Grace and Free Will: The Pelagian Controversy Explored

 

Summary

In this exploration of the Pelagian controversy, we delve into the profound theological debate that emerged in the early church concerning the nature of free will, original sin, and divine grace. This controversy, named after Pelagius, a British monk, pitted him against Saint Augustine, a towering figure in early Christianity. Pelagius was deeply troubled by the moral laxity he observed among Christians in Rome and was driven by a zeal for righteousness. He believed that humans were inherently capable of choosing good or evil without the necessity of divine grace. According to Pelagius, God, being just, would not command humans to do something they were incapable of doing. Therefore, he argued that grace was not essential for righteousness but merely facilitated it.

Augustine, on the other hand, contended that due to the fall of Adam, humanity inherited a sin nature, rendering us incapable of obeying God's commandments without divine grace. He emphasized that grace was not just a facilitator but an absolute necessity for salvation. Augustine's view was that humans are born in a state of moral corruption and are unable to achieve righteousness on their own. This fundamental disagreement touched the core of Christian theology, particularly the understanding of salvation and the role of grace.

The Pelagian view, which suggested that humans could achieve righteousness through their own efforts, was ultimately condemned as heretical at the Council of Carthage in 418. However, the echoes of this controversy continue to challenge the church, as it raises critical questions about human nature, free will, and the necessity of grace in the Christian life. Augustine's perspective underscores the importance of recognizing our need for salvation and the transformative power of grace, which is central to the Christian faith.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Nature of Free Will and Divine Command: Pelagius argued that God's commands imply human ability to obey, suggesting that divine grace is not necessary for righteousness. This view challenges us to consider the relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility, reminding us that our ability to choose good is deeply intertwined with God's enabling grace. [08:48]

2. The Impact of Original Sin: Augustine's assertion that humanity is born with a sin nature due to Adam's fall highlights the pervasive impact of original sin. This understanding calls us to acknowledge our inherent need for grace and the transformative work of Christ in restoring our relationship with God. [10:46]

3. The Necessity of Grace for Obedience: Augustine emphasized that grace is essential for obeying God's commandments, as our fallen nature renders us incapable of achieving righteousness on our own. This insight encourages us to rely on God's grace daily, recognizing that our strength and ability to live righteously come from Him. [11:00]

4. The Danger of Self-Righteousness: Pelagius's view that humans can achieve righteousness independently of grace leads to a form of self-righteousness that undermines the gospel's message. This serves as a caution against relying on our own efforts for salvation and highlights the importance of humility and dependence on God's grace. [19:09]

5. The Centrality of Grace in Salvation: The Pelagian controversy underscores the critical role of grace in the Christian understanding of salvation. Augustine's perspective reminds us that grace is not merely an aid but the foundation of our redemption, emphasizing the need for a deep awareness of our spiritual poverty and the sufficiency of Christ's work on our behalf. [21:12]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:08] - Introduction to the Two-Front War
- [00:22] - Focus on Original Sin and Free Will
- [00:38] - The Pelagian Controversy Emerges
- [01:17] - Council of Carthage and Pelagius's Condemnation
- [02:15] - Pelagius's Background and Concerns
- [03:05] - Pelagius's Zeal for Righteousness
- [04:45] - Augustine's Prayer and Pelagius's Reaction
- [06:30] - The Role of Grace in Obedience
- [08:48] - Pelagius's View on Divine Commands
- [10:46] - Augustine on Original Sin and Grace
- [12:28] - Pelagius's Denial of Inherited Sin Nature
- [14:16] - Pelagius's Understanding of Grace
- [16:45] - The Necessity of Grace for Righteousness
- [19:09] - Self-Righteousness vs. Grace
- [21:12] - The Heart of Salvation and Redemption

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Pelagian Controversy

Bible Reading:
1. Romans 3:10-12 (NIV) - "As it is written: 'There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.'"
2. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) - "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."
3. Genesis 3:17-19 (NIV) - "To Adam he said, 'Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.'"

