Podcasts about Pelagius

In this episode, we explore a troubling trend among certain corners of modern Protestantism: the revival of ancient heresies long condemned by the Church. At the center of our discussion is Pelagius, the 5th-century British monk whose denial of original sin and distortion of grace led to one of the most decisive theological battles in Christian history.We'll unpack Pelagius's core teachings, examine Augustine's powerful response, and trace how this controversy culminated in the Council of Ephesus (431), where Pelagianism was formally condemned as heresy. Along the way, we'll consider how various popes weighed in on the controversy, especially Innocent I and Zosimus, and reflect on how some contemporary theological movements are unknowingly echoing these same ancient errors.This isn't just about history—it's about doctrine, grace, and the ongoing need for theological clarity. If the Church has already fought these battles, why are we dancing with heretics again today?If you'd like to donate to our ministry or be a monthly partner that receives newsletters and one on one discussions with Dr. Boyce, here's a link: https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=6381a2ee-b82f-42a7-809e-6b733cec05a7 ⸻#Pelagius #Pelagianism #OriginalSin #Augustine #CouncilOfEphesus #ChurchHistory #AncientHeresies #ProtestantTheology #ModernHeresy #ReclaimOrthodoxy #DancingWithHeretics #Soteriology #PopesOnPelagius #ChristianDoctrine #HistoricalTheology

Truth is not always fact—but it _is_ always sacred. Lite the fires of Beltane!This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Celebrate Beltane with Charlie and Brian in this spirited fireside chat! As the sacred fires of summer ignite, we pause to reflect on the path behind us and the road ahead. From gratitude for our growing spiritual community to bold plans for Bible studies, Star Wars+Druidry crossovers, and deep dives into figures like Pelagius and Brigid, this episode blends celebration, reflection, and inspiration. With raw honesty, we explore the evolution of spirituality, the need for truth beyond facts, and how we can build a future rooted in liberation, belonging, and joy.Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it.Thank you for Tips / Donations: * https://ko-fi.com/cedorsett * https://patreon.com/cedorsett * https://cash.app/$CreationsPaths* Substack: New to The Seraphic Grove learn more For Educational Resource: https://wisdomscry.com --- A Christopagan Manifesto--- Answer to the Call: A Dream of an Oak ChurchSocial Connections: * BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.com * Threads https://www.threads.net/@creationspaths * Instagram https://www.instagram.com/creationspaths/#Christopagan #CreationSpirituality #ChristianWitch #Paganism #Esoteric #Magic #Druidry #Mysticism #Spirituality #Occult #WitchCraft #Wicca #IrishPaganism #CelticPaganism #Magick #Polytheism #Enchantment Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Beltane Celebrations00:42 Meet the Hosts: Charlie and Brian00:55 Fireside Chat: Reflections on Beltane02:19 Podcast Updates and Future Plans04:50 Exploring Spirituality and History15:55 The Nature of Truth and Belief20:56 The Digital Age and Information Verification25:59 Community Engagement and Support28:20 Closing Blessings and Farewell Get full access to Creation's Paths at www.creationspaths.com/subscribe

In episode 25 of the chronological series we'll separate fact from fiction and uncover the real story behind the origins of the Kingdom of Asturias under the magnate Pelagius, who revolted against Muslim Umayyad rule in the Battle of Covadonga. SUPPORT NEW HISTORY OF SPAIN: Patreon: https://patreon.com/newhistoryspain  Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/newhistoryspain  PayPal: https://paypal.me/lahistoriaespana  Bitcoin donation: bc1q64qs58s5c5kp5amhw5hn7vp9fvtekeq96sf4au Ethereum donation: 0xE3C423625953eCDAA8e57D34f5Ce027dd1902374 Join the DISCORD: https://discord.gg/jUvtdRKxUC  Follow the show for updates on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/newhistoryspain.com  Or Twitter/X:  https://x.com/newhistoryspain  YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@newhistoryspain  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-history-of-spain/id1749528700  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7hstfgSYFfFPXhjps08IYi  Spotify (video version): https://open.spotify.com/show/2OFZ00DSgMAEle9vngg537 Spanish show 'La Historia de España-Memorias Hispánicas': https://www.youtube.com/@lahistoriaespana  TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Hook 00:29 Asturias and Cantabria in the Year 700 05:59 The Revolt of Pelagius 13:48 The Battle of Covadonga. Myth and Reality 21:51 Pelagius, the Sovereign of Asturias 27:54 The Verdict: Drawing comparisons between Pelagius' revolt and the American War of Independence 28:59 Outro

Dr. Joey Dodson unpacks the commonly misunderstood passage of Romans 7, revealing how the dominant interpretation has mistakenly led Christians to identify with defeat rather than victory in Christ.• Historical interpretation shows earliest Greek readers understood Paul was impersonating someone else, not describing his own post-conversion experience• Augustine shifted the interpretation during disputes with Pelagius, influencing Luther and Calvin• The "I" in Romans 7 is completely dominated by sin, with no mention of the Holy Spirit• Romans 7 likely portrays Adam/Israel under law's condemnation, not the normal Christian life• Paul presents sin as a cosmic tyrant, not just individual actions• Christians are already sanctified but not fully expressing that reality• Our identity is primarily as sons and daughters, not sinners• Community and the Holy Spirit are essential for freedom – isolation keeps us in darkness• Grace doesn't just forgive sin – it frees us from sin's powerThe gospel brings liberation from sin's dominion, not just forgiveness. Our struggle isn't because we must sin, but because we choose to. We've been delivered from the domain of darkness into his marvelous light.

