Many will falsely accuse Pelagius of preaching a religious-works gospel, thus denying grace. However, the accusers understand neither grace nor works. To their own shame, not knowing that works are ceremonial traditions, of this, this, this, and this, etc. seeking to obtain grace through vain religious ceremonial works.Pelagius believed people are by choice and habit sinful, but by the grace of God can they be made a perfect/morally upright and mature.
"I anathematize the man who either thinks or says that the grace of God, whereby 'Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,' is not necessary not only for every hour and for every moment, but also for every act of our lives: and those who endeavor to disannul it deserve everlasting punishment."
-Signed by Pelagius
"It is one thing to inquire whether a thing can be, which has respect to its possibility only; and another thing, whether or not it is." "We are treating of possibility only; and to pass from this to something else, except in the case of some certain fact, we deem to be a very serious and extraordinary process." "I once more repeat my position: I say that it is possible for a man to be without sin. What do you say? That it is impossible for a man to be without sin? But I do not say that there is a man without sin; nor do you say, that there is not a man without sin. Our contention is about what is possible, and not possible; not about what is, and is not."
"‘No man indeed is clean from pollution’; and, ‘There is no man that sinneth not’; and, ‘There is not a just man upon the earth’; and, ‘There is none that doeth good’. There are these and similar passages in Scripture but they testify to the point of not being, not of not being able; for by testimonies of this sort it is shown what kind of persons certain men were at such and such a time, not that they were unable to be something else. Whence they are justly found to be blameworthy. If, however, they had been of such a character, simply because they were unable to be anything else, they are free from blame." {Pelagius is expressing the truth, that if man is not able, then how could he then be commanded. Expressing that it is not of sound reasoning to think otherwise. Jesus is the logos of God and He does not make illogical commands, everything He does is logical, and sin is completely illogical}
"As far as the present question is concerned, it is not pertinent to inquire whether there have been or now are any men in this life without sin, but whether they had or have the ability to be such persons." {Does man have to be a criminal against God and continue in sin? Answer> no}
"Now, when it is said that the very ability is not at all of man's will, but of the Author of nature, - that is, God, {He asks, is God the author of disobedience?} how can that possibly be understood to be without the grace of God which is deemed especially to belong to God? That this may become still plainer, we must enter on a somewhat fuller discussion of the point. Now we affirm that the possibility of anything lies not so much in the ability of a man's will as in the necessity of nature. Take for instance, my ability to speak. That I am able to speak is not my own; but that I do speak is my own, - that is, of my own will. And because the act of my speaking is my own, I have the power of alternative action, - that is to say, both to speak and to refrain from speaking. But because my ability to speak is not my own, that is, is not of my own determination and will, it is of necessity that I am always able to speak; and though I wished not to be able to speak, I am unable, nevertheless, to be unable to speak, unless perhaps I were to deprive myself of that member whereby the function of speaking is to be performed." {God gives us the ability and praises those who make proper use of that ability which are called those worthy of praise>those who live by a steadfast faithfulness to God, Hebrews chapter 11)
"Whatever is fettered by natural necessity is deprived of determination of will and deliberation. We may perceive the same thing to be true of hearing, smelling, and seeing, - that to hear, and to smell, and to see is of our own power, while the ability to hear, and to smell, and to see is not of our own power, but lies in a natural necessity." {Like the ability to exercise our God given senses, we also have the ability to exercise our God given freewill to choose to keep covenant with Him and live holy}
{God gives us the ability and praises those who make proper use of that ability which are called those worthy of praise>those who live by a steadfast faithfulness to God, Hebrews chapter 11)
"[Allow me to use an illustration to explain my point.] In like manner, touching the possibility of our not sinning, we must understand that it is of us not to sin, but yet that the ability to avoid sin is not of us. [However if we accept this then we are constrained to say that] inasmuch as not to sin is ours, we are able to sin and to avoid sin. [However, if we take the opposite side we will say that] inasmuch as, however, it is not of us to be able to avoid sin; even if we were to wish not to be able to avoid sin, it is not in our power to be unable to avoid sin." [I think that this illustration will show the logical conclusions of both sides.]1 Cor. 10 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. {God provides a way of escape to the avoidance of every vile willful sin (rebellion) against one's own knowledge of the truth}
"No will can take away that which is proved to be inseparably implanted by nature." "HE is the light that ligheth everyman that cometh into the world" (the light of conscience)...... {The will of man, no matter how hard he tries, cannot remove the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit of truth, of whom came to reprove the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement. No matter how hard man tries he cannot remove John1-9 from the hard-drive imbedded into every soul born by necessity>written on their hearts and minds, Romans 2-15… In other words; IT IS AN ABSOLUTE ORDAINATION OF GOD, AND ENDOWED BY CHRIST ALMIGHTY HIMSLEF “given” to every man/woman,, and has been revealed to the whole world John 16-8, Romans 1-18,20}. No amount of Augustine, Luther, Calvin, or Spurgeon, lies can change this FACT, even though they ever so earnestly sought to by way of mischief.