External Causes of Sin

In no way whatever, directly or indirectly, is God thecause of any sin.

God supports his creatures in being and existence. Godtherefore supports man’s free will, even while man is abusingfree will by sinning. God causes the man who sins, and causes hiswill, and enables or causes it to act. But, though God is the causeof the act which free will makes sinful, he is in no waythe cause of the sin as such.

God is called the cause of spiritual blindness and ofhardness of heart, in the sense that he withdraws or withholds hisgrace from those in whom he finds an obstacle or block to the entryand effectiveness of such grace.

Spiritual blindness and hardness of heart indicate aman’s determined abandonment of God, and, consequently, hisabandonment of the hope of heaven. Sometimes, however, atemporary spiritual blindness may work towards a man’sgood by warning him; just so a temporary blindness of the bodilyeyes may warn a man to avoid strain and unsuitable light whichcould permanently injure or destroy his vision.