“Let the one without sin cast the first stone…” but what if that's not the point?This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.In this powerful episode of Creation's Paths, Charlie and Brian respond to a listener's request to unpack the meaning behind one of the most misunderstood phrases in the Bible: "Go and sin no more" from John 8. They dive deep into the story of the woman accused of adultery, exploring how Jesus refused to condemn her—and what that reveals about divine grace, justice, and our modern-day spiritual journey.Charlie challenges the traditional view of sin, highlighting Jesus' radical compassion and the story's role in the ancient theological debate between Pelagius and Augustine. Together, they emphasize a Christopagan understanding of grace through nature, forgiveness, and illumination, calling for a return to a more authentic, loving form of Christianity rooted in liberation—not fear.Whether you're familiar with the text or hearing it anew, this episode offers a fresh, liberating look at one of Jesus' most iconic moments and how it still resonates in today's world.Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it.Thank you for Tips / Donations: * https://ko-fi.com/cedorsett * https://patreon.com/cedorsett * https://cash.app/$CreationsPaths* Substack: New to The Seraphic Grove learn more For Educational Resource: https://wisdomscry.com --- A Christopagan Manifesto--- Answer to the Call: A Dream of an Oak ChurchSocial Connections: * BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.com * Threads https://www.threads.net/@creationspaths * Instagram https://www.instagram.com/creationspaths/#Christopagan #CreationSpirituality #ChristianWitch #Paganism #Esoteric #Magic #Druidry #Mysticism #Spirituality #Occult #WitchCraft #Wicca #IrishPaganism #CelticPaganism #Magick #Polytheism #Enchantment Chapters:00:00 – The story of the woman caught in adultery04:00 – Stonings, rabbinical law, and justice in Jesus' time08:00 – Jesus' refusal to judge or condemn14:00 – Misreadings of “Go and sin no more”17:00 – Pelagius vs. Augustine: grace or original sin?23:00 – The three graces: nature, forgiveness, and illumination30:00 – What sin really means and how we miss the mark36:00 – Right relationship, temptation, and living in grace Get full access to Creation's Paths at www.creationspaths.com/subscribe

In this video, We read through a section of Phillip Schaff's "History of the Christian Church" entitled External History of the Pelagian Controversy. We discover that the controversy between Pelagius and Augustine is much more complicated and detailed than many modern accounts you will hear. We see how having this more in depth knowledge of the history will equip you to respond to non-calvinists and their claims about Pelagianism and Augustine.

In this two-part lecture series, Dr. Pecknold explores Augustine's teaching on free will and his debate with Pelagius over grace. Are we free when we choose independently, or only when cooperating with God?

In this two-part lecture series, Dr. Pecknold explores Augustine's teaching on free will and his debate with Pelagius over grace. Are we free when we choose independently, or only when cooperating with God?

In this video, we dive into the life and legacy of one of Christianity's most influential figures—Augustine of Hippo. Known for his profound impact on Christian theology and church history, Augustine's journey from a young man searching for truth to a dedicated servant of Christ offers valuable insights into faith, grace, and redemption. As we explore Augustine's transformation, we'll discuss his key writings, such as "Confessions" and "The City of God", which continue to shape Christian thought today. Join us as we look at Augustine's role in defending Christian orthodoxy, his contributions to the doctrine of grace, and his influence on the development of Western Christianity. We also touch on his debates with Pelagius regarding free will and original sin, which were pivotal moments in shaping Christian doctrine. Whether you're a student of church history, or theology, or simply looking to understand the life of a Christian giant, this video provides an engaging and informative look at Augustine's legacy. Perfect for those seeking to deepen their understanding of Christianity, church history, and the development of Christian thought. Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more educational content from G220 Radio.   SUBSCRIBE TO G220 RADIO!    / @g220radio     WEBSITE: https://www.g220ministries.com/   FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:   / g220radio  

Show that the emergence of Calvinistic Theology was an affirmation of Biblical Doctrine, born out of a reaction to teachers such as Pelagius & Arminius ~ articulated by Augustine, Calvin and othersExplain its historical influence on our churches, and show that it shapes more than the 'ordo salutis'. Contrast the Doctrines of Grace with the false Calvinism around today, distinguishing between the mere label of being 'Reformed' and 'True Calvinism'.

