Grace, Actual and Habitual: A Dogmatic TreatisePohle, Joseph
Religion
Grace, Actual and Habitual: A Dogmatic Treatise
Pohle, Joseph
Grace (Theology)
1. SANCTITY.—The first among the formal effects of sanctifying grace (an
effect connoted by its very name) is sanctity. Eph. IV, 24: “Put on the
new man, who according to God is created in justice and holiness of
truth.”(1051) The Tridentine Council explicitly mentions sanctity as an
effect of sanctifying grace: “Justification ... is not remission of sins
merely, but also the sanctification and renewal of the inward man through
the voluntary reception of the grace and of the gifts whereby man from
unjust becomes just.”(1052) It follows that the two elements of active
justification, _viz._: remission of sin and sanctification, are also
constitutive elements of habitual or sanctifying grace. For it is
precisely by the infusion of sanctifying grace that sin is wiped out and
sanctity established in its place.(1053)
a) By sanctifying grace the justified man becomes a living member
(_membrum vivum_) of the mystical body of Christ. His sins, it is true,
did not forfeit membership in the Church, so long as he preserved the
faith, but by sinning he became a dead member who can regain life only by
returning to the state of grace. Grace is the life of the soul, sin its
death. Hence the evil of mortal sin can be most effectively illustrated by
contrast with the glory of divine grace, and _vice versa_. Cfr. Gal. II,
20: “And I live, now not I, but Christ liveth in me.”(1054)
b) He who hates mortal sin and faithfully obeys the will of God, enjoys
peace of heart,(1055) whereas the sinner is incessantly harassed by qualms
of conscience. The faithful Christian rejoices in serving His Master and
combats the flesh, the world, and the devil with a fortitude that not
infrequently rises to heroic proportions, as the example of many holy men
and women proves.
c) Sanctifying grace entails a particular providence, inasmuch as, by
means of it, God grants man His special assistance towards preserving the
state of grace, without, of course, interfering with free-will. Cfr. Is.
XLIX, 16: “Behold, I have graven thee in my hands.”(1056) Rom. VIII, 28:
“... to them that love God, all things work together unto good.”(1057)
Mediately, God also proves his special love for the just man by shielding
him from bodily and spiritual danger.
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