Whether Death and Other Bodily Defects Are the Result of Sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that death and other bodily defects are
not the result of sin. Because equal causes have equal effects. Now
these defects are not equal in all, but abound in some more than in
others, whereas original sin, from which especially these defects
seem to result, is equal in all, as stated above (Q. 82, A. 4).
Therefore death and suchlike defects are not the result of sin.
Obj. 2: Further, if the cause is removed, the effect is removed. But
these defects are not removed, when all sin is removed by Baptism or
Penance. Therefore they are not the effect of sin.
Obj. 3: Further, actual sin has more of the character of guilt than
original sin has. But actual sin does not change the nature of the
body by subjecting it to some defect. Much less, therefore, does
original sin. Therefore death and other bodily defects are not the
result of sin.
_On the contrary,_ The Apostle says (Rom. 5:12), "By one man sin
entered into this world, and by sin death."
_I answer that,_ One thing causes another in two ways: first, by
reason of itself; secondly, accidentally. By reason of itself, one
thing is the cause of another, if it produces its effect by reason of
the power of its nature or form, the result being that the effect is
directly intended by the cause. Consequently, as death and such like
defects are beside the intention of the sinner, it is evident that
sin is not, of itself, the cause of these defects. Accidentally, one
thing is the cause of another if it causes it by removing an
obstacle: thus it is stated in _Phys._ viii, text. 32, that "by
displacing a pillar a man moves accidentally the stone resting
thereon." In this way the sin of our first parent is the cause of
death and all such like defects in human nature, in so far as by the
sin of our first parent original justice was taken away, whereby not
only were the lower powers of the soul held together under the
control of reason, without any disorder whatever, but also the whole
body was held together in subjection to the soul, without any defect,
as stated in the First Part (Q. 97, A. 1). Wherefore, original
justice being forfeited through the sin of our first parent; just as
human nature was stricken in the soul by the disorder among the
powers, as stated above (A. 3; Q. 82, A. 3), so also it became
subject to corruption, by reason of disorder in the body.
Now the withdrawal of original justice has the character of
punishment, even as the withdrawal of grace has. Consequently, death
and all consequent bodily defects are punishments of original sin.
And although the defects are not intended by the sinner, nevertheless
they are ordered according to the justice of God Who inflicts them as
punishments.
Reply Obj. 1: Causes that produce their effects of themselves, if
equal, produce equal effects: for if such causes be increased or
diminished, the effect is increased or diminished. But equal causes
of an obstacle being removed, do not point to equal effects. For
supposing a man employs equal force in displacing two columns, it
does not follow that the movements of the stones resting on them will
be equal; but that one will move with greater velocity, which has the
greater weight according to the property of its nature, to which it
is left when the obstacle to its falling is removed. Accordingly,
when original justice is removed, the nature of the human body is
left to itself, so that according to diverse natural temperaments,
some men's bodies are subject to more defects, some to fewer,
although original sin is equal in all.
Reply Obj. 2: Both original and actual sin are removed by the same
cause that removes these defects, according to the Apostle (Rom.
8:11): "He . . . shall quicken . . . your mortal bodies, because of
His Spirit that dwelleth in you": but each is done according to the
order of Divine wisdom, at a fitting time. Because it is right that
we should first of all be conformed to Christ's sufferings, before
attaining to the immortality and impassibility of glory, which was
begun in Him, and by Him acquired for us. Hence it behooves that our
bodies should remain, for a time, subject to suffering, in order that
we may merit the impassibility of glory, in conformity with Christ.
Reply Obj. 3: Two things may be considered in actual sin, the
substance of the act, and the aspect of fault. As regards the
substance of the act, actual sin can cause a bodily defect: thus some
sicken and die through eating too much. But as regards the fault, it
deprives us of grace which is given to us that we may regulate the
acts of the soul, but not that we may ward off defects of the body,
as original justice did. Wherefore actual sin does not cause those
defects, as original sin does.
________________________