Question

Dear Father Bellon,

I am a passionate reader of your column and I thank you for the commitment you put into this work of God which I consider to be of great importance.

I would like to ask you the explanation of 4 biblical passages that I do not understand and a question about man before original sin.

1) What does “He who has suffered in the flesh renounces sin” (1 Pt 4: 1) mean?

2) What is the “baptism for the dead” of which St. Paul speaks (1 Cor 15:29)?

3) Why does John write to pray for those who commit a sin that is not deadly, but not for the deadly sin (1 Jn 5:16)?

4) Why does St. James write to beware even of the garment of some who have denied God (Jude 23)? And how to recognize them without judging them? Or is it just a metaphor?

Finally: if one of the 4 preternatural gifts that God gave to Adam and Eve before sin was the exemption from concupiscence, then our progenitors could know – only by virtue of their nature and even if they had not committed original sin- concupiscence, which is a disorder?

Thanking you in advance, I greet you in Christ entrusting you to Mary so that she may protect you in your apostolate.

Pietro

Answer of the priest

Dear Pietro,

1. To understand the first verse you submitted to me, it is necessary to present it in its entirety and in its context: “Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same attitude (for whoever suffers in the flesh has broken with sin), so as not to spend what remains of one’s life in the flesh on human desires, but on the will of God” (1 Pt 4,1-2).

Then the meaning of Peter’s statement becomes intelligible, and it is this: since Christ in his flesh atoned for all our sins, we too, if we are united to him with the same attitude, crucify our flesh with all its vices and its concupiscence. We no longer want to have anything to do with sin, but we want to live according to God in everything.

It is the same thought expressed by St. Paul when he says: “As to his death, he died to sin once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God. Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as (being) dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, sin must not reign over your mortal bodies so that you obey their desires” (Rom 6: 10-12).

And also: “This is the will of God, your holiness: that you refrain from immorality, that each of you know how to acquire a wife for himself in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion as do the Gentiles who do not know God” (1 Ts 4,3-5).

2. What is the “baptism for the dead” of which St Paul speaks (1 Cor 15:29)?

The Jerusalem Bible notes: “Allusion to a practice whose nature eludes us”.

Others hypothesize this: that at the time of Saint Paul some people, having relatives who had died without Baptism and fearing that precisely for this reason they could not participate in the final resurrection, were baptized in their place.

With this affirmation, St. Paul does not corroborate this practice, but reports it only to say that all are destined for the resurrection. Just as the Lord said: “Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation” (Jn 5: 28-29).

3. Why does John write to pray for those who commit a sin that is not deadly, but not for the deadly sin (1 Jn 5:16)?

There is no unanimity in the interpretation of this statement.

The Jerusalem Bible says: “The recipients of this letter were perhaps informed of this sin of exceptional gravity. It can be the sin against the Spirit, against the truth (Mt 12:31) and the apostasy of the antichrists (1 Jn 2: 18-29).

Others speak of the sin of apostasy for which one was excommunicated and deprived of the public prayer of the Church.

4. Why does St. James write to beware even of the garment of some who have denied God (Jude 23)?

The statement is from St. Jude and not from James and should be read in its entirety: “On those who waver, have mercy; save others by snatching them out of the fire; on others have mercy with fear, abhorring even the outer garment stained by the flesh” (Jd 22-23)

This “garment” is their behaviors, their external way of acting, their conduct.

5. Finally, when we speak of immunity from concupiscence as a preternatural gift, we mean immunity from disordered concupiscence.

6. By concupiscence we mean self-seeking love, which as such can be good, such as that according to which we honestly provide for our needs.

But this love can also be excessive.

It can express itself in attachment to pleasures and could be insubordinate.

This insubordination would not have existed if man had not sinned.

Therefore, the nutritional and reproductive activities would have taken place without the danger of leading the person astray.

7. Generally when we talk about preternatural gifts we say that there are two: immunity from death (and also includes the suffering and concupiscence you speak of) and infused knowledge.

I am pleased with the fidelity with which you follow us.

I remind you to the Lord and I bless you.

Father Angelo

Translated by Chiara P.

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