Article 4 — What motion of free choice is needed for justification

Fourth, it is asked what motion of free choice is needed for justification, namely, whether a motion toward God is needed. (Parallel texts: In IV Sent., d. 17, q. 1, a. 3, qa. 3; ST I-II. 113.4; Commentary on Ephesians, ch. 2, lect. 3.)

Obj. 1: It seems not: for what follows upon justification is not needed for justification; but, since being moved toward God is from grace, it follows upon justification; and thus it says in Lamentations 5:21: convert us, O Lord, to you, and so on; therefore, the motion of free choice toward God does not pertain to what is needed for justification.

Obj. 2: Furthermore, the motion of free choice is needed for justification as a disposition on the part of free choice; however, that to which man needs to be drawn does not pertain to free choice; therefore, since in order for man to be turned toward God he must be drawn, according to John 6:44 (sec. litteram August. In Ioh. ev. tract. XXVI n. 2 (PL 35, 1608).) no one comes to me unless the Father who sent me should draw him; then it seems that the motion of free choice toward God is not among the things that are required for the justification of the wicked.

Obj. 3: Furthermore, man arrives at justice by way of fear, for whoever is without fear will not be able to be justified, as it says in Sirach 1:28; but man is not moved to God by fear, but rather in sufferings; therefore, the motion of free choice which is required for the justification of the wicked is not a motion toward God.

Obj. 4: But one might argue that this is true of servile fear, though not of filial fear. (Cf. Peter Lombard, Sentences, bk. 3, d. 34, ch. 4.) But on the contrary: all fear includes fleeing in its definition; but one moves away from what is fled by fleeing, not drawing closer to it; therefore, man is not moved toward God from the fact that he fears him, but rather he moves away from God.

Obj. 5: Furthermore, if free choice's motion toward God is needed for justification, that would especially be needed by which a man is most completely moved toward God: however, man is more completely moved toward God by charity than by faith; therefore, if the motion of free choice toward God is needed for justification, then justification should not be attributed to faith, but rather to charity; the contrary of which is clear from Romans 5:1 justified by faith, and so on.

Obj. 6: Furthermore, the motion of free choice that is needed for justification is like a final disposition for grace, with which grace is infused; however, the disposition for a form, with which the form is induced, is such that it cannot exist without the form, for it is a requirement for the form; therefore, since the movement of faith can be without grace, it seems that justification should not be attributed to the movement of faith.

Obj. 7: Furthermore, man can know God by natural reason; but faith is not needed for justification except inasmuch it makes one to know God; therefore, it seems that man can be justified without the movement of faith.

Obj. 8: Furthermore, just as man knows God by a movement of faith, so also by an act of wisdom; therefore, justification should not be ascribed to faith more than to wisdom.

Obj. 9: Furthermore, there are many articles contained in the faith; thus, if a movement of faith is needed for justification, it seems that one must think of all the articles of faith, which cannot be done all at once.

Obj. 10: Furthermore, in James 4:6 it says that God gives grace to the humble: and so a movement of humility is needed for the justification of a wicked man, which is not a movement toward God; otherwise humility would have God for its object and end, and it would be a theological virtue; therefore, the movement that is required for the justification of the wicked is not a movement of free choice toward God.

Obj. 11: Furthermore, in the justification of the wicked man's will is changed to justice; therefore, the movement of free choice ought to be an act of justice, which is not a movement toward God; for justice does not have God for its object; therefore, the movement that is needed for the justification of the wicked is not a movement toward God.

Obj. 12: Furthermore, man stands to the justification of the wicked as what removes an obstacle, such as one who opens a window is said to be the cause of the house's illumination; (This example is from Augustine, Enarrationes in Psalmos, at Psalm 118:73 (PL 37:1553; CCSL 40).) but sin is an obstacle for grace; therefore, on the part of the one justified, a movement of free choice toward God is not needed, but only one toward sin.

On the contrary (1) is what it says in James 4:8 draw near to God and he will draw near to you; however, God draws near to us by the infusion of grace; therefore, in order for us to be justified by grace, it is necessary that we draw near to God by a movement of free choice toward God.

Furthermore (2), the justification of the wicked is a certain illumination of man; (Cf. Alexander of Hales, Summa fratris Alexandri, part 3, n. 631, p. 996.) but it says in Psalm 33:6, draw near to him and be illuminated; therefore, since man does not draw near to God by steps of the body but rather by the mind's movements, as Augustine says, (Cf. Augustine, Enarrationes in Psalmos, at Psalm 144:3 (PL 37:1871; CCSL 40).) it seems that a movement of free choice towards God is needed for the justification of the wicked.

Furthermore (3), in Romans 4:5 it says faith will be reckoned as righteousness for those believing in him who justifies the wicked; therefore, in order for the wicked to be justified, a movement of faith in God is needed.

I answer that it must be said that, as was mentioned above, (Above: a. 3.) a movement of free choice is needed in justification in order for man to come in contact with the justifying cause through his very own act; however, the cause of justification is God, who worked our justification through the mystery of his incarnation, by which he has been made the mediator of God and men: (Cf. I Tim. 2:5) and thus a movement of free choice toward God is required for the justification of the wicked.

But since free choice can be moved toward God in many ways, that motion seems to be necessarily required for justification which is the first among others, and is included in all others; but this is the movement of faith: for it is necessary that the one drawing near to God first believe that he exists, as it says in Hebrews 11:6. Also, no one can be moved toward God by any other motion whatsoever, unless one is first moved by the motion of faith; for all other motions of the mind toward God who justifies pertain to the affections, but only the movement of faith pertains to the intellect.

