Whether Christ Could Merit for Others?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ could not merit for others.
For it is written (Ezech. 18:4): "The soul that sinneth, the same
shall die." Hence, for a like reason, the soul that meriteth, the
same shall be recompensed. Therefore it is not possible that Christ
merited for others.
Obj. 2: Further, of the fulness of Christ's grace we all receive, as
is written John 1:16. Now other men having Christ's grace cannot
merit for others. For it is written (Ezech. 14:20) that if "Noe and
Daniel and Job be in the city [Vulg.: 'the midst thereof'] . . . they
shall deliver neither son nor daughter; but they shall only deliver
their own souls by their justice." Hence Christ could not merit
anything for us.
Obj. 3: Further, the "reward" that we merit is due "according to
justice [Vulg.: 'debt'] and not according to grace," as is clear from
Rom. 4:4. Therefore if Christ merited our salvation it follows that
our salvation is not by God's grace but by justice, and that He acts
unjustly with those whom He does not save, since Christ's merit
extends to all.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Rom. 5:18): "As by the offense of
one, unto all men to condemnation; so also by the justice of one,
unto all men to justification of life." But Adam's demerits reached
to the condemnation of others. Much more, therefore, does the merit
of Christ reach others.
_I answer that,_ As stated above (Q. 8, AA. 1, 5), grace was in
Christ not merely as in an individual, but also as in the Head of the
whole Church, to Whom all are united, as members to a head, who
constitute one mystical person. And hence it is that Christ's merit
extends to others inasmuch as they are His members; even as in a man
the action of the head reaches in a manner to all his members, since
it perceives not merely for itself alone, but for all the members.
Reply Obj. 1: The sin of an individual harms himself alone; but the
sin of Adam, who was appointed by God to be the principle of the
whole nature, is transmitted to others by carnal propagation. So,
too, the merit of Christ, Who has been appointed by God to be the
head of all men in regard to grace, extends to all His members.
Reply Obj. 2: Others receive of Christ's fulness not indeed the fount
of grace, but some particular grace. And hence it need not be that
men merit for others, as Christ did.
Reply Obj. 3: As the sin of Adam reaches others only by carnal
generation, so, too, the merit of Christ reaches others only by
spiritual regeneration, which takes place in baptism; wherein we are
incorporated with Christ, according to Gal. 3:27, "As many of you as
have been baptized in Christ, have put on Christ"; and it is by grace
that it is granted to man to be incorporated with Christ. And thus
man's salvation is from grace.
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