Whether the Justification of the Ungodly Is the Remission of Sins?
Objection 1: It would seem that the justification of the ungodly is
not the remission of sins. For sin is opposed not only to justice,
but to all the other virtues, as stated above (Q. 71, A. 1). Now
justification signifies a certain movement towards justice. Therefore
not even remission of sin is justification, since movement is from
one contrary to the other.
Obj. 2: Further, everything ought to be named from what is
predominant in it, according to _De Anima_ ii, text. 49. Now the
remission of sins is brought about chiefly by faith, according to
Acts 15:9: "Purifying their hearts by faith"; and by charity,
according to Prov. 10:12: "Charity covereth all sins." Therefore the
remission of sins ought to be named after faith or charity rather
than justice.
Obj. 3: Further, the remission of sins seems to be the same as being
called, for whoever is called is afar off, and we are afar off from
God by sin. But one is called before being justified according to
Rom. 8:30: "And whom He called, them He also justified." Therefore
justification is not the remission of sins.
_On the contrary,_ On Rom. 8:30, "Whom He called, them He also
justified," the gloss says i.e. "by the remission of sins." Therefore
the remission of sins is justification.
_I answer that,_ Justification taken passively implies a movement
towards justice, as heating implies a movement towards heat. But
since justice, by its nature, implies a certain rectitude of order,
it may be taken in two ways: first, inasmuch as it implies a right
order in man's act, and thus justice is placed amongst the
virtues--either as particular justice, which directs a man's acts by
regulating them in relation to his fellowman--or as legal justice,
which directs a man's acts by regulating them in their relation to
the common good of society, as appears from _Ethic._ v, 1.
Secondly, justice is so-called inasmuch as it implies a certain
rectitude of order in the interior disposition of a man, in so far as
what is highest in man is subject to God, and the inferior powers of
the soul are subject to the superior, i.e. to the reason; and this
disposition the Philosopher calls "justice metaphorically speaking"
(Ethic. v, 11). Now this justice may be in man in two ways: first, by
simple generation, which is from privation to form; and thus
justification may belong even to such as are not in sin, when they
receive this justice from God, as Adam is said to have received
original justice. Secondly, this justice may be brought about in man
by a movement from one contrary to the other, and thus justification
implies a transmutation from the state of injustice to the aforesaid
state of justice. And it is thus we are now speaking of the
justification of the ungodly, according to the Apostle (Rom. 4:5):
"But to him that worketh not, yet believeth in Him that justifieth
the ungodly," etc. And because movement is named after its term
_whereto_ rather than from its term _whence,_ the transmutation
whereby anyone is changed by the remission of sins from the state of
ungodliness to the state of justice, borrows its name from its term
_whereto,_ and is called "justification of the ungodly."
Reply Obj. 1: Every sin, inasmuch as it implies the disorder of a
mind not subject to God, may be called injustice, as being contrary
to the aforesaid justice, according to 1 John 3:4: "Whosoever
committeth sin, committeth also iniquity; and sin is iniquity." And
thus the removal of any sin is called the justification of the
ungodly.
Reply Obj. 2: Faith and charity imply a special directing of the
human mind to God by the intellect and will; whereas justice implies
a general rectitude of order. Hence this transmutation is named after
justice rather than after charity or faith.
Reply Obj. 3: Being called refers to God's help moving and exciting
our mind to give up sin, and this motion of God is not the remission
of sins, but its cause.
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