Observation Questions:
1. What was Pelagius's main argument regarding human ability and divine commands, and how did it contrast with Augustine's view? [08:48]
2. How did Augustine interpret the impact of original sin on humanity's ability to obey God's commandments? [10:46]
3. What was the outcome of the Council of Carthage in 418 concerning Pelagius's teachings? [01:33]
4. How did Pelagius view the role of grace in achieving righteousness, and how did this differ from Augustine's perspective? [16:11]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Romans 3:10-12 challenge the Pelagian view that humans can achieve righteousness on their own? What implications does this have for understanding human nature?
2. In what ways does Ephesians 2:8-9 emphasize the necessity of grace for salvation, and how does this align with Augustine's argument against Pelagius? [11:00]
3. How does the account of the fall in Genesis 3:17-19 illustrate the concept of original sin and its consequences, as discussed by Augustine? [10:46]
4. What are the potential dangers of self-righteousness as highlighted by the Pelagian controversy, and how can this affect one's relationship with God? [19:09]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you relied on your own efforts to achieve righteousness. How did that experience shape your understanding of grace? [19:09]
2. Augustine emphasized the necessity of grace for obedience. How can you cultivate a daily reliance on God's grace in your spiritual journey? [11:00]
3. Consider the impact of original sin in your life. How does acknowledging your inherent need for grace influence your relationship with God and others? [10:46]
4. In what ways can you guard against self-righteousness in your faith community, ensuring that grace remains central to your understanding of salvation? [19:09]
5. How can you practically demonstrate humility and dependence on God's grace in your daily interactions and decisions? [19:09]
6. Identify an area in your life where you struggle to accept the sufficiency of Christ's work. How can you surrender this area to God's transformative grace? [21:12]
7. Reflect on the role of grace in your personal salvation story. How can sharing this testimony encourage others to recognize their need for grace? [21:12]

Devotional

Day 1: The Interplay of Free Will and Divine Grace
Humans are endowed with the ability to choose between good and evil, yet this ability is deeply intertwined with divine grace. Pelagius argued that God's commands imply human ability to obey, suggesting that divine grace is not necessary for righteousness. This view challenges us to consider the relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. It reminds us that while we have the capacity to choose, our ability to consistently choose good is enabled by God's grace. This understanding calls us to a humble acknowledgment of our dependence on God, even in our moral decisions. [08:48]

Jeremiah 10:23-24 (ESV): "I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. Correct me, O Lord, but in justice; not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you find yourself relying solely on your own strength and decision-making? How can you invite God's grace into these areas today?


Day 2: The Pervasive Impact of Original Sin
Augustine's assertion that humanity is born with a sin nature due to Adam's fall highlights the pervasive impact of original sin. This understanding calls us to acknowledge our inherent need for grace and the transformative work of Christ in restoring our relationship with God. Recognizing the depth of our moral corruption without divine intervention helps us appreciate the necessity of grace in our lives. It is a reminder that our journey towards righteousness is not one we can undertake alone, but one that requires the redemptive power of Christ. [10:46]

Psalm 51:5-6 (ESV): "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart."

Reflection: How does acknowledging your own sin nature change the way you view your need for God's grace? What steps can you take to embrace this grace more fully in your daily life?


Day 3: The Essential Role of Grace in Obedience
Augustine emphasized that grace is essential for obeying God's commandments, as our fallen nature renders us incapable of achieving righteousness on our own. This insight encourages us to rely on God's grace daily, recognizing that our strength and ability to live righteously come from Him. It is a call to humility, acknowledging that our efforts are insufficient without divine assistance. By embracing this truth, we open ourselves to the transformative power of grace, which enables us to live in accordance with God's will. [11:00]

2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Reflection: In what ways can you actively rely on God's grace to help you obey His commandments today? How can you remind yourself of your dependence on His strength rather than your own?


Day 4: The Pitfall of Self-Righteousness
Pelagius's view that humans can achieve righteousness independently of grace leads to a form of self-righteousness that undermines the gospel's message. This serves as a caution against relying on our own efforts for salvation and highlights the importance of humility and dependence on God's grace. Self-righteousness blinds us to our need for a Savior and can lead us away from the true essence of the gospel. By recognizing this danger, we are reminded to approach our spiritual journey with humility, always aware of our need for God's grace. [19:09]

Isaiah 64:6 (ESV): "We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away."

Reflection: Are there areas in your life where you find yourself relying on your own righteousness rather than God's grace? How can you shift your focus to depend more on His grace and less on your own efforts?


