V
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.
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.
