Yes, according to Catholic teaching, God has predestined some to eternal life not based on foreseen merits or cooperation with grace, but solely on His divine purpose, will, and decree 3 4 7.
Predestination as an Aspect of Divine Providence
Predestination is understood as a part of divine providence, by which God guides humanity to its ultimate end 3 8. God, in His eternal wisdom, foresees and ordains all things, including the distinction between those who will attain eternal life and those who will not 3.
God's Will as the First Cause
The divine will and providence are the primary cause of all that is created 3. Nothing can be the cause of God's will or providence 3. Therefore, the grace of God, which is an effect of predestination, is not preceded by any human merits; rather, it precedes all merit 3. Any disposition in man towards salvation is included under the effect of predestination, including the preparation for grace, which occurs only through divine help 7.
God's Goodness as the Cause of Predestination
The sole cause of predestination is God's goodness, stemming from the overflowing love of His will for His ultimate end-object, which is the perfection of His goodness 4. This means that God's decision to predestine is rooted in His own nature and not in anything external to Him, such as foreseen human actions 4.
Distinction Between General and Special Love
St. Thomas Aquinas distinguishes between two aspects of God's love for His creatures:
- Common love (dilectio generalis): By this love, God loves all things that exist, granting them their natural being 113.
- Special love (dilectio specialis): Through this love, God draws rational creatures above their natural condition to participate in the Divine good. It is by this special love that God simply wills eternal good, which is Himself, for the creature 1 13. Predestination is an act of this special love.
Predestination and Human Freedom
While God's predestination is certain and based on His eternal decrees, it does not negate human free will 2 3 9. God's providence produces effects through secondary causes, including the operation of free will 7. Therefore, what flows from free will is also part of predestination 7. God moves the human will not by necessitating it, but by enabling it to act freely in a determinate way 5. God preserves the will's liberty even as He moves it towards a particular good, because He alone is the root of human liberty 5.
Reprobation
Regarding reprobation, the Church teaches that God permits some to fall away from their ultimate end 1 13. This permission includes God's will to allow a person to fall into sin and to inflict the penalty of damnation for that sin 1 13. However, God does not actively predestine anyone to evil; rather, He foresees the refusal of some to receive the gift of life and takes this free refusal into account in His eternal plan 6 12 18. The sins of the reprobate come from themselves alone, and sin is the cause of punishment 6 12.
[1] Summa Contra Gentiles Book III. Chap. 164
[2] Disputed Questions on Truth Q. 6, A. 2, C.
[3] Summa Theologiae I, Q. 23, A. 5, co.
[4] Disputed Questions on Truth Q. 6, A. 1, C.
[7] Thomist Premotion and Contemporary Philosophy of Religion page2
[8] Augustine and Aquinas on Foreknowledge Through Causes page9
[9] Thomist Premotion and Contemporary Philosophy of Religion page22
[12] Vatican II and the Church’s “Openness to the World” The Magisterium
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