Whether a Beatified Angel Can Sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that a beatified angel can sin. For, as
as said above (A. 7), beatitude does not do away with nature. But it
is of the very notion of created nature, that it can fail. Therefore
a beatified angel can sin.
Obj. 2: Further, the rational powers are referred to opposites, as
the Philosopher observes (Metaph. iv, text. 3). But the will of the
angel in beatitude does not cease to be rational. Therefore it is
inclined towards good and evil.
Obj. 3: Further, it belongs to the liberty of free-will for man to be
able to choose good or evil. But the freedom of will is not lessened
in the beatified angels. Therefore they can sin.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (Gen. ad lit. xi) that "there is
in the holy angels that nature which cannot sin." Therefore the holy
angels cannot sin.
_I answer that,_ The beatified angels cannot sin. The reason for
this is, because their beatitude consists in seeing God through His
essence. Now, God's essence is the very essence of goodness.
Consequently the angel beholding God is disposed towards God in the
same way as anyone else not seeing God is to the common form of
goodness. Now it is impossible for any man either to will or to do
anything except aiming at what is good; or for him to wish to turn
away from good precisely as such. Therefore the beatified angel can
neither will nor act, except as aiming towards God. Now whoever wills
or acts in this manner cannot sin. Consequently the beatified angel
cannot sin.
Reply Obj. 1: Created good, considered in itself, can fail.
But from its perfect union with the uncreated good, such as is the
union of beatitude, it is rendered unable to sin, for the reason
already alleged.
Reply Obj. 2: The rational powers are referred to opposites in
the things to which they are not inclined naturally; but as to the
things whereunto they have a natural tendency, they are not referred
to opposites. For the intellect cannot but assent to naturally known
principles; in the same way, the will cannot help clinging to good,
formally as good; because the will is naturally ordained to good as to
its proper object. Consequently the will of the angels is referred to
opposites, as to doing many things, or not doing them. But they have
no tendency to opposites with regard to God Himself, Whom they see to
be the very nature of goodness; but in all things their aim is towards
God, which ever alternative they choose, that is not sinful.
Reply Obj. 3: Free-will in its choice of means to an end is
disposed just as the intellect is to conclusions. Now it is evident
that it belongs to the power of the intellect to be able to proceed to
different conclusions, according to given principles; but for it to
proceed to some conclusion by passing out of the order of the
principles, comes of its own defect. Hence it belongs to the
perfection of its liberty for the free-will to be able to choose
between opposite things, keeping the order of the end in view; but it
comes of the defect of liberty for it to choose anything by turning
away from the order of the end; and this is to sin. Hence there is
greater liberty of will in the angels, who cannot sin, than there is
in ourselves, who can sin.
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