A new MP3 sermon from Pineville Sovereign Grace Fellowship is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: The Lies of Free Will, Chapter 2 Pelagius and Augustine Subtitle: Bible Study Speaker: Larry Phillips Broadcaster: Pineville Sovereign Grace Fellowship Event: Devotional Date: 1/10/2025 Bible: Romans 9:16 Length: 9 min.

"This Saint was a prominent actress of the city of Antioch, and a pagan, who lived a life of unrestrained prodigality and led many to perdition. Instructed and baptized by a certain bishop named Nonnus (November 10), she departed to the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem, where she lived as a recluse, feigning to be a eunuch called Pelagius. She lived in such holiness and repentance that within three or four years she was deemed worthy to repose in an odour of sanctity, in the middle of the fifth century. Her tomb on the Mount of Olives has been a place of pilgrimage ever since." (Great Horologion). The Prologue adds that Pelagia had accumulated a large fortune as a courtesan, all of which she gave away to the poor upon her conversion.

Being Subversive Isn't As Much Fun As It LooksIn 30 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the podcast at Explicit Novels.             “Friends stand by you through the struggles your enemies create” "You are depraved and despicable," Mhain seethed."I get that a lot; now get out," I growled back, "because I have a thousand other bitches who are, scratch that, 999 other bitches, Doctor Kennedy is growing on me; the rest I'm not so sure about, who are making my life miserable.""Don't get your hopes up, Mr. Braxton," Doctor Kennedy warned me. "I'm happily married.""Cool," I responded. "I hope to be like that one day.""Happily married?" Virginia inquired."No; a female law professor at an all-girls school," I grinned. "It sounds like a real cool job.""Feel free to hit him," Dana interrupted. "I swear that is the only way to get him to learn anything; or the only way we will discuss at this moment." Ah, sex. I thought my life had gone on a bit too long without the mention of sex. "It is also a fun form of stress relief."A painful blow rocked my shoulder and nearly sent me sprawling."You are right," Gabrielle noted clinically. "I feel better." Fuck, she hits hard. I look at her and try not to get pissed off and say something stupid. She makes my life difficult but my existence at FFU makes her life far too interesting as well. Whack! Someone hit me with a briefcase."I have to agree," Doctor Kennedy confirmed. "It has a therapeutic quality to it.""Bloody hell," I blurt out."Everyone, please stop physically abusing Zane," Ms. Goodswell snapped. "He's a student, for Pete's sake. He's not subject to corporal punishment.""Virginia, have you ever punched or slapped Zane?" Dana teased. "Give it a try before dismissing it out of hand.""He likes spanking," Barbie Lynn beamed happiness as she skipped by on her way to my/our bedroom. Technically, it is mine, Vivian's, Barbie Lynn's, Rio's, and Mercy's, plus whoever is feeling lonely on a given night. As for the spanking, I'm more of a giver than a receiver, but I doubt explaining that right now would be appropriate."Uhmm, okay, I think that is my cue to leave," Virginia piped up."I have rounds to make," Gabrielle added."I'm going home to my family," Doctor Kennedy headed out."I'm going to stay here, kick back, and watch some Pay-per-view," Dana grinned."What are you going to watch?" Hudson inquired."BBC America has this show called Copper that I've been meaning to catch," Dana informed her."Mind if I watch an episode with you?" Hudson asked."Sure, knock yourself out. You can pick the second show," Dana yawned. "It's only Zane's money after all." The rest of my guests filed out and I retired to the showers and then to my room. The day's stress revealed itself as the women curled into bed calmly and soon were cuddled together, including the odd ones out.On the far side we had the rather unusual appearance of Valarie. Next to her was Rio, who had her arms wrapped around Mercy. Mercy was snuggled against Barbie Lynn who held the middle spot. I was on my side, face-to-face with Barbie Lynn. After a few minutes, Vivian came to bed, wedged up against my back, and put an arm over me. I was in close proximity to several beautiful women but as long as no one doused the room with an aphrodisiac, we'd do just fine."Zane," Barbie Lynn whispered, "my vibrator burned out this morning, and I'm terribly horny."Oh, fuck! Barbie Lynn gazing down at me, I'm not sure another guy should ever see this because it could break one's heart to see it once and never again. She's built a faint sheen of sweat on her body already and she's looking at me with a definite Zen to fuck. My cock is cocooned deep inside her rectum, rubbing inside as she rotates forward on her hips.The distant, dreamy look in her eyes flashes to alertness as she catches me looking at her; 'hi' she whispers. I nod and smile so she inclines into me so that we can start kissing. She leads in with her tongue along my lips. I touch the tip of her tongue with my own, snaking inside her mouth before we are done. She starts murmuring, deepens our kiss, and begins rubbing my nipples."Vivian?" Valarie says softly. She snuck around the bed to settle behind my guardian."Yes?" Vivian replies. She is on her side watching Barbie Lynn and I."I, umm,” Valarie moans.Out of the corner of my eye I catch it as Val's hand brushes Vivian's hair off her neck and her lips start suckling on the exposed