If someone dies without repentance, is it possible for such a person to repent after death?
Q: If
someone dies without repentance, is it possible for such a person to repent
after death? Fr. John Whiteford answers this question through the writings of
the holy fathers of the Church.
A: Scripture, as explained by the Fathers of the
Church, states that this is not possible.
Psalm 6:5
says:
“For in
death there is none that is mindful of Thee, and in hades who will confess
Thee?”
Commenting
on this passage, St. John Chrysostom says:
[The
Prophet David is] not implying that our existence lasts only as far as this
present life: perish the thought! After all, he is aware of the doctrine of the
resurrection. Rather, it is that after our departure from here there would be
no time for repentance. For the rich man praised God and repented, but in view
of its lateness it did him no good [Luke 16:19-31]. The virgins wanted to get
some oil, but no one gave any to them [Matthew 25:1-13]. So this is what this
man requests, too, for his sins to be washed away in this life so as to enjoy
confidence at the tribunal of the fearsome judge (St. John Chrysostom:
Commentary on the Psalms, vol. I, trans. Robert C. Hill (Brookline, MA: Holy
Cross Orthodox Press, 1998), p. 102).
St.
Jerome says:
While you
are still in this world, I beg of you to repent. Confess and give thanks to the
Lord, for in this world only is he merciful. Here, He is able to be
compassionate to the repentant, but because there He is judge, He is not
merciful. Here, He is compassionate kindness; there, He is judge. Here, He
reaches out His hand to the falling; there, He presides as judge (Homily on
Psalm 105[106], quoted in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Old
Testament, Vol. VII, Craig A. Blaising and Carmen S. Hardin, eds. (Downers
Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2008) p. 51).
St.
Gregory the Theologian says:
It is
better to be punished and cleansed now than to be transmitted to the torment to
come, when it is the time of chastisement, not of cleansing. For as he who
remembers God here is conqueror of death (as David has most excellently sung)
so the departed have not in the grave confession and restoration; for God has
confined life and action to this world, and to the future the scrutiny of what
has been done (On His Father’s Silence, Oration 16:7).
St. Basil
the Great says:
In like
manner they which have grieved the Holy Spirit by the wickedness of their ways,
or have not wrought for Him that gave to them, shall be deprived of what they
have received, their grace being transferred to others; or, according to one of
the evangelists, they shall even be wholly cut asunder—the cutting asunder
meaning complete separation from the Spirit. The body is not divided, part
being delivered to chastisement, and part let off; for when a whole has sinned
it were like the old fables, and unworthy of a righteous judge, for only the
half to suffer chastisement. Nor is the soul cut in two—that soul the whole of
which possesses the sinful affection throughout, and works the wickedness in
co-operation with the body. The cutting asunder, as I have observed, is the
eternal separation of the soul from the Spirit. For now, although the Spirit
does not suffer admixture with the unworthy, He nevertheless does seem in a
manner to be present with them that have once been sealed, awaiting the
salvation which follows on their conversion; but then He will be wholly cut off
from the soul that has defiled His grace. For this reason “In Hades there is
none that maketh confession; in death none that remembereth God,” because the
help of the Spirit is no longer present (Treatise on the Holy Spirit, 40).
Blessed
Theodoret says:
For this
reason I beg the privilege of enjoying the cure in the present life, since I
know that no cure will then be granted those departing this life with wounds,
as there is no longer any room for repentance. This was exceptionally sound
thinking on the part of the divine David: it is not in death but in life that
one recalls God. Likewise, confession and reform do not come to the departed in
Hades: God confined life and action to this life; there, however, he conducts
an evaluation of performance. And in any case this is proper to the eighth day,
giving no longer opportunity for preparation by good or bad deeds to those who
have arrived at it; instead, whatever works you have sown for yourself you will
have occasion to reap. For this reason he obliges you to practice repentance
here, there being no practice of this kind of effort in Hades. He says, in
fact, “Since the opportunity coming to me for repentance was lengthy, I am
afraid death may precede your mercy, there being no room for confession
there—hence my request for your to be quick with your mercy.” Then he instructs
the listener that along with God’s loving-kindness our effort is required, too:
whether we plead weakness or confusion or God’s goodness without contributing
what is ours, it is of no benefit to us (Theodoret of Cyrus: Commentary on the
Psalms, 1-72, trans. Robet C. Hill (Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of
America Press, 2000), p. 75).
