I understand perfectly what Pelagius taught. Pelagius believed that the soul of man at his creation is neither holy nor sinful. Adam was not created holy, according to this false teaching. Pelagius claimed Adam was not constitutionally inclined either toward good or evil. He said the first man was morally indifferent or neutral.
In this state of moral equilibrium, Adam would have been no more disposed to good than to evil. Pelagius argued that if Adam had possessed any moral character prior to moral action, his moral responsibility would be destroyed. He also claims Adam, as created, would have died.
There is nothing biblically to indicate that is true. On first glance there appears to be nothing biblically to discount it, either, but if Adam was made, as God said, "in Our image," then it is impossible Adam was intended to die. In fact, the death Adam's sin brought upon him was physical, which is a proof against his being the moral free agent Pelagius claims him to have been before that sin.
It is on this basis that Pelagius claimed that man was his own moral compass, capable of living sinlessly. Since the philosopher -- I call him that, rather than a follower of Christ -- believed it was possible for Adam to choose sin or sinlessness, then it was natural for him to assume that the only way grace was accountable was for past sins, and that it was through the power of Christ in a believer that he/she achieves "sinlessness."
It's a crock of horse manure. It is indicative of a complete misunderstanding of Christ, of the "old man's death," and what portion of us is truly a new creation. It is based on this complete failure to grasp the Gospel and the similarities of the false teachers here who embrace "sinless perfection" as possible in this life that I say they are "Pelagian Christians" -- an impossible oxymoron.
no offence bro
dose pauls parable have any value here.
Death in Adam, Life in Christ
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned---13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.
15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.17 For if, because of
one man's trespass, death reigned through that
one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for
all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for
all men.19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5
and to think, why would paul use this as a parable etc