However, the affections are not moved toward their object except insofar as it is apprehended; for the apprehended good moves the affections, as it says in On the Soul. (Aristotle, On the Soul 3.15,49, 54, 433b11.) Hence, the motion of the apprehensive power is required for the movement of the affective power, just as the motion of the mover is required for the movement of the mobile. Likewise, the motion of faith is included in this way in the motion of charity, and in any other motion by which the mind is moved toward God.

But since justice exists in a complete manner in the affections, then if man is only turned toward God according to intellect, he would not touch God with respect to what receives justice, that is according to the affections, and so he would not be able to be justified. It is necessary, therefore, that not only the intellect be turned toward God, but also the affections. However, the first motion of the affections toward something is the motion of love, as has been said in the question on the soul's passions; (Above: q. 26, a. 4.) which motion is indeed included in desire as a cause in its effect; for something is desired inasmuch as it is loved. But hope itself implies a certain desire with a kind of lifting up of the soul, as though tending toward something arduous.

Thus, just as the motion of knowledge exists together with the motion of love, so also is the motion of love together with the motion of hope or desire; for just as what is apprehended moves love, so also does love move desire and hope. Therefore, in the justification of the wicked, free choice is moved toward God by the motion of faith, hope, and charity; for it is necessary that the one justified be turned toward God by loving him with the hope of forgiveness. These three are numbered as one complete motion, inasmuch as one is included in another; nevertheless, this motion is named from faith, inasmuch as it virtually contains the other motions in itself, and is included in them.

Reply Obj. 1: To the first it must be said that being moved toward God by free choice follows in some way in the order of nature upon the infusion of grace, though not according to time, as will be made clear below; (Below: a. 8.) however, the infusion of grace is one of the things that are required for justification, and so it does not follow because of this that the motion of free choice towards God follows upon justification.

Reply Obj. 2: To the second it must be said that that drawing does not imply violence, but rather a divine activity by which he also acts on free choice turning it in whatever way he should will; (Proverbs 21:1; cf. above: q. 22, a. 8; Peter Lombard, Commentary on Romans, at Rom 1:24 (PL 191:1331).) and so that to which man is drawn pertains in some way to free choice.

Reply Obj. 3: To the third it must be said that servile fear, which only has an eye for suffering, is required for justification as a preceding disposition, but not as entering into the substance of justification: for it cannot exist together with charity, but fear departs upon the entry of charity; hence it says in 1 John 4:18: there is no fear in charity. However, filial fear, which fears separation, is included virtually in the motion of love; for to desire union with the beloved and to fear separation both belong to the same notion.

Reply Obj. 4: To the fourth it must be said that filial fear includes some flight, though not flight from God, but rather a fleeing from separation from God or being equal to God, inasmuch as fear implies a certain reverence by which a man does not dare to compare himself to divine majesty, but subjects himself to it.

Reply Obj. 5: To the fifth it must be said that the movement of charity towards God is required, yet the movement of faith is also included in this motion, as has been said.

Reply Obj. 6: To the sixth it must be said that even though believing God or about God can both occur without justice, yet believing in God, (Cf. Peter Lombard, Sentences, bk. 3, d. 23, ch. 4.) which is an act of formed faith, cannot happen without grace or justice; and such believing is required for justification, as is clear from Romans 4:5 faith is reputed as justice for the one believing in him who justifies the wicked.

Reply Obj. 7: To the seventh it must be said that since after the fall of human nature, man cannot be restored except by the mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ, which sacrament, namely of Christ's mediation, is held by faith alone; (Cf. Ephesians 1:9; Haymo of Halberstadt, Exposition on Ephesians, at Eph 1:9 (PL 117:704B); Ephesians 3:9; Haymo of Halberstadt, Exposition on Ephesians, at Eph 3:9 (PL 117:713D); Colossians 1:26; Peter Lombard, Commentary on Colossians, at Col 1:26 (PL 192:267C); 1 Timothy 3:16; Commentary on 1 Timothy, at 1 Tim 3:16 (PL 192:346B-C).) therefore natural knowledge does not suffice for the justification of the wicked, but explicit or implicit faith in Jesus Christ is also required, with respect to different times and persons. And this is what it says in Romans 3:22: however, God's justice by faith in Christ Jesus.

Reply Obj. 8: To the eighth it must be said that just as the understanding of naturally known principles is related to wisdom or knowledge acquired by reason under the notion of a principle, so also is faith related to infused wisdom; hence, the first motion of graced knowledge towards God does not belong to infused wisdom or knowledge, but to faith.

Reply Obj. 9: To the ninth it must be said that although there are many articles of faith, yet it is not necessary that all be thought in act in the very moment of justification; but only that it be thought according to this article that God is justifying and remitting of sin; in this is also implicitly included the article of the Incarnation and Passion of Christ, and the others that are required for our justification.

Reply Obj. 10: To the tenth it must be said that the motion of humility follows upon the motion of faith, inasmuch as someone, having considered the loftiness of divine majesty, subjects oneself to it; and so the motion of humility is not the first that is required in justification.

Reply Obj. 11: To the eleventh it must be said that there is included in the general justification, about which we are now speaking, the due ordering of man to God, as was said above; (Above: a. 1.) and so faith as well as hope and charity are contained under such justice.

Reply Obj. 12: To the twelfth it must be said that sin prevents grace in a special way by reason of a turning away; and thus free choice's turning back toward God is needed in order to remove this impediment.