He must, with the assistance of grace, voluntarily turn to God, and believe all that God "has revealed, especially that we are justified by Jesus Christ.
16. What effect has this belief on the sinner?
1. The sinner is struck with a wholesome fear of the justice of God, but hopes to obtain pardon from His mercy;
2. Then he begins to love God, is sorry for his sins, resolves to lead a new life, agreeable to God, and receives the Sacrament of Baptism, or, if he is baptized, the Sacrament of Penance.
17. What does the sinner receive in the Sacrament of Baptism or Penance?
He receives sanctifying grace, and together with it the remission of his sins and interior sanctification, by which he is really made just, acceptable to God, a child of God, and heir of Heaven (Council of Trent, Sess. vi).
18. How long does sanctifying grace remain in the soul of the justified man?
As long as he does not commit mortal sin.
19. What fruits does the justified man produce by the help of grace?
He produces good — i.e., meritorious — works; 'for every good tree bringeth forth good fruit' (Matt. vii. 17).
20. Cannot a man who is in mortal sin do good?
He can do good, but without any merit for Heaven (John XV. 4, 5).
21. Is, then, the good done in mortal sin useless?
No; it is, on the contrary, very useful to obtain from the Divine mercy the grace of conversion,1 sometimes also the averting of temporal punishment.2
1 'Redeem thou thy sins with alms, and thy iniquities with works of mercy to the poor: perhaps He will forgive thy offences' (Dan. iv. 24). — Example: Manasses (2 Paral. xxxiii, 12). 2 Achab (3 Kings xxi. 29); the Ninivites.
