SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS’ PREDESTINATION

2/6/2024

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Whether men are predestined by God?

Everything is subjected to the Divine Providence of the Living God. Therefore, it is proper for people to be predestined by God. Now, this is separate from the calvinist view of “double predestination” which was a product of the protestant reformation in that a sign of worldly success through material possessions confirmed in their own minds that they were saved and were going to heaven, or other views of predestination which negates the free will of man and pushes the false narrative that God has already predetermined our reward and punishment, thus there is nothing we can do better or worse so as to please Him or do good to those around us. As mentioned earlier, God allows for Primary and Secondary causes by way of the freewill so as to lead back to His end which is rest in Him. Rather, the predestination that Saint Thomas Aquinas mentions has two parts which finds its rest and end in God; one, eternal life in a state where our intellect (soul) is raised up to see Him and have the knowledge of Him in glory. The second end, reaching beyond the proportion and faculties of nature by the power of its own nature. If by the power of the creature’s own nature cannot reach for what it was meant for by its own ability, skill, knowledge, or understanding, then it must be guided to it through assistance, just as a rock on a sling is pulled back and aimed at a target. Surely, the rock (the person meant for eternal life) makes a good projectile and can damage its target (eternal life in the presence of God in glory), but that is not enough and it can not do it on its own. It needs something more; in this case, a slingshot (Providence) and someone to aim it and release it (God’s will for that soul to be saved - predestination). So it is for predestination in that God’s intellect and will, He directs men by His Providence, the just ordering of things, to glory in eternal life even if they are lacking the ability to currently do so at the moment because of sin, ignorance, disobedience, confusion, and the like. Thus there is the illuminating light from the Spirit of Grace which raises up the intellect to the knowledge of the Truth, and to which guides its projectile on to target where it should so as to experience eternal life in the realm of the living. This concept also applies to angels, as God predestined them to know Him and have no end. So it is for people, whom He gives His grace to so they are preserved.

Whether predestination places anything in the predestined?

To predestine someone or something is to have the idea of what should occur in the mind of the one who is making the decision. For example, a man purchases lumber for the purpose of building a shed. He predestines the purchased lumbar to be cut and measured by calculated dimensions and forms to be assembled into something which shall store his desired goods. In this case, the becoming of a shed for storage made of wood is the calculated end of the purchased lumbar which the builder predestines use of. In this action, nothing is in the lumber as if the decision to turn it into a shed was its own, for that resides in the builder’s mind (Predestination) and will which guides the pieces of wood in an orderly fashion to be assembled into a functional shed (Providence). Now, for the Divine Mind of God, the execution of His Providence is what we know as government, as was stated earlier, and this is a function carried out passively (as in a secondary causality allowed by God). For it was stated that God correctly orders things to their end and rest in Him, often directly (from Him actively), and by way of others through their choices and actions (from Him passively). This is what we call Providence. Now, from Providence we get Predestination, which is a type of ordering of some person’s eternal salvation. This does not belong to the person being saved, but only to God. For those who lack the ability to be saved will be given what they need to be saved as they may receive directly the Grace of God’s gifts, or receive passively from Him through others when someone hears a heart wrenching speech, intercessory prayers by devout Holy People, experience in the penal system, trials in warfare, or a series of unfortunate events that may bring the heart back to God so as to endure, survive, or go on living through the trauma experienced which may become unbearable to the soul which does not have assistance in attaining salvation through Him. Hence, God makes good come from evil, even though He doesn’t cause the evil that occurred through the actions of the free will in creatures; while even in this He carries out the decision of Predestination for others through His Providence.

Whether God reprobates any man?

God does reprobate some, but not on account of necessity as if this person were to be damned from birth, but on condition in that they do what they ought not to do in full knowledge of wrongdoing while also still refusing to repent or change their ways, so as to fall away from an end that would have resulted in their glory and beatitude. Furthermore, as Predestination falls under Providence which brings creation into glory, while also allowing for defect in them, so it is for reprobation which also belongs to Predestination in that they do not achieve that glory because of the condition they chose by their freewill. So it is for the Predestined to be glorified, it is also for the reprobate to be permitted to fall into sin and receive the punishment of damnation on account of those sins. Thus we all shall account for our deeds and motives, and the martyrs died to bring salvation to those in darkness; because if salvation exists, so must damnation exist all the more, and if nobody were accountable for their actions, then there would be no reward or punishment, nor would there be free will, or a crown of glory or a whip of chastisement.

