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Without prevenient grace we are bound to evil and unable to chose God freely
Prevenient grace (from the Latin gratia praeveniens, “grace that comes before”) is the free, unmerited gift of God that heals the wound of original sin, restores the liberty of the will, and enables every human person to freely choose between good and evil. Without it, fallen human nature is inclined only to sin; with it, we are truly free to cooperate with God or to refuse Him.
1. What prevenient grace is
It is actual grace that precedes every salutary act.
It excites, illuminates, and moves the soul before the will consents.
It is universally offered (God “desires all men to be saved” — 1 Tim 2:4).
It does not compel; it makes free consent possible.
Catechism of the Catholic Church § 2022
“The divine initiative in the work of grace precedes, prepares, and elicits the free response of man.”
Council of Trent, Session VI, ch. 5 (Denzinger 1525)
“In adults the beginning of justification must be derived from the prevenient grace of God through Jesus Christ, that is, from His call … so that they who by sin were turned away from God, may be disposed … to convert themselves to their own justification by freely assenting to and cooperating with that grace.”
2. Without prevenient grace we are bound to evil
Original sin left the will wounded and inclined to self, not annihilated. We retain natural liberty (we can still choose between evils), but supernatural liberty—the power to choose the true good (God)—is lost.
St. Augustine, De Gratia et Libero Arbitrio 15, 31
“Without grace men do no good, either by thinking, or by willing and loving, or by acting.”
St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae I-II, q. 109, a. 2
“After sin, free will remains, but averted from the true good … Hence man by his natural powers cannot … love God above all things … without healing grace.”
3. Grace heals and elevates the will to freely choose good or to reject it
Augustine, Prosper, Fulgentius, Bernard, Thomas, Bellarmine, Alphonsus, John of the Cross, and every council from Orange to Trent thunder in unison: without the prevenient touch of the Holy Spirit the human will is a slave that can only rattle its chains—grace alone breaks the chains and sets it free to love God.”
Council of Orange II (A.D. 529), can. 7 (Denzinger 377)
“If anyone says that by the force of nature we can … think or choose any good pertaining to eternal life … without the illumination and inspiration of the Holy Spirit … he is deceived by the heretical spirit.”
St. Thomas, ST I-II, q. 111, a. 2
“Grace is called prevenient inasmuch as it heals; subsequent inasmuch as the healed soul is strengthened … prevenient inasmuch as we are called, subsequent inasmuch as we are glorified.”
St. Thomas, De Veritate q. 14, a. 11, ad 1
“God does not deny grace to one who does what he can, because He first gives the power to do what one can.”
St Prosper of Aquitaine (†c. 460), De Vocatione Omnium Gentium I, 7
“No one comes to God by his own free will unless drawn by the Father.”
St Fulgentius of Ruspe (†533), De Incarn. et Gratia 31
“Without grace the will is captive; with grace it is free.”
St Bernard, De Gratia et Libero Arbitrio 1, 2
“Take away prevenient grace, and there remains no free will to good.”
St Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae I-II, q. 109, a. 6
“Man cannot … prepare himself for grace without the help of grace.”
St Thomas, ST I-II, q. 113, a. 7 ad 2
“The very first beginning of justification … comes from prevenient grace.”
St Robert Bellarmine, De Gratia et Libero Arbitrio I, 11
“Prevenient grace touches the heart first, so that the will may freely consent.”
Ludwig Ott, Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma (1955), p. 228
“De fide: Without prevenient grace man cannot perform any salutary act.”
Adolphe Tanquerey, Synopsis Theologiae Dogmaticae (24th ed.), vol. II, § 1038
“Prevenient grace is absolutely necessary for the first movement of the will toward the good.”
Orange II – Canon 20
“No one does anything good which God does not cause him to do.” (Dz 390)
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#grace
Prevenient grace (from the Latin gratia praeveniens, “grace that comes before”) is the free, unmerited gift of God that heals the wound of original sin, restores the liberty of the will, and enables every human person to freely choose between good and evil. Without it, fallen human nature is inclined only to sin; with it, we are truly free to cooperate with God or to refuse Him.
1. What prevenient grace is
It is actual grace that precedes every salutary act.
It excites, illuminates, and moves the soul before the will consents.
It is universally offered (God “desires all men to be saved” — 1 Tim 2:4).
It does not compel; it makes free consent possible.
Catechism of the Catholic Church § 2022
“The divine initiative in the work of grace precedes, prepares, and elicits the free response of man.”
Council of Trent, Session VI, ch. 5 (Denzinger 1525)
“In adults the beginning of justification must be derived from the prevenient grace of God through Jesus Christ, that is, from His call … so that they who by sin were turned away from God, may be disposed … to convert themselves to their own justification by freely assenting to and cooperating with that grace.”
2. Without prevenient grace we are bound to evil
Original sin left the will wounded and inclined to self, not annihilated. We retain natural liberty (we can still choose between evils), but supernatural liberty—the power to choose the true good (God)—is lost.
St. Augustine, De Gratia et Libero Arbitrio 15, 31
“Without grace men do no good, either by thinking, or by willing and loving, or by acting.”
St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae I-II, q. 109, a. 2
“After sin, free will remains, but averted from the true good … Hence man by his natural powers cannot … love God above all things … without healing grace.”
3. Grace heals and elevates the will to freely choose good or to reject it
Augustine, Prosper, Fulgentius, Bernard, Thomas, Bellarmine, Alphonsus, John of the Cross, and every council from Orange to Trent thunder in unison: without the prevenient touch of the Holy Spirit the human will is a slave that can only rattle its chains—grace alone breaks the chains and sets it free to love God.”
Council of Orange II (A.D. 529), can. 7 (Denzinger 377)
“If anyone says that by the force of nature we can … think or choose any good pertaining to eternal life … without the illumination and inspiration of the Holy Spirit … he is deceived by the heretical spirit.”
St. Thomas, ST I-II, q. 111, a. 2
“Grace is called prevenient inasmuch as it heals; subsequent inasmuch as the healed soul is strengthened … prevenient inasmuch as we are called, subsequent inasmuch as we are glorified.”
St. Thomas, De Veritate q. 14, a. 11, ad 1
“God does not deny grace to one who does what he can, because He first gives the power to do what one can.”
St Prosper of Aquitaine (†c. 460), De Vocatione Omnium Gentium I, 7
“No one comes to God by his own free will unless drawn by the Father.”
St Fulgentius of Ruspe (†533), De Incarn. et Gratia 31
“Without grace the will is captive; with grace it is free.”
St Bernard, De Gratia et Libero Arbitrio 1, 2
“Take away prevenient grace, and there remains no free will to good.”
St Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae I-II, q. 109, a. 6
“Man cannot … prepare himself for grace without the help of grace.”
St Thomas, ST I-II, q. 113, a. 7 ad 2
“The very first beginning of justification … comes from prevenient grace.”
St Robert Bellarmine, De Gratia et Libero Arbitrio I, 11
“Prevenient grace touches the heart first, so that the will may freely consent.”
Ludwig Ott, Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma (1955), p. 228
“De fide: Without prevenient grace man cannot perform any salutary act.”
Adolphe Tanquerey, Synopsis Theologiae Dogmaticae (24th ed.), vol. II, § 1038
“Prevenient grace is absolutely necessary for the first movement of the will toward the good.”
Orange II – Canon 20
“No one does anything good which God does not cause him to do.” (Dz 390)
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#grace