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Objection 1: It would seem that man's actions, good or evil, are
not meritorious or demeritorious in the sight of God. Because, as
stated above (Article 3), merit and demerit imply relation to
retribution for good or harm done to another. But a man's action,
good or evil, does no good or harm to God; for it is written (Job
35:6,7): "If thou sin, what shalt thou hurt Him? . . .
And if thou do justly, what shalt thou give Him?" Therefore a
human action, good or evil, is not meritorious or demeritorious in the
sight of God.
Objection 2: Further, an instrument acquires no merit or demerit in
the sight of him that uses it; because the entire action of the
instrument belongs to the user. Now when man acts he is the instrument
of the Divine power which is the principal cause of his action; hence
it is written (Is. 10:15): "Shall the axe boast itself
against him that cutteth with it? Or shall the saw exalt itself
against him by whom it is drawn?" where man while acting is evidently
compared to an instrument. Therefore man merits or demerits nothing in
God's sight, by good or evil deeds.
Objection 3: Further, a human action acquires merit or demerit
through being ordained to someone else. But not all human actions are
ordained to God. Therefore not every good or evil action acquires
merit or demerit in God's sight.
On the contrary, It is written (Eccles. 12:14): "All
things that are done, God will bring into judgment . . . whether it
be good or evil." Now judgment implies retribution, in respect of
which we speak of merit and demerit. Therefore every human action,
both good and evil, acquires merit or demerit in God's sight.
I answer that, A human action, as stated above (Article 3),
acquires merit or demerit, through being ordained to someone else,
either by reason of himself, or by reason of the community: and in
each way, our actions, good and evil, acquire merit or demerit, in
the sight of God. On the part of God Himself, inasmuch as He is
man's last end; and it is our duty to refer all our actions to the
last end, as stated above (Question 19, Article 10).
Consequently, whoever does an evil deed, not referable to God, does
not give God the honor due to Him as our last end. On the part of
the whole community of the universe, because in every community, he
who governs the community, cares, first of all, for the common good;
wherefore it is his business to award retribution for such things as are
done well or ill in the community. Now God is the governor and ruler
of the whole universe, as stated in the FP, Question 103,
Article 5: and especially of rational creatures. Consequently it is
evident that human actions acquire merit or demerit in reference to
Him: else it would follow that human actions are no business of
God's.
Reply to Objection 1: God in Himself neither gains nor losses
anything by the action of man: but man, for his part, takes something
from God, or offers something to Him, when he observes or does not
observe the order instituted by God.
Reply to Objection 2: Man is so moved, as an instrument, by
God, that, at the same time, he moves himself by his free-will, as
was explained above (Question 9, Article 6, ad 3).
Consequently, by his action, he acquires merit or demerit in God's
sight.
Reply to Objection 3: Man is not ordained to the body politic,
according to all that he is and has; and so it does not follow that
every action of his acquires merit or demerit in relation to the body
politic. But all that man is, and can, and has, must be referred to
God: and therefore every action of man, whether good or bad,
acquires merit or demerit in the sight of God, as far as the action
itself is concerned.
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