flesh. Vivian closes her eyes briefly but doesn't move Valarie away."Oh, Baby," Barbie pants with barely an inch separating our lips, "I know I say this often but I so love this. You tear me up inside and I want it so bad all the time, it scares me.""Vaginal sex with you scares me," I tease back."Will it be even better?" she draws in an even deeper, breast flaunting breath."You never know, but you are so damn good at everything else, I can't imagine you doing anything but haunting my dreams forever," I say, as I coax her movements with my hands on her hips, flanks, and thighs. Barbie shows her appreciation by running her hand through my bangs and pushing my hair back so that she can cover my forehead, eyes and nose with kisses."You like that romantic shit, don't you, Mercy-slut?" Rio grumbles playfully from the other side."Yes," Mercy whispers. I know Rio well enough to know that when a spiteful reply isn't immediately forthcoming, she's dusting off (and unchaining) her Better Angel. Mercy is looking at Barbie Lynn and me, her head facing sideways as she lies on her back. Rio crawls on top of Mercy, prompting Mercy to open her legs, and locks her hands over her head to gaze down on her."Your skin is so pure, your hair so black, and your eyes so full of passion, it breaks my heart to look at you, My Little Whore," Rio begins. She leans in and bites Mercy's earlobe, causing her victim to moan and buck up slightly. "Mercy, you give and give, making me so hot inside that I want to grab you and never let go.""Really?" Mercy gasps. "I, ""Don't get used to this," Rio growls with famished sexual enticement. "But, well, I want you to know that I hope all our children look just like you." Poor Rio was running out of material. It was terribly uncomfortable for me to show her where to go. I ran my hands over Barbie's body, which is an absolute torture I am forced to struggle through repeatedly.I start by massaging Barbie Lynn's tits, rotating three fingers over the nipples before rolling up the whole meaty breast in my palms. Barbie Lynn starts pushing back on my cock harder and grunting to the rhythm."Damn, Mercy," Rio teases, "I love these titties." She accentuates by sucking the top third of one breast into her mouth and twirling her tongue around it.Vivian gives a visible shiver from her side of the bed; Valarie has done something to her beneath the sheets to turn her on. In the interim while I have been watching Rio and Mercy, Valarie has been working over Vivian, temple to shoulder, with her lips. Now I see Vivian pulling up her left (upper) leg until it is resting snugly against my upper ribs, giving someone easier access to her snatch.She's also put her left arm behind her back between herself and Valarie. I'm starting to wonder if there is something in the air filters of my place, some undiscovered aphrodisiac mold, fungi, or spores that turns nice, virtuous girls into promiscuous bi-sexual vixens. To the best of my knowledge and belief, neither Valarie nor Vivian had the slightest lesbian tendencies before they started coming to my room.I give Barbie Lynn's luscious orbs one final squeeze before migrating my hold down to her ass, giving each cheek a double-slap. Barbie Lynn exhales a huff of ecstatic relief as the impact travels through her. Rio smirks and follows suit, her hand reaching between their thighs, prying Mercy's leg up, up and up until Mercy's knee is nearly at her breast."Your body is the first female form that I've ever lusted after," Rio murmurs as she rubs and pats Mercy's buttocks. "I think I've always wanted you, to taste you on my tongue, your scent strong in my mind and your sweet, sweet ass under my hand." Mercy brings one hand up to stroke Rio's cheek as she gives a strangled sob. No matter how much Mercy fears loving a woman, Rio can chisel that away and get her to love openly and freely.Barbie Lynn bounces up and slams down on me repeatedly as she is coming to the end of her fuse."Zane, Zane, oh yeah," she pants. Vivian chooses this moment to sneak her climax in on the rest of us. I am vaguely aware of her biting her lip, rocking her hips under the sheets, and perspiration beginning to bead on her lower lip."Holy God, Christ, and, my, hot damn, Val, ugh, Oh, God!" Vivian squeals as Valarie vigorously whips her hand in a tight pattern, cloaked from sight but obvious to the knowledgeable. Vivian's clit, lips, and the gateway to her cunt are all supers-stimulated. Valarie cools her down and holds her with enough strength to stop Vivian from rolling face-first into the sheets."Jesus Loves Me!" Barbie Lynn screams one last time. Her body bows, her breasts thrust forward and up, bouncing so deliciously while her thighs tremble in climax. Her anal muscles rippling from sphincter toward my cockhead are grinding me toward orgasm. Finally, she collapses against me, still twitching and fighting for breath.With my arms wrapped around her, I roll us over toward Mercy and Rio, placing Barbie Lynn on her back. Barbie Lynn has her legs pulling back before I can even move to push them back. While I had never fully pulled out, I was nearly there. I shove my hips forward, forcing my cock back in hard, causing Barbie Lynn to grunt, her mouth to gape open, nostril flaring, as her eyes squeeze shut."Oh, hell, yeah," Barbie Lynn gasps, "hammer me!""Oh, fuck," Valarie moans, "I am so lonely." Vivian is still roaming her hands over Valarie's special place, picking up the pace as she's inspired by Barbie Lynn's passion. Rio expresses her perverse nature by