Thomas Aquinas

Above, the Apostle forbade carnal sins; here he threatens the penalty of damnation, which is inflicted on sinners. Concerning this he does two things. For first he assures them of this; second he recounts the sins one by one, there: "that no fornicator," etc.

He says therefore, "Know this, understanding" — that is, actually, not only habitually — hold it for certain. 1 John 3: "These things I have written to you, that you may know," etc. And what? That every fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous person, which is the service of idols, does not have inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Note that here he calls avarice idolatry, since idolatry is when the honor owed to God alone is rendered to a creature. Now honor is owed to God in two ways: namely, that we establish our end in him, and that we place our trust in him finally. Therefore whoever places this in creatures is guilty of idolatry. But the covetous man does this, who places his end in a created thing, and also his whole trust. Hosea 8:4: "They made for themselves their silver and their gold into idols, that they might perish." And this, because, as it is said in Proverbs 11:28: "He who trusts in his riches shall fall."

But since in other sins man also places his end in a creature, to which he clings by love, why is the sinner not also called an idolater in those cases? I respond: to commit idolatry is to worship something external undeservedly. Now in other sins the end is placed in interior things, as it were in one's own exaltation. But he who places his end in riches places his end in them as in an external thing, like the idolater. But are the covetous, who show to a creature the honor owed to God, really idolaters, and per se? I say no, because in moral matters acts or works are judged from their end. He therefore is per se an idolater who intends per se to show worship to a creature. But the covetous man does not intend this per se; rather he does this per accidens, insofar as he loves excessively and inordinately.

And what of such a man? "He will not have inheritance" — since indeed it is children who are also heirs, as is said in Romans 8:17. But now such men, who are thus carnal, are not children; therefore they do not have inheritance, because, as is said in 1 Corinthians 15:50: "Flesh and blood shall not possess the kingdom of God" — that is, God, who says in Ezekiel 44:28: "I am their inheritance."

But it could be asked: if this inheritance is God himself, since he is indivisible and unpartitionable, why does he say "in the kingdom of Christ and God" divisively, as if this inheritance were divisible? I respond: our inheritance consists in the enjoyment of God; but now God enjoys himself in one way, and we enjoy him in another; for God perfectly enjoys himself, because he perfectly knows himself and totally loves himself as much as he is knowable and lovable. But it is not so with us, because although we perfectly know him in our homeland, and consequently love him — since he who attains something simple knows the whole of it, even if not totally, just as, if the light of the sun were a single point, the human eye would apprehend it wholly, though not totally, whereas the eye of the eagle would totally comprehend it — so too, if we perfectly know God in our homeland and perfectly love him, yet we do not totally comprehend him, therefore there seems to be there a certain imperfection and particularity. And therefore he says "of Christ and of God" conjointly, as though setting part with part, that is, because the inheritance is had through Christ and not through another.

Then, when he says "let no man deceive you," here he excludes the deceit of seducers. And concerning this he does two things. For first he sets down the admonition; second he adds its reason, there: "for you were once darkness," etc. The first again is divided into two, because first he warns them not to be seduced by words, by believing them; second, that they not share with them by doing evil, there: "be not therefore made," etc. The first is still divided into two, because first he removes the seductions; second he shows the sign of the seduction, there: "for because of this the wrath comes," etc.

It should be noted, therefore, that in carnal vices he taught only to beware of seduction, because from the beginning, so that men might freely enjoy their desires, they thought to find reasons that fornications and such venereal acts were not sins. And therefore he says "with vain words," because such words are without reason, which say that such things are not sins, nor exclude one from the kingdom of God and of Christ. Colossians 2:8: "See that no one deceive you through prophecy and vain deceit." And that such men are seducers and such words are seducing, he shows, because unless carnal sins were sins, they would not be punished by God, since, as God is just, he does not inflict punishment without fault. But now such things are punished by God, therefore they are sins.

He proves the minor premise, when he says "for because of these things the wrath of God comes" — namely on account of carnal sins — "upon the sons of unbelief," as was evident in the flood; likewise in the case of the Sodomites; likewise the tribe of Benjamin was almost entirely consumed on account of these things. But he says "sons of unbelief," because those sinning in this way distrust regarding eternal life; for if one acting thus were to hope for eternal life, it would be presumption rather than hope, which is the certain expectation of future beatitude from merits, etc. Hence above, 4:19: "who, despairing, have given themselves up to shamelessness, unto the working of all uncleanness, unto covetousness." Wisdom 7: "Let there be no meadow that our luxury does not pass through," etc. And it follows at the end of the chapter: "because such men did not hope for the reward of righteousness," etc.

He says therefore that upon "the sons of unbelief" — that is, those who do not trust in eternal joys — comes "the wrath of God," namely on account of sins. Or "of unbelief," that is, those concerning whom trust should not be placed, as far as it depends on their merits. And therefore he concludes, "do not therefore become partakers with them," namely by sharing with them in such works. 2 Corinthians 6:14f.: "For what participation has righteousness with iniquity, or what fellowship has light with darkness, or what communion has Christ with Belial, or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?"