Day 5: The Centrality of Grace in Salvation
The Pelagian controversy underscores the critical role of grace in the Christian understanding of salvation. Augustine's perspective reminds us that grace is not merely an aid but the foundation of our redemption, emphasizing the need for a deep awareness of our spiritual poverty and the sufficiency of Christ's work on our behalf. This understanding calls us to a profound gratitude for the gift of grace, which is central to our salvation. It is a reminder that our redemption is not earned but given, and our response should be one of humble acceptance and thanksgiving. [21:12]

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Reflection: How does understanding grace as the foundation of your salvation change your perspective on your relationship with God? What are some practical ways you can express gratitude for this gift in your daily life?

Quotes


now the this controversy uh broke out towards the end of the fourth century and carried over into the fifth century and finally was settled at the council of carthage in 418 in which council pelagius was condemned by the church as a heretic now as often is the case in the history of heretics and church decisions and decrees of that matter just because the church declares a theological position heretical and renounces it does not mean it just simply goes away and disappears once and for all [00:01:15]

pelagius was certainly british he was from the british isles and he was an earnest and zealous monk who traveled to rome and lived in rome and was very much exercised by the cavalier spirit that he found among the clergy and among christians in the eternal city and and in fact he was appalled by the licentiousness the godlessness and the conduct of those who were claiming to be christians and he was a zealot for the achieving of righteousness [00:02:38]

now when we use the term pharisee we usually use it in a pejorative sense we have a negative connotation of the pharisees because it was the pharisees who were always so hostile towards jesus that wasn't the first generation of pharisees the original pharisees were the puritans of their day men who loved the covenant of god men who loved the law of god and who were very much concerned about the moral laxity that had invaded the community of israel [00:03:31]

augustine had in his prayer made this statement o god grant what thou commandest and command what thou dost desire let me say it again o god grant what thou command us and command what thou dost desire how do you respond to such a prayer most of us would respond warmly and positively to such a prayer as that but not pelagius pelagius about had apoplexy when he read that prayer [00:05:08]

augustine of course was saying god give me a gift help me what god what augustine was talking about here was grace when he says god grant what thou dost command he was saying god give me the grace to be able to do what you command because augustine believed as we will see when we study him that man is unable to obey the commandments of god unless god grants the necessary grace to do it [00:07:05]

and being just god would never and indeed could never command his creature to do something that the creature is unable to do for god to command us to do something we are not able to do would be to impose an unjust commandment upon us and even worse to punish us when we failed to do what we couldn't possibly do in the first place would be diabolical [00:08:18]

man cannot obey the law of god without the help of grace because man is fallen and the effects of the fall involve to some degree or extent the loss of our moral power now god's law doesn't change in creation god said be holy even as i am holy you shall be perfect even as i am perfect but most of us would recognize today that the ability to be perfectly holy perfectly mirroring the righteousness of god is an ability we don't have [00:09:39]

so what was assumed by augustine here was the reality of the fall in light of the fall augustine was arguing we need grace in order to obey god so now the dispute turned into a controversy over the fall and its effects of course pelagius did not deny that adam sinned what he said is that adam was created good and in his creation he was made immutably good with respect to his constituent nature [00:10:57]

historically we would say that we are sinners not because we sin but we sin because we are sinners that is that we are born with a sin nature that's the point that was so sharply in dispute with pelagius so for pelagius man always has the ability to do either good or evil he has not lost the moral ability or the moral power to obey god [00:12:52]

he understood that the bible has much to say about grace and that grace is a good thing not a bad thing and there's nothing wrong with praying for grace but for pelagius grace the operative word is facilitates obedience or righteousness that is to say with the help of grace it is easier to live a life of moral perfection to be totally obedient to the law of god but it's not necessary [00:15:05]

what is at stake here with the pelagian attack is not just the idea of the necessity of grace but the whole concept of our salvation the whole understanding of what is going on in the drama of salvation since god's grace is now just a concluding unscientific postscript that is not something that is absolutely essential in order for us to be saved and it paves the way for the resurgence of neo-nomianism or pure legalism [00:18:20]

augustine saw this as an attack not simply on a minor point or a simple detail of christian theology but something that touches the very heart of our whole concept of salvation and redemption because before we can be saved we first have to understand our absolute need for salvation and our impoverished condition to understand that we are debtors who cannot pay our debts [00:21:15]

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Transcript
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