305. Merit, Grace, and the Holy Spirit in Justification

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Lecture Notes

Main Topics #

The Paradox of Human Merit #

• How can humans merit something from God when they owe God everything?
• Merit requires a presupposition of divine ordering, not a transaction that makes God a debtor
• God orders human acts to reward through divine providence, making merit possible
• Merit is secundum quid (in a certain respect), not simpliciter (absolutely)

Two Types of Merit #

Condign Merit (ex condigno) #

• Merit that is worthy; the reward equals the act performed
• Requires strict justice and proportional equality
• Cannot be achieved by human works alone in present life
• When the grace of the Holy Spirit is the source, merit becomes condign
• The act is measured according to the power of the Holy Spirit moving toward eternal life

Congruous Merit (ex congruitate) #

• Merit that is fitting or suitable, not strictly equal
• Based on divine promise and ordering: “if you do this, then I will give you that”
• Applies to natural human acts ordered by God to reward
• Does not require equality but propriety

Grace and the Holy Spirit #

• Grace is necessary for two reasons in fallen humanity: (1) to elevate nature beyond its proportion, (2) to reconcile the sinner to God
• The Holy Spirit inhabits the soul through grace
• Grace in the present life, though not equal to glory in act, is equal in virtute (power)
• The Holy Spirit is the sufficient cause of eternal life

The Problem of Inequality #

• Maximum inequality exists between God and creatures
• God receives no useful benefit from human works
• God seeks only the manifestation of His goodness through our actions
• This inequality prevents simple merit but allows for merit in a qualified sense through divine ordering

Eternal Life and Created Nature #

• Eternal life exceeds the proportion of created nature
• It exceeds both knowledge and desire (1 Corinthians 2:9)
• No created nature alone is sufficient to merit eternal life
• Man in integral nature (before the Fall) could not merit eternal life without grace
• Man in corrupt nature (after sin) requires grace doubly: to lift the impediment of sin and to elevate nature

Key Arguments #

Article 2: Can Man Merit Eternal Life Without Grace? #

Objection: Man is naturally ordered to beatitude. Therefore, by his natural powers without grace, he can merit eternal life.

Response: Eternal life exceeds the proportion of created nature because it exceeds even knowledge and desire. No created nature provides a sufficient beginning for an act meritorious of eternal life unless supernatural grace is added.

Additional reason in fallen humanity: Since sin is an offense against God that excludes from eternal life, nothing in a state of sin can merit eternal life unless first reconciled through grace.

Article 3: Is Merit Condign or Congruous? #

Objection 1: The passions of saints seem most meritorious, yet Romans 8:18 says they are not condign to future glory. Therefore, no works are meritorious ex condigno.

Response: The apostle speaks of passions according to their substance, not according as they are informed by grace and the Holy Spirit. When considered according to grace, merit can be condign.

Objection 2: Romans 6:23 says “by the grace of God, eternal life,” implying merit is not involved.

Response: The text should be understood regarding the first cause of arriving at eternal life, which is God’s mercy. Our merit is a causa subsequens (subsequent cause). We should not forget that all started from God and be thankful, rather than insisting on our merits.

Objection 3: Scripture (2 Timothy 4:8) says “a crown of justice which the Lord will render to me,” suggesting justice requires equality.

Response: When merit is considered according to the grace of the Holy Spirit as its source, it is meritorious of eternal life ex condigno. The work’s value is measured according to the dignity of the grace through which man becomes adopted as a son of God, to which inheritance is owed by right of adoption.

Important Definitions #

Merit (meritum) #

An act that deserves reward according to a divinely established ordering. Requires: (1) presupposition of divine ordering, (2) voluntary action through free will.

Condign Merit (ex condigno) #

Merit that is worthy and strictly equal to the reward. Properly applies when the grace of the Holy Spirit is considered as the source and measure of the meritorious act.

Congruous Merit (ex congruitate) #

Merit that is fitting or suitable without strict equality. Based on God’s established order and promise to recompense those who do what they can according to their natural power.

Grace (gratia) #

A supernatural gift infused by God that both elevates human nature beyond its natural proportion and reconciles sinners to God. The Holy Spirit inhabits the soul in grace.

Eternal life (vita aeterna) #

The beatitude or supreme good consisting in the vision of God face-to-face. It exceeds created nature in both actuality and even in desire.

Examples & Illustrations #

The Allowance Example #

Berquist’s childhood: three brothers received different weekly allowances (10¢, 5¢, 2¢). If a child spends his own money to buy a gift for his parents, the parents appreciate it more and might increase the allowance. This illustrates how merit works: the money came from God (the parents), but the child’s voluntary choice to use it for the parents makes it meritorious and worthy of reward.

The Seed and Tree Analogy #

An acorn is not yet an oak tree but contains the power of the whole tree. Similarly, grace in the present life is like a seed; glory (eternal life) is like the mature tree. Though not equal in act (actuality), the seed is equal in virtute (power) to what it will become. This justifies calling grace condign merit when considered according to the Holy Spirit inhabiting the soul.

The Bat’s Eye Analogy #

Arinstotle said man’s eye is to seeing God like the bat’s eye is to daylight—too bright, causing blindness. Natural human knowledge cannot see God as He is; the happiness Aristotle describes is less than the beatific vision that requires grace.

Notable Quotes #

“God orders human nature to the end of eternal life, achieving that not by His own power but by the aid of grace. And in this way, his act can be meritorious of eternal life.”

“The grace of the Holy Spirit which we have in the present, although it be not equal to glory in act, is nevertheless equal in virtute, in power.”

“Eternal life exceeds even the knowledge and desire [of created nature]. According to that of 1 Corinthians 2:9: ‘Neither has eye seen, nor ear heard, nor has it ascended in the heart.’”

“That word of the gloss should be understood as regards the first cause of arriving at eternal life, which is the mercy of God. But our merit is a causa subsequens. And he’s very subtle, that Thomas.”

“Through grace, the Holy Spirit inhabits a man. Who is a sufficient causa of eternal life? Whence he is said to be the pledge of our inheritance.”

Questions Addressed #

Can humans merit eternal life without grace? #

Answer: No. For two reasons: (1) Eternal life exceeds the proportion of created nature, exceeding even knowledge and desire, so no created nature alone can suffice for such a meritorious act; (2) In fallen humanity, sin excludes from eternal life, requiring grace first for reconciliation and removal of the impediment.

Is human merit condign or congruous? #

Answer: Both perspectives are true depending on how the meritorious work is considered. According to the substance of the work itself as proceeding from free will, it is meritorious only ex congruitate (by fittingness). According as it proceeds from the grace of the Holy Spirit, it is meritorious of eternal life ex condigno (by worthy desert). The grace, though not equal to glory in act, is equal in power.

How does divine justice reconcile with human merit? #

Answer: Through the doctrine of divine ordering. God is not made a debtor to us by our works, but a debtor to Himself regarding the fulfillment of His established order. The work’s value is measured according to the dignity of the grace through which we become adopted sons of God, to which inheritance is owed by right of adoption.