St.
Augustine says:
For in
death there is no one that is mindful of Thee. He knows too that now is the
time for turning unto God: for when this life shall have passed away, there
remaineth but a retribution of our deserts. “But in hell who shall confess to
Thee?” That rich man, of whom the Lord speaks, who saw Lazarus in rest, but
bewailed himself in torments, confessed in hell, yea so as to wish even to have
his brethren warned, that they might keep themselves from sin, because of the
punishment which is not believed to be in hell. Although therefore to no purpose,
yet he confessed that those torments had deservedly lighted upon him; since he
even wished his brethren to be instructed, lest they should fall into the same
(Commentary on the Psalms 6:6).
Cassiodorus
says:
This may
elicit the question, why does he say that in death no one is mindful of God,
whereas then we can be made to tremble more by the imminent anger of God? But
when we speak of those unmindful of God, this properly refers to the
unfaithful. Isaiah said of them: For those in hell will not praise thee, nor
will those who are dead bless thee. When Paul says: In the name of of Jesus let
every knee bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, the
statement should be taken as referring only to the faithless and obstinate, who
deserve to have no trust placed in their confession. So the psalmist rightly
hastens to gain acquittal here, since once the sun has set nothing remains
except deserved retribution. Who shall confess to thee in hell? We must
mentally add “to win pardon.” Compare Solomon’s words on impious men: For they
will say among themselves, repenting and groaning for anguish of spirit, and
the rest. Then too we know that the rich man who saw Lazarus settled in peace
confessed his evil plight, but he was not heard praying for help because it is
in this world that confession connotes also obtaining pardon. To help us
realize that some distinction is being made in the words of the verse, in death
means passing from life, whereas in hellmeans hugging the place where souls are
known to endure what they have deserved. There is total denial that a
confession can be made in each of these situations (Cassiodorus: Explanation of
the Psalms, Vol. 1, trans. P. G. Walsh, (New York: Paulist Press, 1990), p.
94f).
We find a
very similar passage in Isaiah 38:18-19, which Cassiodorus references:
For they
that are in the grave shall not praise thee, neither shall the dead bless thee,
neither shall they that are in Hades hope for thy mercy. The living shall bless
thee, as I also do: for from this day shall I beget children, who shall declare
thy righteousness.
St. Cyril
of Alexandria says:
What is
said in the psalm verse contains sentiments similar to this passage, What value
is there in my death if I descend into corruption? Dust will not praise you or
proclaim your marvels [Psalm 29[30]:9]. In other words, once dead, and enclosed
in the gates of Hades, they will cease giving praise. Nothing further could be
added to what has been achieved; instead, they will remain in the condition in
which they were left, and will await the time of the general judgment. So he is
saying that it is the living, with the power of doing good on receipt of
benefits who will bless you, as I do (Cyril of Alexandria: Commentary on
Isaiah, Vol. II, trans. Robert C. Hill (Brookline, MA: Holy Cross Orthodox
Press, 2008), p. 300).
So here
you have all of the Three Great Hierarchs, along with two great Latin Saints,
St. Cyril of Alexandria (the preeminent Father of the Third Ecumenical
Council), as well as two notable patristic commentators all saying essentially
the same thing: the time for repentance is in this life. If you have not
repented before death, it will then be too late.
By Fr. John Whiteford
Source: http://stillwaterorthodox.org/2017/05/can-repent-die/