Pelagian Revisited

I know I have covered this already in another blog, but I think this subject is important to review because I am seeing posts on Facebook from people promoting this doctrine and no many are refuting it, yet, I know there are a lot of people who do not believe in this doctrine.
   I found a web page describing it, and I will post what was written that describes Pelagianism and let you decide what you should think of this. If you have the mind of Christ, it will be easy to decide. If you are disturbed about what you have read here, are you going to study the Scriptures to learn how to refute this doctrine and protect the truth?


    WHAT IS PELAGIANISM? IS IT BIBLICAL?
JANUARY 29, 2014 PK

When it comes to understanding how God saves, there are three basic options. With an admittedly broad brush, we might label themPelagianism, Arminianism, and Augustinianism.  This first post deals with the first of these options, Pelagianism.

Pelagianism Described

Pelagius, a British monk living in the 4^th and 5^th centuries, argued that humans are fundamentally good and can choose fellowship with God in their own wisdom and strength. Pelagius denied any effect of Adam’s sin upon his descendants except that of a bad example. Consequently, he argued that the human soul is completely free to choose God or reject him; no special work of divine grace is needed to accomplish salvation. According to Pelagius, we must simply reject sin and seek God in an exercise of our own free will.

Pelagianism Rejected

The Church rejected Pelagianism at the Council of Ephesus in 431, and for good reason. The Bible affirms the doctrine of original sin, the effect of Adam’s sin upon his descendants. We are not born morally good or even neutral before God. We are born sinners, radically corrupted in our natures and justly condemned. Consider these few verses underscoring the dire depravity of the human race:

“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Psalm 51:5)

“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” (Romans 5:12)

“None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is ^pan open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and ^tthe way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Romans 3:10-18)

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:1-2)

According to the Bible, we will not and indeed cannot choose God on our own. Pelagianism fails on this point, and is therefore incompatible with Scripture and historic Christian orthodoxy.

References

Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1998. Print.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

http://livetheresistance.org/2014/01/what-is-pelagianism-is-it-biblical/