Whether the predestined are chosen by God?

The Predestined are subjected to God’s election and love. In this way, it can be said that they are “chosen” by God in that He wills a good for them in a different way than someone else. So, in this way, they are Predestined for this good that was meant for them. Providence is also known as prudence because in another way it can be described as a plan existing in someone’s intellect for the correct ordering of something for the purpose of a calculated end. Furthermore, how can something be directed to an end, if an end was never established for that something from the beginning? For in the will, a plan is devised and its end is carried out, some necessarily (active action of God) and others conditionally (passive action of God) as was stated earlier, so it is what we call Providence; and from this, those presupposed for eternal salvation are Predestined because there is a formulated end for them by way of prudence (the plan and ordering of the will). Now, in the order of reason, Predestination must be before election, and election before love while all of this is belonging to Providence (the correct ordering of things). Now, as for love, it can be said God “loves'' the Predestined because He wills a specific good for them higher or lower than others who may also receive their own type of good from Him according to His love; for when we love someone (not as God loves someone), it is because we recognized a good in them, thus we are incited to love that good which already exists and as a result we end up loving someone. But for God, His love is the kind that causes goodness in others, for our own love does not cause good in others and in this way “election” precedes love in us. As for election to God, as He wills a good for others and takes active steps to further carry out that end state of goodness, He also reprobates others who fail the condition (free will choice to neglect what was meant for them) leading to Glory and Beatitude, thus permitting them to fall further into sin and ultimate damnation. Additionally, it is important to realize that election and love is ordered differently in God as compared to people in reverse order. So, for God, love is before election, and election comes before Predestination (all still continuing to fall under Providence) because by way of God’s great love, He is the cause of goodness in all, and those whom He loves He also elects (calls), and for those who He loves through election is also the same ones whom He Predestined according to His Divine Providence. See for yourself, when you yourself “love” something, is your belief or feeling the cause of the goodness in the thing you identified worthy of your love? No, it already existed there, and you are now coming to the realization of its presence and you cannot help but to love that quality or attribute you see to which attracts your senses (both physically and spiritually). Know this, it is really God who put that there, for His love causes goodness in others, and although the act you may think which is love being directed towards another, what you are actually doing is loving God in a lesser state or form of worship, for you see His work and presence, but you do not acknowledge it as such. Nonetheless, you love what you see and seek to be in its presence!

Whether the foreknowledge of merits is the cause of predestination?

Some in the past believed that the good deeds we may have committed in a former life are now being made manifest to us in this life on the basis of past merits. Also, there are some who have believed that the different states based on the merits of work in a past life has given us a diversity of different states of grace that are received in the present, as if Predestination were dependent upon the freewill of man to act accordingly and be rewarded in kind. Furthermore, others have said that the effects following Predestination are the reason why it occurred. This is all false, because an act (doing something) which comes forth from the free will (thinking about it) cannot happen before the free will devises the decision to carry out an act, and in this way, it cannot be said that anything began in us of our own accord which led to the effect of Predestination, or that the free will now becomes a separate flow from what is Predestination and the will of God who manifests Grace as an effect flowing from Predestination. Rather, it is one flow which is from God, whose Primary Causes allow for secondary causes, and not that they are separate or their own sources of effects, but that they are the same in that they all flow from Him as the source. So, when grace is inferred upon the individual by way of Predestination, and ultimately leading to eternal salvation and glory, the freewill is neither diminished or increased, nor is the grace being poured out from the source of the free will in the one whom is being saved, but in that all of the effects of grace, salvation, and good works are literally the effects of Predestination as God wills it. Just as the Holy Apostle Paul once said to the Romans and the Corinthians in summary: We are not sufficient to think anything of ourselves as if it came from ourselves and in a great house, there are many vessels, some for honorary use and others for dishonor. Just as God made things in their likeness; some for water, some for the air, and others by fire, so it is for the glory or shame of others according to His will. For who can question God on why a bird may have feathers or why a reptile may have scales, unless one wishes to fall into error or reprobation.

