Whether One Who Has Already Obtained Grace, Can, of Himself and
Without Further Help of Grace, Do Good and Avoid Sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that whoever has already obtained grace,
can by himself and without further help of grace, do good and avoid
sin. For a thing is useless or imperfect, if it does not fulfil what
it was given for. Now grace is given to us that we may do good and
keep from sin. Hence if with grace man cannot do this, it seems that
grace is either useless or imperfect.
Obj. 2: Further, by grace the Holy Spirit dwells in us, according to
1 Cor. 3:16: "Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that
the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" Now since the Spirit of God is
omnipotent, He is sufficient to ensure our doing good and to keep us
from sin. Hence a man who has obtained grace can do the above two
things without any further assistance of grace.
Obj. 3: Further, if a man who has obtained grace needs further aid of
grace in order to live righteously and to keep free from sin, with
equal reason, will he need yet another grace, even though he has
obtained this first help of grace. Therefore we must go on to
infinity; which is impossible. Hence whoever is in grace needs no
further help of grace in order to do righteously and to keep free
from sin.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (De Natura et Gratia xxvi) that "as
the eye of the body though most healthy cannot see unless it is
helped by the brightness of light, so, neither can a man, even if he
is most righteous, live righteously unless he be helped by the
eternal light of justice." But justification is by grace, according
to Rom. 3:24: "Being justified freely by His grace." Hence even a man
who already possesses grace needs a further assistance of grace in
order to live righteously.
_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 5), in order to live righteously
a man needs a twofold help of God--first, a habitual gift whereby
corrupted human nature is healed, and after being healed is lifted up
so as to work deeds meritorious of everlasting life, which exceed the
capability of nature. Secondly, man needs the help of grace in order
to be moved by God to act.
Now with regard to the first kind of help, man does not need a
further help of grace, e.g. a further infused habit. Yet he needs the
help of grace in another way, i.e. in order to be moved by God to act
righteously, and this for two reasons: first, for the general reason
that no created thing can put forth any act, unless by virtue of the
Divine motion. Secondly, for this special reason--the condition of
the state of human nature. For although healed by grace as to the
mind, yet it remains corrupted and poisoned in the flesh, whereby it
serves "the law of sin," Rom. 7:25. In the intellect, too, there
remains the darkness of ignorance, whereby, as is written (Rom.
8:26): "We know not what we should pray for as we ought"; since on
account of the various turns of circumstances, and because we do not
know ourselves perfectly, we cannot fully know what is for our good,
according to Wis. 9:14: "For the thoughts of mortal men are fearful
and our counsels uncertain." Hence we must be guided and guarded by
God, Who knows and can do all things. For which reason also it is
becoming in those who have been born again as sons of God, to say:
"Lead us not into temptation," and "Thy Will be done on earth as it
is in heaven," and whatever else is contained in the Lord's Prayer
pertaining to this.
Reply Obj. 1: The gift of habitual grace is not therefore given to us
that we may no longer need the Divine help; for every creature needs
to be preserved in the good received from Him. Hence if after having
received grace man still needs the Divine help, it cannot be
concluded that grace is given to no purpose, or that it is imperfect,
since man will need the Divine help even in the state of glory, when
grace shall be fully perfected. But here grace is to some extent
imperfect, inasmuch as it does not completely heal man, as stated
above.
Reply Obj. 2: The operation of the Holy Ghost, which moves and
protects, is not circumscribed by the effect of habitual grace which
it causes in us; but beyond this effect He, together with the Father
and the Son, moves and protects us.
Reply Obj. 3: This argument merely proves that man needs no further
habitual grace.
________________________