Whether the Debt of Punishment Remains After Sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that there remains no debt of punishment
after sin. For if the cause be removed the effect is removed. But sin
is the cause of the debt of punishment. Therefore, when the sin is
removed, the debt of punishment ceases also.
Obj. 2: Further, sin is removed by man returning to virtue. Now a
virtuous man deserves, not punishment, but reward. Therefore, when
sin is removed, the debt of punishment no longer remains.
Obj. 3: Further, "Punishments are a kind of medicine" (Ethic. ii, 3).
But a man is not given medicine after being cured of his disease.
Therefore, when sin is removed the debt of punishment does not remain.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (2 Kings xii. 13, 14): "David said
to Nathan: I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David:
The Lord also hath taken away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
Nevertheless because thou hast given occasion to the enemies of the
Lord to blaspheme . . . the child that is born to thee shall die."
Therefore a man is punished by God even after his sin is forgiven:
and so the debt of punishment remains, when the sin has been removed.
_I answer that,_ Two things may be considered in sin: the guilty act,
and the consequent stain. Now it is evident that in all actual sins,
when the act of sin has ceased, the guilt remains; because the act of
sin makes man deserving of punishment, in so far as he transgresses
the order of Divine justice, to which he cannot return except he pay
some sort of penal compensation, which restores him to the equality
of justice; so that, according to the order of Divine justice, he who
has been too indulgent to his will, by transgressing God's
commandments, suffers, either willingly or unwillingly, something
contrary to what he would wish. This restoration of the equality of
justice by penal compensation is also to be observed in injuries done
to one's fellow men. Consequently it is evident that when the sinful
or injurious act has ceased there still remains the debt of
punishment.
But if we speak of the removal of sin as to the stain, it is evident
that the stain of sin cannot be removed from the soul, without the
soul being united to God, since it was through being separated from
Him that it suffered the loss of its brightness, in which the stain
consists, as stated above (Q. 86, A. 1). Now man is united to God by
his will. Wherefore the stain of sin cannot be removed from man,
unless his will accept the order of Divine justice, that is to say,
unless either of his own accord he take upon himself the punishment
of his past sin, or bear patiently the punishment which God inflicts
on him; and in both ways punishment avails for satisfaction. Now when
punishment is satisfactory, it loses somewhat of the nature of
punishment: for the nature of punishment is to be against the will;
and although satisfactory punishment, absolutely speaking, is against
the will, nevertheless in this particular case and for this
particular purpose, it is voluntary. Consequently it is voluntary
simply, but involuntary in a certain respect, as we have explained
when speaking of the voluntary and the involuntary (Q. 6, A. 6). We
must, therefore, say that, when the stain of sin has been removed,
there may remain a debt of punishment, not indeed of punishment
simply, but of satisfactory punishment.
Reply Obj. 1: Just as after the act of sin has ceased, the stain
remains, as stated above (Q. 86, A. 2), so the debt of punishment
also can remain. But when the stain has been removed, the debt of
punishment does not remain in the same way, as stated.
Reply Obj. 2: The virtuous man does not deserve punishment simply,
but he may deserve it as satisfactory: because his very virtue
demands that he should do satisfaction for his offenses against God
or man.
Reply Obj. 3: When the stain is removed, the wound of sin is healed
as regards the will. But punishment is still requisite in order that
the other powers of the soul be healed, since they were so disordered
by the sin committed, so that, to wit, the disorder may be remedied
by the contrary of that which caused it. Moreover punishment is
requisite in order to restore the equality of justice, and to remove
the scandal given to others, so that those who were scandalized at
the sin many be edified by the punishment, as may be seen in the
example of David quoted above.
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