Thomas Aquinas

Above, in recounting the benefit of God by which we have been freed from sin, the Apostle had interjected that we were saved by the grace of Christ; but now he intends to prove that. Concerning this he does two things. First, he sets forth his intention; second, he makes clear what he had proposed, at the place "and that not of yourselves," etc.

He says, therefore, first: I said well that it is by grace that you are saved; and indeed I still say it confidently — for "for" here stands for "because" — you are saved by grace. 1 Corinthians 15:10: "By the grace of God I am what I am." Romans 3:24: "justified freely by his grace." For to be saved and to be justified are the same thing. For salvation implies liberation from dangers; hence the perfect salvation of man will be in eternal life, when he will be immune from all dangers, just as a ship is said to be saved when it comes into port. Isaiah 60:18: "Salvation shall occupy your walls, and praise your gates." Now men receive the hope of this salvation while in the present they are justified from sin, and according to this they are said to be saved, according to that word of Romans 8:24: "for we are saved by hope." But this salvation of grace is through the faith of Christ. For in the justification of the ungodly, together with the infusion of grace, there concurs, in adults, a movement of faith toward God. Luke 8:48: "Go in peace, your faith has made you safe." Romans 5:1: "being justified therefore by faith, let us have peace."

Then, when he says "and that not of yourselves," etc., he makes clear what he had said, first as to faith, which is the foundation of the whole spiritual edifice; second as to grace, at the place "for we are his workmanship," etc.

Concerning the first he excludes two errors, of which the first is this: since he had said that we are saved through faith, someone could believe that faith itself was from us, and that to believe is something established within our own free will. And so, excluding this, he says "and that not of yourselves." For free will does not suffice for believing, because the things that belong to faith are above reason. Ecclesiasticus 3:25: "Many things are shown to you above the understanding of man." 1 Corinthians 2:11: "the things that are of God no one knows, except the Spirit of God," etc. And therefore that man believes — this he cannot have of himself, unless God gives it, according to that word of Wisdom 9:17: "But your sense who shall know, unless you give wisdom, and send your holy spirit from on high?" For which reason he adds "for it is the gift of God," namely, faith itself. Philippians 1:29: "For unto you it is given for Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him," etc. 1 Corinthians 12:9: "to another is given faith in the same spirit."

Second, he excludes another error. For someone could believe that faith was given to us by God by the merit of preceding works; and, to exclude this, he adds "not of works" — namely, preceding works — by which we did not at any time merit this gift, that we should be saved, since this is of grace, as was said above, according to that word of Romans 11:6: "but if by grace, now it is not of works, otherwise grace is no more grace." He then adds the reason why God saves men through faith, without preceding merits: so that no one may glory in himself, but all the glory may be referred to God. Psalm 113:1: "Not to us, Lord, not to us," etc. 1 Corinthians 1:29: "that no flesh should glory in his sight; but of him you are in Christ Jesus."

Then, when he says "for we are his workmanship," etc., he makes clear what he had said as to grace. Concerning this he does two things. First, he makes clear the infusion of grace; second, he declares the predestination of grace, at the place "which God has prepared," etc.

Now two things pertain to the nature of grace, which have also already been stated; of these the first is that what exists through grace should not be present in man through himself, or from himself, but from the gift of God. And as to this he says "for we are his workmanship," because, namely, whatever good we have is not from ourselves, but from God who makes it. Psalm 99:3: "He made us, and not we ourselves." Deuteronomy 32:6: "Is not he your father, who has possessed, made, and created you?" And it is continued immediately with what precedes, so that it is said: lest anyone glory, namely because we are his workmanship. Or it can be continued with what he had said above: "for by grace we are saved."

Second, it pertains to the nature of grace that it should not be from preceding works, and this is expressed in that he adds "created." For to create is to make something out of nothing; hence when someone is justified without preceding merits, he can be said to be created, as if made out of nothing. Now this action, namely the creation of justice, is done by the power of Christ, who gives the Holy Spirit. For which reason he adds "in Christ Jesus," that is, through Christ Jesus. Galatians, last chapter: "for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature." Psalm 103:30: "Send forth your spirit, and they shall be created."

Further, not only is the habit of virtue and grace given to us, but interiorly we are renewed by the Spirit unto acting well. Hence he adds "unto good works," because, namely, the good works themselves are from God to us. Isaiah 26:12: "for you have wrought all our works in us." And because "whom he predestined, these he also called," namely by grace, as is said in Romans 8:30, therefore he adds concerning predestination, saying "which," namely the good works, "God has prepared." For predestination is nothing other than the preparation of the benefits of God, among which benefits our own good works are also reckoned. Now God is said to prepare certain things for us, insofar as he has disposed that he will give them to us. Psalm 64:10: "you have prepared their food," etc.

But lest anyone should understand that good works are thus prepared for us by God in such a way that we contribute nothing to them through free will, he therefore adds "that we should walk in them," as if to say: he has so prepared them for us, that we ourselves should fulfill them for ourselves through free will. "For we are God's co-workers," as is said in 1 Corinthians 3:9. For which reason the Apostle said of himself, in 1 Corinthians 15:10: "his grace in me has not been void, but I have labored more abundantly than all of them; yet not I, but the grace of God with me." He says pointedly "let us walk," so as to designate the progress of good work, according to that word of John 12:35: "walk while you have the light." Below, 5:8: "walk as children of light."