Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It seems that Baptism should take away the penalties of sin that belong to this life. For as the Apostle says (Rm. 5:15), the gift of Christ is farther-reaching than the sin of Adam. But through Adam's sin, as the Apostle says (Rm. 5:12), "death entered into this world," and, consequently, all the other penalties of the present life. Much more, therefore, should man be freed from the penalties of the present life, by the gift of Christ which is received in Baptism.

Objection 2: Further, Baptism takes away the guilt of both original and actual sin. Now it takes away the guilt of actual sin in such a way as to free man from all debt of punishment resulting therefrom. Therefore it also frees man from the penalties of the present life, which are a punishment of original sin.

Objection 3: Further, if the cause be removed, the effect is removed. But the cause of these penalties is original sin, which is taken away by Baptism. Therefore such like penalties should not remain.

On the contrary, on Rm. 6:6, "that the body of sin may be destroyed," a gloss says: "The effect of Baptism is that the old man is crucified, and the body of sin destroyed, not as though the living flesh of man were delivered by the destruction of that concupiscence with which it has been bespattered from its birth; but that it may not hurt him, when dead, though it was in him when he was born." Therefore for the same reason neither are the other penalties taken away by Baptism.

I answer that, Baptism has the power to take away the penalties of the present life yet it does not take them away during the present life, but by its power they will be taken away from the just in the resurrection when "this mortal hath put on immortality" (1 Cor. 15:54). And this is reasonable. First, because, by Baptism, man is incorporated in Christ, and is made His member, as stated above (Article 3; Question 68, Article 5). Consequently it is fitting that what takes place in the Head should take place also in the member incorporated. Now, from the very beginning of His conception Christ was "full of grace and truth," yet He had a passible body, which through His Passion and death was raised up to a life of glory. Wherefore a Christian receives grace in Baptism, as to his soul; but he retains a passible body, so that he may suffer for Christ therein: yet at length he will be raised up to a life of impassibility. Hence the Apostle says (Rm. 8:11): "He that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead, shall quicken also our mortal bodies, because of His Spirit that dwelleth in us ": and further on in the same chapter (Rm. 8:17): "Heirs indeed of God, and joint heirs with Christ: yet so, if we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified with Him."

Secondly, this is suitable for our spiritual training: namely, in order that, by fighting against concupiscence and other defects to which he is subject, man may receive the crown of victory. Wherefore on Rm. 6:6, "that the body of sin may be destroyed," a gloss says: "If a man after Baptism live in the flesh, he has concupiscence to fight against, and to conquer by God's help." In sign of which it is written (Judges 3:1,2): "These are the nations which the Lord left, that by them He might instruct Israel . . . that afterwards their children might learn to fight with their enemies, and to be trained up to war."

Thirdly, this was suitable, lest men might seek to be baptized for the sake of impassibility in the present life, and not for the sake of the glory of life eternal. Wherefore the Apostle says (1 Cor. 15:19): "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable."

Reply to Objection 1: As a gloss says on Rm. 6:6, "that we may serve sin no longer---Like a man who, having captured a redoubtable enemy, slays him not forthwith, but suffers him to live for a little time in shame and suffering; so did Christ first of all fetter our punishment, but at a future time He will destroy it."

Reply to Objection 2: As the gloss says on the same passage (cf. ad 1), "the punishment of sin is twofold, the punishment of hell, and temporal punishment. Christ entirely abolished the punishment of hell, so that those who are baptized and truly repent, should not be subject to it. He did not, however, altogether abolish temporal punishment yet awhile; for hunger, thirst, and death still remain. But He overthrew its kingdom and power" in the sense that man should no longer be in fear of them: "and at length He will altogether exterminate it at the last day."

Reply to Objection 3: As we stated in the 1.2, Question 81, Article 1; 1.2, Question 82, Article 1, ad 2 original sin spread in this way, that at first the person infected the nature, and afterwards the nature infected the person. Whereas Christ in reverse order at first repairs what regards the person, and afterwards will simultaneously repair what pertains to the nature in all men. Consequently by Baptism He takes away from man forthwith the guilt of original sin and the punishment of being deprived of the heavenly vision. But the penalties of the present life, such as death, hunger, thirst, and the like, pertain to the nature, from the principles of which they arise, inasmuch as it is deprived of original justice. Therefore these defects will not be taken away until the ultimate restoration of nature through the glorious resurrection.

Articulus 3

Argumentum 1

Ad tertium sic proceditur. Videtur quod per baptismum debeant auferri poenalitates praesentis vitae.

