Whether Sacraments Are Necessary for Man's Salvation?
Objection 1: It seems that sacraments are not necessary for man's
salvation. For the Apostle says (1 Tim. 4:8): "Bodily exercise is
profitable to little." But the use of sacraments pertains to bodily
exercise; because sacraments are perfected in the signification of
sensible things and words, as stated above (Q. 60, A. 6). Therefore
sacraments are not necessary for the salvation of man.
Obj. 2: Further, the Apostle was told (2 Cor. 12:9): "My grace is
sufficient for thee." But it would not suffice if sacraments were
necessary for salvation. Therefore sacraments are not necessary for
man's salvation.
Obj. 3: Further, given a sufficient cause, nothing more seems to be
required for the effect. But Christ's Passion is the sufficient cause
of our salvation; for the Apostle says (Rom. 5:10): "If, when we were
enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son: much
more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by His life." Therefore
sacraments are not necessary for man's salvation.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (Contra Faust. xix): "It is
impossible to keep men together in one religious denomination,
whether true or false, except they be united by means of visible
signs or sacraments." But it is necessary for salvation that men be
united together in the name of the one true religion. Therefore
sacraments are necessary for man's salvation.
_I answer that,_ Sacraments are necessary unto man's salvation for
three reasons. The first is taken from the condition of human nature
which is such that it has to be led by things corporeal and sensible
to things spiritual and intelligible. Now it belongs to Divine
providence to provide for each one according as its condition
requires. Divine wisdom, therefore, fittingly provides man with means
of salvation, in the shape of corporeal and sensible signs that are
called sacraments.
The second reason is taken from the state of man who in sinning
subjected himself by his affections to corporeal things. Now the
healing remedy should be given to a man so as to reach the part
affected by disease. Consequently it was fitting that God should
provide man with a spiritual medicine by means of certain corporeal
signs; for if man were offered spiritual things without a veil, his
mind being taken up with the material world would be unable to apply
itself to them.
The third reason is taken from the fact that man is prone to direct
his activity chiefly towards material things. Lest, therefore, it
should be too hard for man to be drawn away entirely from bodily
actions, bodily exercise was offered to him in the sacraments, by
which he might be trained to avoid superstitious practices,
consisting in the worship of demons, and all manner of harmful
action, consisting in sinful deeds.
It follows, therefore, that through the institution of the sacraments
man, consistently with his nature, is instructed through sensible
things; he is humbled, through confessing that he is subject to
corporeal things, seeing that he receives assistance through them:
and he is even preserved from bodily hurt, by the healthy exercise of
the sacraments.
Reply Obj. 1: Bodily exercise, as such, is not very profitable: but
exercise taken in the use of the sacraments is not merely bodily, but
to a certain extent spiritual, viz. in its signification and in its
causality.
Reply Obj. 2: God's grace is a sufficient cause of man's salvation.
But God gives grace to man in a way which is suitable to him. Hence
it is that man needs the sacraments that he may obtain grace.
Reply Obj. 3: Christ's Passion is a sufficient cause of man's
salvation. But it does not follow that the sacraments are not also
necessary for that purpose: because they obtain their effect through
the power of Christ's Passion; and Christ's Passion is, so to say,
applied to man through the sacraments according to the Apostle (Rom.
6:3): "All we who are baptized in Christ Jesus, are baptized in His
death."
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