going at Mercy slow while the rest of us are going gangbusters."Here is my baby-smooth, tasty friend," Rio says as she kisses Mercy's bald twat. Rio pushes her thighs apart, her leg muscles taught while laying on the bed. Rio's restraint could only last so long. Every lick became more insistent, every nibble elicited a greater yelp, and every hip-thrust by Mercy into Rio's hungry mouth was more desperate.Valarie gives off one long, cavernous growl, then screams in between Vivian's shoulder blades."Damn," Vivian whispers, as a sympathetic orgasmic shiver coasts through her body. I'm pushing up on my knuckles, Barbie Lynn's legs between them as I rise up until my bulbous head is fixed in her sphincter; then I slam down once more. She's rocking her hips up to maximize the depths I reach as she cries out, again and again and again.When I finally let go, I feel a volcano of lust, frustration, and fulfillment exploding out all at once. Barbie Lynn's head sways rapidly side to side as she comes unglued."Zane, Jesus loves me, Jesus Loves Me!" she howls loud enough to shake the glass panels overhead. Those words ringing in my ears are going to haunt me in whatever church I go to."Ugh, ugh, ugh, Love, right there, feels so good," Mercy drags out with shallow breathes."Umm,” Rio gurgles. Mercy has gotten quite wet and visibly aroused. I'm sure Rio has worked a finger or two into the action and in Mercy's ass. Mercy starts bouncing off the sheets as she hisses out the last of her restraint."Mother-fucker-god-damn!" Mercy cries out. Rio growls, slurps, and sucks up Mercy's cunt juice while lapping up and down her slit."That's my baby," Rio's fluid-marked face looks up from between Mercy's legs and smiles. "Was that good for you?" Rio asks? Mercy nods dreamily. "Are you a happy little whore?" Rio teases. Again, Mercy nods with pleasure. "Did you use the 'L' word, Ass-fuck slut?" Rio hardens.This time Mercy realizes her mistake and shudders. She raises her head and looks into Rio's eyes."Yes. I'm sorry, Rio," Mercy mumbles."Sorry isn't going to cut it this time, Bitch," Rio sneers. "Tomorrow morning you are going to get it coming and going, all day long." I am actually aware of what that threat means."Okay," Vivian sighed, with more contentment than annoyance, "we've all cum so let's try and get some sleep.""I haven't gotten off yet," Rio chuckled. I knew what I had to do before someone else volunteered my services."Come here, Rio." I smile to her and extend a hand. "Let me get another taste of my best bro.""I'll clean you up," Barbie Lynn grins up at me, as she wiggles her body around my own so she's on top again. She slithers down my torso, waggles my still mostly hard cock against her lips, then begins to take it into her mouth. Barbie Lynn's tongue licks along my shaft as she gobbles up more of my rod.I expect Rio to come over but Mercy, following along and lying on her belly, her head propped up on her hands and elbows as she watches my blonde angel's skilled fellatio, is a bonus. Rio ends up near my pillow, one hand on my chest and the other resting between Mercy's ass cheeks. Her fingers are definitely sliding in and out of Mercy's cunt. If Mercy is a bit sore, she's smart enough not to complain to her Mistress about it."What do you have in mind, Zane?" Rio catches my gaze."I want your teeth tearing up the mattress with your ass up in the air as I plow you through the headboard," I inform her. I make a focus group assessment of the situation by slipping a finger into her cunt, she's creaming already.For Rio, the greater physicality of the sex, the better it is for her. She'll let me have my foreplay and some good loving, but she goes wild over the raw, brutal act of sex itself."I think you are ready to put that smile on her face," Barbie Lynn taunts Rio as she informs me she's finished. "Come with me," Barbie Lynn turns to Mercy. "My nipples need some attention. Can you do that for me?"After checking with Rio, Mercy gives a hungry look and lick of the lips at Barbie Lynn. Barbie crawls over Mercy to land on her back on the far side. Mercy twirls around and latches on to Barbie Lynn's left breast with such rapidity, it momentarily causes my visage to blur."I want some of that," Valarie suddenly blurts out.She makes her own quick trek around Rio and me as we are still positioning ourselves to come swooping down on Barbie Lynn's right side. The right nipple disappears into our school biker girl's mouth with a decidedly audible smacking of the lips. Val's hand starts to stroke the inside of Barbie Lynn's thigh but Mercy's free hand reaches over and starts tweaking Valarie's closest nipple. Yes, I definitely must check the air filters.Rio resumes her sensually crawl my way and I give her a beguiling look to lure her in. I'm on her in a flash once she's close enough for me to make my move. She screeches like an alley cat but I've got a hand on the back of her head and the other on her hip as I slam her face first into the pillow."Bastard," she screams through the fabric, but she's not following through with the anger."Give it up, Bitch," I snarl back. My cock slides full-throttle all the way into her cunt on the first pass. Her cunt feels like slick, melted butter as I bottom out in her hole. At the same time, I let up on her head a bit."Oh, fucking-A," Rio gasps. "Did someone sneak a gerbil up behind me or is it Needle-cock pretending he's a man?" I give her another powerful slam. "Oh, fuck, stop that.""What? Too much for the bitch whose had it all?" I tease Rio.

