Sin And Its Effects Tools Of Salvation

Sin And Its Effects: Tools Of Salvation Or Result Of Free Will. Essay, Research Paper

Is sin and its consequential “hardening of heart” used as a tool through which God bestows mercy, or is it solely the result of man’s free will in turning away from God. To fully understand the import of this question, we must first examine its language, and define “hardening of heart” and free will. For the purpose of this discussion, spiritual hardening of heart is the soul’s inability to receive the grace of God. Thus a human is led into more and more sin, as it lacks the grace necessary to resist sin or, at times, recognize the wrongdoing as such. To the same end, free will can be defined as the ability to choose between good and evil unhindered by any divine influence. It implies that the full knowledge of wrongdoing and therefore full culpability lies on the individual making such a decision. The question of whether these two concepts interfere with one another will be examined by exploring the viewpoints delineated by the narrative of “The Life of Adam and Eve,” those offered by St. Paul in his letter to the Romans, and those given by St. Thomas Aquinas in Suma Theologica.

Throughout his letter to the Romans, Paul expresses clearly several times that God indeed is the cause of certain sin and hardness of heart. He also explores the concept of God’s motivation in causing such infractions. In each of these instances, a central theme of sin and blindness leading to salvation is repeated. Paul uses many examples to prove the point that God, in his divine plan, uses the wicked to bring the righteous to salvation, and also bestows mercy on the righteous in order to bring the wicked to grace. The first example of this that he cites is God’s judgment on idolaters. “Therefore God handed them over to impurity through the lusts of their hearts for the mutual degradation of their bodies.” (Rom 1.24) Thus, because of their sins, God himself removed his mercy and allowed them to continue their idolatry and their impure relations. While God may not have caused the initial sins, he is responsible for subsequent ones because they are the direct result of the removal of his grace.

At another point in the letter (Rom 5.12-21) Paul speaks of the law, the Ten Commandments, and how as a result of such law sin itself increased because it could now be counted against a standard. However, in Paul’s view, this was part of God’s plan, so that through this accounting he could overflow his grace and mercy all the more. He cites that from the time of Adam, the first sin, through the time of Moses, death and hardness of heart reigned even over those who did not sin, because of the lack of law. But the addition of the law, and consequently a greater amount of sin, into the world, was the vehicle for the outpouring of God’s grace, especially through the sacrifice of Jesus. “The law entered in so that transgression might increase but, where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace might also reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom 5.20).

The most pertinent example Paul provides is his concern with the unfaithfulness of the Jews. (Rom. 9.1-ff) Their lack of belief greatly sorrows him, because he views them as the chosen people of God, and desires to see them gain salvation. As he struggles with this issue throughout the letter, he arrives at the conclusion that such unwillingness to believe in Christ is part of God’s divine plan to bring Christ first to the gentiles through Israel’s disbelief, and then to bestow grace on Israel as a result of the gentiles faith. “But through their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make them jealous. Now if their transgression is enrichment for the world, and if their diminished number is enrichment for the gentiles, how much more their full number.” (Rom 11.11-12) Therefore, God is responsible for Israel’s unfaithfulness and their hardness of heart so that he may bring the salvation of Jesus to the world in a time that he himself chooses. He is the cause of the transgression so that he may bestow mercy. “Just as you once disobeyed God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, so they have now disobeyed in order that, by virtue of the mercy shown to you, they too may receive mercy. For God delivered all to disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all.” (Rom 11.30-32).

“The Life of Adam and Eve” addresses the causes of Original Sin and the subsequent first demonstration of God’s intention of salvation from the view of a contemporary Jewish writer of Paul’s time. Although this excerpt is given from the point of view of Adam and Eve themselves, in an attempt perhaps to explain their motivations and especially to displace their guilt, several examples point to the actuality of their free will and choice in their actions. The first cause of sin is delineated as covetousness, or acting on an inherent desire. “For covetousness is the origin of every sin.” (19.3) This is the first proof, although seemingly unknowingly given, that Eve did in fact have free will in deciding whether or not to eat of the fruit of the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Furthermore, in describing her deception of her husband, she herself admits her own decision to do so. “.the word I spoke to him, when I wanted to deceive him.” (23.4-5).

God’s re