Chapter 97 — That God is a living being

From what has been already proved, it follows of necessity that God is a living being.

For it has been shown (Cc. 44, 72.) that in God there are intelligence and will. Now intelligence and will are only in that which lives. Therefore, God is a living being.

Again. Life is ascribed to certain things inasmuch as they seem to be set in motion of themselves and not by another. For which reason, things which seem to be moved of themselves, whose movers are not perceived by the unlearned, are described metaphorically as living: for instance, we speak of the living water of a flowing source, but not of a tank or stagnant pond; and of quicksilver, which seems to have a kind of movement. For properly speaking, those things alone are themselves in motion which move themselves (being composed of mover and moved), such as animate beings. Therefore, such things alone are said to live, while all others are moved by some other thing: either as generating them, or as removing an obstacle, or as impelling them. And since sensible operations are accompanied by movement, finally whatever moves itself to its proper operations, although these be without movement, is said to live: thus intelligence, appetite, and sensation are vital actions. Now God especially works not as moved by another but by himself, since he is the first active cause. (Ch. 13.) Therefore, to live befits him the most.

Again. The divine being contains every perfection of being, as was shown above. (Ch. 28.) Now life is a kind of perfect existence; therefore, living beings are placed above non-living things in the order of beings. Therefore, God’s being is life. Therefore, he is a living being.

This is confirmed by the authority of divine Scripture. For it is said in the person of the Lord: I will say: ‘I live forever’ (Deut 32:40); and in the Psalm: my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God (Ps 84:2[83:3]).