Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that men were not freed from the punishment of sin by Christ's Passion. For the chief punishment of sin is eternal damnation. But those damned in hell for their sins were not set free by Christ's Passion, because "in hell there is no redemption" . It seems, therefore, that Christ's Passion did not deliver men from the punishment of sin.

Objection 2: Further, no punishment should be imposed upon them who are delivered from the debt of punishment. But a satisfactory punishment is imposed upon penitents. Consequently, men were not freed from the debt of punishment by Christ's Passion.

Objection 3: Further, death is a punishment of sin, according to Rm. 6:23: "The wages of sin is death." But men still die after Christ's Passion. Therefore it seems that we have not been delivered from the debt of punishment.

On the contrary, It is written (Is. 53:4): "Surely He hath borne our iniquities and carried our sorrows."

I answer that, Through Christ's Passion we have been delivered from the debt of punishment in two ways. First of all, directly---namely, inasmuch as Christ's Passion was sufficient and superabundant satisfaction for the sins of the whole human race: but when sufficient satisfaction has been paid, then the debt of punishment is abolished. In another way---indirectly, that is to say---in so far as Christ's Passion is the cause of the forgiveness of sin, upon which the debt of punishment rests.

Reply to Objection 1: Christ's Passion works its effect in them to whom it is applied, through faith and charity and the sacraments of faith. And, consequently, the lost in hell cannot avail themselves of its effects, since they are not united to Christ in the aforesaid manner.

Reply to Objection 2: As stated above (Article 1, ad 4,5), in order to secure the effects of Christ's Passion, we must be likened unto Him. Now we are likened unto Him sacramentally in Baptism, according to Rm. 6:4: "For we are buried together with Him by baptism into death." Hence no punishment of satisfaction is imposed upon men at their baptism, since they are fully delivered by Christ's satisfaction. But because, as it is written (1 Pt. 3:18), "Christ died" but "once for our sins," therefore a man cannot a second time be likened unto Christ's death by the sacrament of Baptism. Hence it is necessary that those who sin after Baptism be likened unto Christ suffering by some form of punishment or suffering which they endure in their own person; yet, by the co-operation of Christ's satisfaction, much lighter penalty suffices than one that is proportionate to the sin.

Reply to Objection 3: Christ's satisfaction works its effect in us inasmuch as we are incorporated with Him, as the members with their head, as stated above (Article 1). Now the members must be conformed to their head. Consequently, as Christ first had grace in His soul with bodily passibility, and through the Passion attained to the glory of immortality, so we likewise, who are His members, are freed by His Passion from all debt of punishment, yet so that we first receive in our souls "the spirit of adoption of sons," whereby our names are written down for the inheritance of immortal glory, while we yet have a passible and mortal body: but afterwards, "being made conformable" to the sufferings and death of Christ, we are brought into immortal glory, according to the saying of the Apostle (Rm. 8:17): "And if sons, heirs also: heirs indeed of God, and joint heirs with Christ; yet so if we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified with Him."

Articulus 3

Argumentum 1

Ad tertium sic proceditur. Videtur quod per passionem christi non fuerunt homines liberati a poena peccati. Praecipua enim poena peccati est aeterna damnatio. Sed illi qui damnati erant in inferno pro suis peccatis, non sunt per christi passionem liberati, quia in inferno nulla est redemptio.

Ergo videtur quod passio christi non liberavit homines a poena.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, illis qui sunt liberati a reatu poenae, non est aliqua poena iniungenda. Sed poenitentibus iniungitur poena satisfactoria. Non ergo per passionem christi sunt homines liberati a reatu poenae.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, mors est poena peccati, secundum illud Rom. VI, stipendia peccati mors.

Sed adhuc post passionem christi homines moriuntur. Ergo videtur quod per passionem christi non sumus a reatu poenae liberati.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod dicitur Isaiae LIII, vere languores nostros ipse tulit, et dolores nostros ipse portavit.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod per passionem christi liberati sumus a reatu poenae dupliciter. Uno modo, directe, inquantum scilicet passio christi fuit sufficiens et superabundans satisfactio pro peccatis totius humani generis. Exhibita autem satisfactione sufficienti, tollitur reatus poenae. Alio modo, indirecte, inquantum scilicet passio christi est causa remissionis peccati, in quo fundatur reatus poenae.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod passio christi sortitur effectum suum in illis quibus applicatur per fidem et caritatem, et per fidei sacramenta. Et ideo damnati in inferno, qui praedicto modo passioni christi non coniunguntur, effectum eius percipere non possunt.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod, sicut dictum est, ad hoc quod consequamur effectum passionis christi, oportet nos ei configurari. Configuramur autem ei in baptismo sacramentaliter, secundum illud Rom. VI, consepulti sumus ei per baptismum in mortem.

Unde baptizatis nulla poena satisfactoria imponitur, quia sunt totaliter liberati per satisfactionem christi. Quia vero christus semel tantum pro peccatis nostris mortuus est, ut dicitur I Pet. III, ideo non potest homo secundario configurari morti christi per sacramentum baptismi. Unde oportet quod illi qui post baptismum peccant, configurentur christo patienti per aliquid poenalitatis vel passionis quam in seipsis sustineant. Quae tamen multo minor sufficit quam esset condigna peccato, cooperante satisfactione christi.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod satisfactio christi habet effectum in nobis inquantum incorporamur ei ut membra capiti, sicut supra dictum est.

Membra autem oportet capiti esse conformia. Et ideo, sicut christus primo quidem habuit gratiam in anima cum passibilitate corporis, et per passionem ad gloriam immortalitatis pervenit; ita et nos, qui sumus membra eius, per passionem ipsius liberamur quidem a reatu cuiuslibet poenae, ita tamen quod primo recipimus in anima spiritum adoptionis filiorum, quo adscribimur ad hereditatem gloriae immortalitatis, adhuc corpus passibile et mortale habentes; postmodum vero, configurati passionibus et morti christi, in gloriam immortalem perducimur; secundum illud apostoli, Rom. VIII, si filii dei, et heredes, heredes quidem dei, coheredes autem christi, si tamen compatimur, ut simul glorificemur.