Merit

Merit is the concept that good actions performed in a state of grace, through cooperation with God's grace, have a genuine value before God that is acknowledged in eternal life. The Church teaches that human beings can truly merit supernatural goods — not because they deserve them independently, but because God has freely chosen to honor the cooperation of his grace in the human person (CCC 2006–2011).

Merit Is Always from Grace

The Church is emphatic: no one can merit the initial grace of conversion or justification. Merit only applies within the state of grace — after God has first given freely. Even then, whatever merit a person has is ultimately God's grace acting through them. As Augustine said: "God crowns his gifts in crowning our merits" (CCC 2009).

What Can Be Merited

In the state of grace, a person can merit for themselves and for others the graces needed for sanctification, an increase of charity and grace, and attainment of eternal life itself. Temporal goods like health may also be objects of merit in accordance with God's wisdom (CCC 2010).

Frequently Asked Questions

Doesn't the concept of merit contradict salvation by grace? No — it presupposes it. Merit is always rooted in grace; it is grace building on grace. The Catholic doctrine of merit does not mean human beings earn their way to heaven by good works independent of God. It means God honors the free cooperation of the will he has already transformed by grace (CCC 2008).

Can we merit for others? Yes — in the sense of intercession: we can pray and offer good works for the sanctification of others and for their perseverance. But each person must freely cooperate with the grace offered to them (CCC 2010).