep, we should test ourselves (examine our conscience) to see if we have lived faithfully today according to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are holding to your faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! rsv​

If we find that we have failed the test of faithfulness, we should immediately confess our sins to God and then He will forgive us.

I confess my sins to God as soon as I am aware that I have sinned. I don't even wait until my nightly examination of conscience. I might die before evening arrives!

(Catholics must confess certain types of grave/mortal sins to a priest as soon as possible, in addition to their nightly confessing of their sins to God. John 20:22-23, 1 John 5:16-17)

 

[Fozzy]

Thank you for your kind words.

Predestine should only be used in a positive sense. God did not predestine any person to hell. Persons who are in hell were condemned by their own evil free-will choices. Matthew 12:37, James 5:12, 1 Corinthians 10:13, John 5:28-29

Before the foundation of the world, God predestined to eternal life the persons who He knew were faithful to His commandments at the time of their death. Revelation 2:10

Some of these predestined were faithful their whole lives. They never fell away at any time.

Many others of these predestined were faithful at first, they fell away due to their own evildoing, and then they repented again, and they were living according to God's commandments at the time of their death. This cycle of sin, falling away, and repentance, may have happened dozens of times during a person's lifetime, but he was living in Christ according to His commandments at the time of his death and so he was approved to inherit/enter eternal life. 1 John 1:9

A very small number of the predestined did evil their whole lives until shortly before they died. These people chose to humbly repent of their sins on their deathbed and God forgave them. How very close they came to hell! Luke 23:39-43, Jude 1:20-23

God loves us. He wants us to inherit/enter eternal life. He makes it possible for every person to inherit eternal life. He wants to help us to inherit eternal life and He will if we allow Him to help us. He gives us the Holy Spirit to be our guide. The Holy Spirit speaks to us in our conscience. We are made aware that we are doing evil when we are doing evil. Some people do purposefully choose to ignore their conscience.


Salvation is a life-long process.

What matters is that we strive, that we do our best to keep God's commandments. This is what is expected of us.

If we fail to keep God's commandments, we must repent and confess our sins and then God will graciously forgive us. We must do good works to show that we are truly repentant. Acts 26:20, Matthew 21:43, Titus 3:8, Ephesians 2:10, James 2:17

Luke 13:23-27
And some one said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24 “Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the householder has risen up and shut the door, you will begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us.’ He will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity!’ rsv

​

What should we do now today so that we can make sure that we were chosen to be one of God's elect/predestined?

Peter's advice:

2 Peter 1:3-11
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature. 5 For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be the more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall; 11 so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. rsv

​

Paul's advice:

1 Corinthians 9:25-27
Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Well, I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air; 27 but I pommel my body and subdue it (I do not give in to my body's immoral fleshly desires), lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. rsv (God does not want us to physically harm our own bodies. Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit and so they should be treated with respect and kindness .)

​

James' advice:

James 1:19-22
Know this, my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, 20 for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rank growth of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. rsv​

James 4:1-8
What causes wars, and what causes fightings among you? Is it not your passions that are at war in your members? 2 You desire and do not have; so you kill. And you covet and cannot obtain; so you fight and wage war. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 Unfaithful creatures! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is in vain that the scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit which he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace; therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you men of double mind. rsv
​

Many Christians will be dismayed at the time of their death and judgment. They believed that they were saved and that they would inherit eternal life no matter what evil things they did and so they did not confess and repent of their sins before they died:

Matthew 7:21-23
Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’ rsv

​

Tonight, and every night, before we go to sleep, we should test ourselves (examine our conscience) to see if we have lived faithfully today according to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are holding to your faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! rsv​

If we find that we have failed the test of faithfulness, we should immediately confess our sins to God and then He will forgive us.

I confess my sins to God as soon as I am aware that I have sinned. I don't even wait until my nightly examination of conscience. I might die before evening arrives!

(Catholics must confess certain types of grave/mortal sins to a priest as soon as possible, in addition to their nightly confessing of their sins to God. John 20:22-23, 1 John 5:16-17)