People Pleasers or Slaves of the Messiah? Galatians 1:1-10 by William Klock The other day the phone rang.  I answered it and a stranger on the other end asked for Veronica.  I passed the phone to her.  I wondered who it was, but I didn't get much help from Veronica's end of the conversation.  It was all “Mmhmm” and “Yes” and “Okay”.  I had no idea who it was or what it was about.  In contrast, while walking to the church I ended up following a woman who was having a very loud conversation with someone on her cell phone.  I couldn't hear the other person, but I had a pretty good idea what he or she was saying based on the responses this woman was angrily yelling into her phone.  Things like, “Oh!  So I'm being dramatic?” and other things I probably shouldn't repeat in polite company.  We do this reading between the lines when we read St. Paul's epistles.  In them we have one side of a conversation and, thankfully, it's a lot more than “Mmhmm” and “Yes” and “Okay”.  In fact, it's a lot more like “Oh!  So I'm being dramatic?”  And it's not too hard, if we go slowly and think about the context, to piece most of the conversation together.  And so Paul begins his letter to the churches in Galatia writing, “Paul, an apostle…”  And then before he's even begun, he breaks off right there, because he has to defend himself against their attacks on his apostleship.  “My apostleship,” he writes, “doesn't derive from human sources, nor did it come through a human being.  It came through Jesus the Messiah, and God the Father who raised him from the dead.”  We know at the get-go that someone in Galatia is challenging Paul's credentials.  I think we get an even better sense of what's going on if we jump ahead to verse 10 of Galatians 1.  What Paul writes there doesn't get enough attention.  We'll come back and fill things in, but in verse 10 Paul writes to them: Well now…does that sound as though I'm trying to make up to people—or to God?  Or that I'm trying to curry favour with people?  If I were still pleasing people, I wouldn't be a slave of the Messiah.   Three times he says the same thing: Am I trying to make up to people.  Am I trying to curry favour with people?  Am I trying to please people?  So we know someone in Galatian is accusing Paul of abandoning the divine message of the gospel and, instead, preaching a merely human message that will tickle people's ears and win him friends.  Anyone who knew Paul should have known better, of course, but this is how it is.  Now there's actually a text—one that would have been well-known in the Jewish word of the First Century—there's a text that really sharpens the focus of this whole “people pleasing” accusation and that gives us some context for this whole dispute.  It stands out, because this Greek phrase Paul uses for “people pleasing” is essentially the same as another word that pops up in the Greek version of Psalm 52:6 and in the fourth of the Psalms of Solomon.  Psalms of Solomon is a little collection of eighteen psalms from the First Century B.C. and the First Century A.D., probably written by Pharisees or by people very much like the Pharisees.  And there's this Greek word that isn't actually Greek—anthropareskos—that was made up by Greek-speaking Jews and outside of Paul's writings, shows up only in those two other texts.  That fourth “Psalm of Solomon” is titled “A Psalm about the People Pleasers” and it's about people who compromised God's law, cutting corners here and there, in order to suck up to their pagan neighbours.  It speaks of men who would even enter the homes of pagans and fraternise with them.  That might not seem like a problem to us, but it was something faithful Jews did not do.  But once you got out into the real world, out of Judaea, a lot of Jews found it hard to get by in life while completely avoiding contact and fraternisation with gentiles.  In the Psalms of Solomon, the finger seems to be pointed at the corrupt Jewish rulers—people like the Sadducees, the Hasmoneans, and the Herodians.  To the faithful in Israel, these people were selling out the covenant by compromising God's law in order to ingratiate themselves with the pagans. And, we need to be clear, people like the Pharisees weren't angry about the compromise of the people pleasers because they were legalists who were trying to earn their way into heaven through good works.  There's been long tendency to read Galatians in that kind of light ever since Martin Luther.  Luther read the works-righteousness of the medieval church into Paul's adversaries.  And Luther was doing much what St. Augustine had done, when he read his own disputes with the heretic Pelagius into Galatians.  Pelagius, too, taught a sort of works righteousness.  As much as Pelagius and the medieval church did pose real problems, that sort of works righteousness wasn't at issue in these First Century disputes. The reason faithful Jews were obsessed with keeping the law was because they knew that God had chosen them, delivered them from Egypt, put them in the promised land, and called them to be holy—and that this was all for a greater purpose that would somehow involve God, one day, setting this fallen world to rights.  They were trying to be, in Jesus' way of putting it, the “on earth as in heaven” people.  There was a later rabbi who said that if all Israel would keep the torah for a single day, the Messiah would come.  The Pharisees had very similar ideas.  They also believed very firmly—because they knew the story of the Lord and Israel—that if Israel failed to keep the torah, if Israel flirted with pagans and their idolatry the way Deuteronomy warned them not to, the Messiah would not come and God would not establish his kingdom.  