Ut enim apostolus dicit, Rom. V, donum christi potentius est quam peccatum Adae. Sed per peccatum Adae, ut ibidem apostolus dicit, mors in hunc mundum intravit, et per consequens omnes aliae poenalitates praesentis vitae.

Ergo multo magis per donum christi, quod in baptismo percipitur, homo a poenalitatibus praesentis vitae debet liberari.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, baptismus aufert et culpam originalem et actualem, sicut supra dictum est.

Sic autem aufert actualem culpam quod liberat ab omni reatu poenae consequentis actualem culpam.

Ergo etiam liberat a poenalitatibus praesentis vitae, quae sunt poena originalis peccati.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, remota causa, removetur effectus. Sed causa harum poenalitatum est peccatum originale, quod tollitur per baptismum.

Ergo non debent huiusmodi poenalitates remanere.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod, super illud Rom. VI, destruatur corpus peccati, dicit Glossa, per baptismum id agitur ut vetus homo crucifigatur et corpus peccati destruatur, non ita ut in ipsa vivente carne concupiscentia respersa et innata repente absumatur et non sit, sed ne obsit mortuo quae inerat nato.

Ergo pari ratione nec aliae poenalitates per baptismum tolluntur.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod baptismus habet virtutem auferendi poenalitates praesentis vitae, non tamen eas aufert in praesenti vita, sed eius virtute auferentur a iustis in resurrectione, quando mortale hoc induet immortalitatem, ut dicitur I Cor. XV.

Et hoc rationabiliter. Primo quidem, quia per baptismum homo incorporatur christo et efficitur membrum eius, ut supra dictum est.

Et ideo conveniens est ut id agatur in membro incorporato quod est actum in capite. Christus autem a principio suae conceptionis fuit plenus gratia et veritate, habuit tamen corpus passibile, quod per passionem et mortem est ad vitam gloriosam resuscitatum. Unde et christianus in baptismo gratiam consequitur quantum ad animam, habet tamen corpus passibile, in quo pro christo possit pati; sed tandem resuscitabitur ad impassibilem vitam.

Unde apostolus dicit, Rom. VIII, qui suscitavit iesum christum a mortuis, vivificabit et mortalia corpora nostra, propter inhabitantem spiritum eius in nobis.

Et infra eodem, heredes quidem dei, coheredes autem christi, si tamen compatimur, ut et simul glorificemur.

Secundo, hoc est conveniens propter spirituale exercitium, ut videlicet contra concupiscentiam et alias passibilitates pugnans homo victoriae coronam acciperet.

Unde super illud Rom. VI, ut destruatur corpus peccati, dicit Glossa, si post baptismum vixerit homo in carne, habet concupiscentiam cum qua pugnet, eamque, adiuvante deo, superet.

In cuius figura dicitur iudic. III, hae sunt gentes quas dominus dereliquit ut erudiret in eis Israelem, et postea discerent filii eorum certare cum hostibus, et habere consuetudinem praeliandi.

Tertio, hoc fuit conveniens ne homines ad baptismum accederent propter impassibilitatem praesentis vitae, et non propter gloriam vitae aeternae.

Unde et apostolus dicit, I Cor. XV, si in hac vita tantum sperantes sumus in christo, miserabiliores sumus omnibus hominibus.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod, sicut Glossa dicit, Rom. VI, super illud, ut ultra non serviamus peccato, sicut aliquis capiens hostem atrocissimum non statim interficit eum, sed patitur eum cum dedecore et dolore aliquantulum vivere; ita et christus prius poenam alligavit, in futuro autem perimet.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod, sicut ibidem dicit Glossa, duplex est poena peccati, gehennalis et temporalis. Gehennalem prorsus delevit christus, ut eam non sentiant baptizati et vere poenitentes. Temporalem vero nondum penitus tulit, manet enim fames sitis et mors. Sed regnum et dominium eius deiecit, ut scilicet haec homo non timeat, et tandem in novissimo eam penitus exterminabit.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod, sicut in secunda parte dictum est, peccatum originale hoc modo processit quod primo persona infecit naturam, postmodum vero natura infecit personam. Christus vero converso ordine prius reparat id quod personae est, postmodum simul in omnibus reparabit id quod naturae est. Et ideo culpam originalis peccati, et etiam poenam carentiae visionis divinae, quae respiciunt personam, statim per baptismum tollit ab homine. Sed poenalitates praesentis vitae, sicut mors, fames, sitis et alia huiusmodi, respiciunt naturam, ex cuius principiis causantur, prout est destituta originali iustitia. Et ideo isti defectus non tollentur nisi in ultima reparatione naturae per resurrectionem gloriosam.