Whether predestination is certain?

The effect of Predestination will occur as it is supposed to; either by necessity (Primary Causes of God) or contingency (Secondary Causes of God) as the Lord allows according to the Divine Will. So as Predestination is of Providence, so is the order of Providence incapable of being wrong or making mistakes because of Intelligent Design which comes forth from God’s wisdom, which calls for the just and effective ordering of things as they are meant to be. Furthermore, this could be understood in two ways; one, God predestines someone to be glorified because of a decision He decided to act upon for the salvation of a soul, so the effect of this decision will occur. Second, by the merits which come forth from God’s Grace, which puts it in our hearts to have the idea of the good, to seek the good, and to carry out the good for others out of unselfishness and love for God alone. Some of this is what we choose to do, and belongs to us in a way according to what the free will allows for and accounts for, but in another way, acknowledging the power of the Living God who allows for such a spirit to persist in doing His will so as to attain glory as a gift which belongs to God alone who is the source of all righteousness found in someone who carries out good works that are visible to others. However, this can be lost by way of the free will choice to freely engage in mortal sin to which an accounting must be rendered. In this way, some who were meant for glory have fallen from glory, and that same glory which was meant for them has passed on to another so as to glorify those who value it, keep it, honor it, seek it, and who can bring themselves to preserve it.

Whether the number of the predestined is certain?

The numbers of those who are predestined for salvation are certain to God in that He alone knows what His effects in the universe shall require by way of number for the just ordering of things. For example, the number of species which are driven by their senses, such as birds and fish maintain the numbers they need to sustain their populations so as to sustain other dependent life forms interacting in nature by preserving them through His Divine Providence. But for the rational creature, and especially the mortal intellect which is the soul wrapped in bone, blood, and vessels, God preordained a number for the ultimate good of the universe, incorruptible and destined for eternal joy and glory, because of His special love and great interest in them by way of Predestination, even at the opposition of the rebellious angels who believed spirit was enough rather than spirit wrapped in flesh. As for the existence of the reprobate, those who are allowed to fall are also pre-ordained in a way that serves the good of the elect, for what is bad or evil is used for good by God so as to glorify, rebuke, correct, and guide those onto the correct path towards salvation and beautification.

Whether predestination can be furthered by the prayer of the saints?

This could be understood in two ways; one, the effect of divine ordination in that God elects someone for the purpose of salvation so that what He intends to accomplish is done. In no way is this the effect of a secondary cause, which would be the prayers or prompting of the created. Rather, it is God’s primary cause (direct action) being carried out, and this belongs to Him alone. Second, by way of contingency (secondary causes), Predestination which comes from Providence is helped along by way of good works from an intermediary or another, by way of prayer, speech, evangelization, conversation, acts of love, bravery, caring, and many more actions someone could carry out by prompting of the Holy Spirit. These things are allowed in the order of the Primary Cause within the Universal Form (the out of bounds limits which contain secondary causes). Keep in mind, actions such as prayers and good deeds of the created are not the source of Predestination, only God is, rather they are helped along by its effects. Finally, it is important to note that the Predestined must strive to do good works and seek God in prayer so the order of Predestination in others may be fulfilled in its entirety. This is accomplished through alms giving, acts of spiritual charity, feats of bravery, acts of love, and the blood and testimony of the martyrs and Saints, which are effects made perfect in those who are Predestined for the edification of the elect.

I am blessed to be a Third Order Lay Dominican. However, the ideas expressed in this post are my own and do not represent the endorsement of or position of the Order of Preachers as a whole.

Commentary regarding Saint Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologiae derived from: ST part (I), Q. 1-26 from newadvent.org with permission.

Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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