Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/2390

2390 Retribution - Atonement and educational means.... Approval of committing an evil deed is sin....

June 30, 1942: Book 32

Every wrongdoing will generally result in just punishment on earth already, so that the human being can learn to recognise the wrongdoing by this alone. For as soon as he must suffer what he has done to others, he will become conscious of his guilt and might feel despicable about himself. Therefore this punishment is atonement and educational means at the same time and can entail a double blessing. According to divine justice every wrongdoing must be atoned for, consequently it would have to be atoned for in the beyond if it is not recognised and regretted on earth and if it has not found God's forgiveness. The battle for supremacy, for power, honour and esteem lets humanity nowadays use means which can never be approved of, and thus it amasses guilt upon guilt, which it must also rightfully atone for in earthly life, if it is not to endure indescribable suffering in the beyond as a result. And this is likewise a cause for the distress which is presently happening on earth. With every approval of an evil deed the human being becomes complicit in it.... Thus he does not recognise his wrongdoing as yet and must therefore endure the same suffering in order to become aware of it. For not only the accomplished deed is sin, but also the approval of it, as this betrays the person's attitude, his instinct for wicked deeds. This also explains why so many people are affected by adversity and destitution even though they are not the implementers of despicable deeds.... However, as long as they do not see any wrong in them, their disposition is not virtuous; consequently they must be educated and experience the results or effect of evil deeds for themselves. In this case the will counts as an accomplished deed and leads to retribution which, at the same time, is an educational means in order to make people stop and think about the iniquity of their actions and to change their thinking accordingly. For each evil deed gives birth to constantly new evil deeds, and these result in increasingly worse suffering as just punishment....

Amen

Translated by Heidi Hanna