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Objection 1: It would seem that at least the punishment of
Christians is brought to an end by the mercy of God. "For he that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mk. 16:16). Now
this applies to every Christian. Therefore all Christians will at
length be saved.
Objection 2: Further, it is written (Jn. 6:55): "He that
eateth My body and drinketh My blood hath eternal life." Now this
is the meat and drink whereof Christians partake in common. Therefore
all Christians will be saved at length.
Objection 3: Further, "If any man's work burn, he shall suffer
loss: but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire" (1 Cor.
3:15), where it is a question of those who have the foundation of
the Christian faith. Therefore all such persons will be saved in the
end.
On the contrary, It is written (1 Cor. 6:9): "The unjust
shall not possess the kingdom of God." Now some Christians are
unjust. Therefore Christians will not all come to the kingdom of
God, and consequently they will be punished for ever.
Further, it is written (2 Pt. 2:21): "It had been better
for them not to have known the way of justice, than after they have
known it, to turn back from that holy commandment which was delivered
to them." Now those who know not the way of truth will be punished
for ever. Therefore Christians who have turned back after knowing it
will also be punished for ever.
I answer that, According to Augustine (De Civ. Dei xxi,
20,21), there have been some who predicted a delivery from
eternal punishment not for all men, but only for Christians. although
they stated the matter in different ways. For some said that whoever
received the sacraments of faith would be immune from eternal
punishment. But this is contrary to the truth, since some receive the
sacraments of faith, and yet have not faith, without which "it is
impossible to please God" (Heb. 11:6). Wherefore others said
that those alone will be exempt from eternal punishment who have
received the sacraments of faith, and professed the Catholic faith.
But against this it would seem to be that at one time some people
profess the Catholic faith, and afterwards abandon it, and these are
deserving not of a lesser but of a greater punishment, since according
to 2 Pt. 2:21, "it had been better for them not to have known
the way of justice than, after they have known it, to turn back."
Moreover it is clear that heresiarchs who renounce the Catholic faith
and invent new heresies sin more grievously than those who have
conformed to some heresy from the first. And therefore some have
maintained that those alone are exempt from eternal punishment, who
persevere to the end in the Catholic faith, however guilty they may
have been of other crimes. But this is clearly contrary to Holy
Writ, for it is written (James 2:20): "Faith without works
is dead," and (Mt. 7:21) "Not every one that saith to Me,
Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that
doth the will of My Father Who is in heaven": and in many other
passages Holy Scripture threatens sinners with eternal punishment.
Consequently those who persevere in the faith unto the end will not all
be exempt from eternal punishment, unless in the end they prove to be
free from other crimes.
Reply to Objection 1: Our Lord speaks there of formed faith
[SS, Question 4, Article 3] "that worketh by love ":
wherein whosoever dieth shall be saved. But to this faith not only is
the error of unbelief opposed, but also any mortal sin whatsoever.
Reply to Objection 2: The saying of our Lord refers not to those
who partake only sacramentally, and who sometimes by receiving
unworthily "eat and drink judgment" to themselves (1 Cor.
11:29), but to those who eat spiritually and are incorporated
with Him by charity, which incorporation is the effect of the
sacramental eating, in those who approach worthily [TP, Question
80, Articles 1,2,3]. Wherefore, so far as the power of the
sacrament is concerned, it brings us to eternal life, although sin may
deprive us of that fruit, even after we have received worthily.
Reply to Objection 3: In this passage of the Apostle the
foundation denotes formed faith, upon which whosoever shall build
venial sins [FS, Question 89, Article 2] "shall suffer
loss," because he will be punished for them by God; yet "he himself
shall be saved" in the end "by fire," either of temporal
tribulation, or of the punishment of purgatory which will be after
death.
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