Autor: Lonergan, Bernard J.F.

Buch: The Trinune God: Systematics

Titel: The Triune God: Systematics

Stichwort: Einwohnung, Göttliche Personen im Gerechten - Akt, Stand der Gnade; Gnade: A liebt B (Gott liebt uns aufgrund des Sohnes)- A schenkt sich B (hieligmachende G.) - B Dankbarkeit, Bewusstsein (Habitus, Tugend)

Kurzinhalt: ASSERTION 18 - Although the indwelling of the divine persons exists more in acts and is better known in acts, still it is constituted through the state of grace.

Textausschnitt: 513a First, this indwelling is the fact that the divine persons and the just are in one another as the known are in those who know them and the beloved are in those who love them. We are not speaking here about the presence of a stone to stones but of a person to persons. (Fs)

515a Second, this indwelling exists more in acts and is better known in acts. The reason it exists more in acts is that the formality of knowledge and of love is verified more in act than in potency or habit. The indwelling is better known in acts, for each thing is known insofar as it is in act. (Fs)

515b Third, the discontinuity of acts does not automatically terminate or interrupt the indwelling. There is more than enough emphasis on this point from such words in scripture as 'abide,' 'live,' 'dwell in,' 'being in Christ,' 'being in the Spirit.' And there has never been any doubt about this on the part of theologians. (Fs)

515c Fourth, as a potency or a habit is known through act, so it is known in the very best way through the very best act. For although children and the sleeping and the sick and the insane and the moribund are really and truly human persons, still we do not go only or mainly to them in order to determine what human nature is. Similarly, although children or the sleeping or those who sin venially or those who are about to sin mortally can be in the state of grace, we must not consider only or mainly such persons in order to understand the nature of the indwelling. Hence, the nature of the indwelling can better be understood in each person the more he or she lives not for himself or herself but for Christ, abides in Christ, and is in the Spirit. Still, the fact of indwelling is not to be denied on the grounds that it is not seen by human eyes, because introspective analysis is very difficult, because there is no science in the strict sense about the interior supernatural life, and because it is not for its subject or for other persons to judge it, but for the Lord. (Fs)

515d Fifth, there is a distinction to be made among three things that are called 'grace.' They are (1) one person's favor toward another, (2) a gift given by the former to the latter, and (3) the gratitude felt by the latter.1 Therefore, with regard to divine grace we similarly distinguish (1) that the Father loves and gives to the just by the Holy Spirit because of his incarnate Son, (2) that there follows upon this love and giving sanctifying grace, which is an absolutely supernatural entitative habit received in the essence of the soul,2 and (3) that from this habit there flow, naturally as it were, virtues and gifts whereby the lower part of the soul is subordinated to reason and reason is subordinated to God, whereupon there results that inner rectitude and justice by which the just are readily moved by God towards eternal life, to which they are oriented.3 (Fs)

517a Still, these three are not to be so sharply distinguished as to be separated. For although love and uncreated gift, the habit of sanctifying grace, and the orientation of the justified soul are three realities, they are linked to one another in a single intelligible order. Since the love and giving are contingent, they require an appropriate external term as a consequent condition, and so the second follows the first. But since the virtues and the gifts flow from sanctifying grace as potencies flow from the essence of the soul, from the very fact that there is sanctifying grace there is also both the orientation of the justified soul and its readiness to act under divine influence. Thus, not only does the third follow the second, but also divine influence follows from the first in order to elicit actions that flow from the virtues and gifts. (Fs)

517b Sixth, a further distinction is to be made between the habit of grace and the state or situation of grace. The habit of grace is a physical accident received in the soul of the just. But the state or situation of grace refers to many distinct subjects together. Thus to constitute the state of grace there are required (1) the Father who loves, (2) the Son because of whom the Father loves, (3) the Holy Spirit by whom the Father loves and gives, and (4) the just, whom, because of the Son, the Father loves by the Holy Spirit, and to whom the Father gives by the Holy Spirit, and who consequently are endowed with sanctifying grace, whence flow the virtues and gifts, and who are thereby just and upright and ready to receive and elicit acts ordered towards eternal life.4

517c Seventh, through this state, therefore, there is constituted a divine-human interpersonal situation. In accordance with this state the divine persons and the just are in one another as those who are known are in those who know them and those who are loved are in those who love them.5 This state, of course, exists more in acts and is better known in acts, yet it does not cease to exist solely because of a temporary cessation of the acts. Moreover, what the nature of this state or situation is will emerge ever more clearly the more perfect the habits and acts are that are examined. (Fs)

519a In this state we are not our own, for we are temples of the Holy Spirit.6 In this state the Holy Spirit also is not his own, since he has been given to us.7 Similarly, in this state Christians live not for themselves but for him who died and was raised for them;8 therefore their lives are hidden with Christ in God.9 And who will separate them from the love of Christ?10 Their charity is not some blind psychic impulse, since they live by faith in the Son of God,11 and Christ dwells in their hearts through faith.12 Because of this they are not like those who have zeal for God but without sound knowledge.13 So, abiding in love, they abide in God and God in them,14 and they know this mutual abiding not because of their own charity but by the gift of the Spirit.15 For they did not first love God the Father, but he loved them first, and sent his Son as the atonement for their sins.16

519b In this state, therefore, the divine persons are in the just and the just are in the divine persons as the known are in those who know them and the beloved are in those who love them. On the part of the divine persons this state is always in second act, but on the part of the just it is always in first act so that under divine influence it may readily issue into second act, according to the degree of perfection of the just person.17 Hence, 'let one who is just be justified still,'18 according to the abundance of the life which that person lives in the Spirit through the Son to the glory of God the Father. For the glory of the Father is this, that just as he eternally speaks the Word in truth and through the Word breathes forth Love in holiness, so also in the fullness of time he sent his incarnate Son in truth so that by believing the Word we might speak and understand true inner words; and through the Word he sent the Spirit of the Word in holiness so that joined to the Spirit in love and made living members of the body of Christ we might cry out, 'Abba, Father!' (Fs) (notabene)