The Possibility of Merit Before God According to Thomas Aquinas
In the theology of Thomas Aquinas, we understand that the discourse of the theology of merit and other related theological discourses have their root in the attestation that God is the origin of all there is. That is, God is the Creator of all that exist. And this creation by God was not a product of necessity but one that is free on the part of God. He did not create because there was a lack in Him for God is perfection. However, God did not create without a purpose and the purpose He creates is simply to reveal that His Goodness. This Goodness of God is understood to be that which is desirable, perfect and self-communicative and also the creation of God participates in this divine goodness. Thus, God by divine providence ordains each creature to its perfection. This paper therefore, exposes what Thomas Aquinas meant by “merit” in respect to creation and God’s governing of creation. It concludes by showing that through man’s free act and the actions of God’s grace man is able to merit the gift of eternal life.
Keywords: aquinas, god, merit, possibility, thomas