Consequences of Good and Evil Acts

Since the eternal law is the ultimate norm of good or evil in human acts, it follows that moral evil is sinful, and moral goodness is righteous.

It also follows that morally good acts are praiseworthy, and morally evil acts are blameworthy.

The praise or blame due to human acts by reason of their moral goodness or badness is not a mere matter of words or opinions, but of retribution according to the demands of justice. That is, human acts have merit or demerit according to their goodness or evil.

The merit and demerit of human acts are not a matter of human justice merely, but of divine justice; human acts have merit or demerit in the sight of God.