Not only that, but the very pagans with whom Israel compromised would destroy Israel and carry the people off into exile, just as the Babylonians had done six hundred years before.  I hope that helps us to understand what's behind this accusation made against Paul that he's a “people pleaser”.  It's not just that he's risking the salvation of some gentile believers in Galatia, but that he's putting in jeopardy the whole destiny of Israel—and probably even the world. In the First Century, Jews were faced with a crisis, and it was important to know who was “in” and who was “out”.  Who were your allies and who were the wicked risking another disaster.  The “people pleasers” were most definitely on the side of the wicked.  They pretended to be on God's side, but their compromises proved otherwise.  It's important for us to remember, too, that this was the mindset in which Paul had been steeped as a Pharisee.  This is the mindset that drove him to persecute the first Christians.  And now Paul is being accused of being one of those very people pleasers. So why would anyone accuse Paul of being a people pleaser?  Well, wherever Paul went, he was preaching that anyone who believed in this Jesus, who was crucified, died, and rose again…that anyone who believed that he is Israel's Messiah and, therefore God's King, this faith is the sign that that person is part of the people of God.  It didn't matter what their ethnic background was.  That was it.  Faith in Jesus the Messiah.  Period.  This is what Paul's epistle to the Galatians is all about.  Faith in Jesus the Messiah.  If a gentile believed, he was as much a member of the family as a Jew who believed.  He didn't need to be circumcised or to have any of the other signs that marked out Jews—not diet or Sabbath, not rules about who you could or couldn't eat with.  But to a lot of people this marked Paul out as a people pleaser.  He was compromising the law and the covenant.  That made him a traitor. I've begun with this, because I think it helps us understand where the focus of Galatians lies.  Ever since Luther, our tendency, at least in our Protestant circles, has been to read Galatians as a letter about how we are saved and as a warning about the dangers of legalism or of mixing works with faith.  The theology in that is right, but the perspective isn't where it should be and I think when we put Galatians back in the proper context and get a look at it from the proper angle, what we discover it's really about is community—about who the people of God are and what marks us out.  And in that light, the problem isn't just “legalism”.  Paul reminds us that what marks out the people of God is faith in Jesus the Messiah and that trying to define the community by any other means is to make it about something other than Jesus—to set up a false gospel. So the accusation against Paul, in a nutshell, is that he's got a gospel of human origin—that he got from someone else or that he made up himself—but a gospel that they think has been watered down to make it more palatable to the gentiles, that makes it too easy for the pagans to call themselves people of God.  If we understand that, then we'll understand these first verses.  This is why Paul breaks off after writing, “Paul, an apostle…”  Remember how be breaks off suddenly and adds: (My apostleship doesn't derive from human sources, nor did it come through a human being; it came through Jesus the Messiah, and God the Father who raised him from the dead.)   Some teachers had arrived in Galatia from Jerusalem and they've told the people there not to listen to Paul.  He's not a real apostle.  He wasn't there in the beginning with Jesus.  He never knew Jesus.  Instead, they should listen to them, because they got their gospel—at least so they claim—from the men who walked with Jesus for three years, real apostles like James and Peter.  And so Paul reminds them that he, too, had an encounter with the risen Messiah.  Paul would still be a Pharisee if it hadn't been for that miraculous encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus.  And it was in that encounter that Jesus himself commissioned Paul to take this good news to the gentiles.  In fact, it was seeing Jesus risen from the dead that convinced Paul of the truth of the gospel.  So he goes on: Paul, an apostle…[verse 2]and the family who are with me; to the churches in Galatia.  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and Jesus the Messiah, our Lord, who gave himself for our sins, to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of God our Father, to whom be glory to the ages of ages.  Amen.   Paul…and the family who are with me.  That's the church in Antioch.  First Paul stresses that his apostleship is as from Jesus as that of any other apostle and now he stresses the relationship that he and the church in Antioch have with these churches in Galatia.  They were accusing him of being a people pleaser, of being a traitor, of being a false brother and here he reaches out with verbal arms and embraces them and reminds them that in Jesus they're all family, all brothers and sisters. “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and Jesus the Messiah our Lord.”  Paul has this amazing way of making everything about Jesus and the gospel.  In the Greek world they greeted each other with the word chairein, which meant “to rejoice”, but in a letter basically just means “greetings” or “salutations”.  This is, for example, how James opens his epistle.  But Paul exchanges chairein for charis, the word for “grace”—from God the Father and from Jesus the Messiah—grace to you.  