Faith is fragile but it shouldn’t be. As people separate themselves from God’s rules, they cannot help but separate themselves from God. The immediate danger is obvious.
If one dies in a state of mortal sin, one’s soul is at risk. While crying out at the end “God, forgive me!” is certainly a way to avoid perdition, it offers no guarantee. At best, a painful Purgatorial period may be spent purifying the soul of the self-willed rejection of God in one’s life. Awful pain that could have been avoided is mandated, even welcomed if it allows one to avoid the greater, permanent pain that follows an unrepentant death.
As soon as one is led into sin, the demons of doubt have the usual opening. “They say you are in a state of sin, but you are a good person. Those saying that have their own reasons for wanting you to believe. You don’t need to believe in anything but yourself. You are a good person.”
Soon, the original sin may be compounded with a First Commandment violation. The sinner has put himself ahead of an admittedly jealous God. That, of course, leads to more sin.
At the very least, the person facing death in such a state should ask forgiveness both for the initial sin, the First Commandment violation, and any subsequent sins.
It’s easier to just not sin.
