2. Corinthians 6 (i)

There are two ways of sinning against God's mercy. The first way has the following features: a situation such as when I have sinned against God's commandments, I add the diabolical ingredient of faintheartedness or despair because I believe (and my conscience confirms this) that God will not forgive the sin and His mercy is at an end in this case. In this situation, there is no mercy because the God of all mercy has been denied and rendered null. The second way is as follows: a situation such as when I do some good works, but I add the diabolical ingredient of relying on these and letting myself be consoled by them by believing that I can face God and that I have no sin on account of these good deeds. In the same way, I render God's mercy to be null by believing that mercy in this case is neither necessary nor of any avail because these good works have made mercy redundant. Once again, the God of all mercy has been denied.

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