He adds the Jewish greeting of shalom as well: that means “peace”.  But even his word order here in his greeting sets the tone for the whole letter.  It's not grace and peace to you; it's grace to you and then peace.  Because the sum total of God's position towards humanity is grace and this is manifest uniquely and finally in Jesus the Messiah.  Everything begins with God's grace poured out in and through Jesus.  Even the peace we know and the peace we look forward to in the age to come, even that comes as a result first of God's grace. Paul then follows this up with a four-faceted summary of the good news.  First, Jesus gave himself for our sins, (second) to rescue us from the present evil age, (third) according to the will of God our Father, (four) to whom be glory to the ages of ages.  Amen. Jesus has rescued us from the present evil age.  What does that mean?  Well, when the Jews looked at history, they divided it into two ages.  There was the present evil age dominated by sin and death and full of pain and tears and then there was the age to come when God would fulfil his promises to set the world to rights and where his people would live in his presence forever.  The present evil age is dominated by dark powers that enslave humanity through idolatry and sin.  We worship idols, giving to them the glory we were created to give to God, and we rebel against him—that's sin—and our sin tightens the chains those idols have on us and on creation.  While we were bound up in the present evil age, Jesus came to our rescue, writes Paul.  He seems to have Isaiah's song of the suffering servant in mind as he writes this, because it's this suffering servant who represents Israel and who gives his life to break the chains the idols have cast around God's people.  He dies for their sins and breaks sin's power and he leads the people in a new exodus—into the age to come.  I like the way Tom Wright often reminds us that Jesus' resurrection isn't an odd or one-off event within the old world, but rather it's a launching and defining event of God's new world.  Paul's gospel, his good news, is that Jesus has dealt with the sins that chained us as slaves in the dark and bloody temples of the idols, and he now leads us out into the sunlight, into the beginnings of God's new world. Now, here's why this is so important in Paul's letter to the Galatians.  Remember that for Jews, the problem with gentiles was that they were idolaters.  There was one true God, the God of Israel, but the gentiles instead worshipped idols and they lived and behaved sinfully, as idolaters do.  This is what made them unclean and so offensive to the Jews.  This why good Jews wouldn't go into their homes or eat with them.  There were some gentiles who saw the Jews and were attracted to their purity of life and joined up.  But to do that, they had to be circumcised.  It was a dramatic (and painful) sign that they were leaving behind the idolatrous pagan world and becoming part of Abraham's family.  But—and this is vital to understanding Galatians—Paul's point is that the gospel tells us that on the cross Jesus defeated those evil powers when he dealt with the sin that put us in their chains.  This is how there can now be one family.  This is how the gentiles can be welcomed into this new Israel.  Again, If God has defeated the idols, the dark powers of the evil age, then the gentiles, the pagans can trust in the God of Israel and become part of Jesus the Messiah's family.  And, second, because Jesus's death has dealt with sin, then those who believe in him and who become part of his family, they are no longer “sinners” or idolaters.  The thing that separated Jews and gentiles has been dealt with by Jesus at the cross, and so membership in his family is by faith in him alone and nothing else.  To add anything else to that—like circumcision or any of those other things that marked out the Jews—to add anything else is to detract from Jesus and to lose the gospel itself. And then points three and four of Paul's gospel summary: The cross wasn't some accident of history.  This was God's plan all along.  What Jesus has done reveals the faithfulness of God and that, in turn, brings the gospel back to the glorification of God.  We often make the gospel about us, but for Paul the gospel is always and only about God.  God has redeemed us and in that he shows his glory and this is why we give him glory and praise.  The gospel begins and ends in with God. So that's the gospel in all its magnificent glory.  We can hear the shock and the disappointment as Paul goes on in verse 6 and following, rebuking the Galatians.  He writes: I'm astonished that you are turning away so quickly from the one who called you by the grace of the Messiah, and going after another gospel—not that it is another gospel, it's just that there are some people stirring up trouble for you and wanting to pervert the gospel of the Messiah.  But even if we—or an angel from heaven!—should announce a gospel other than the one we announced to you, let such a person be accursed.  I said it before and I now say it again, if anyone offers you a gospel other than the one you received, let that person be accursed.   It's not just that these churches have gone astray.  That would be bad enough, but it's how quickly after he left them that they've turned away.  The language suggests that Paul might be comparing his own astonishment to the astonishment of Moses at how quickly the Israelites went from praising the Lord for his miraculous deliverance at the Red Sea to creating and worshipping a golden calf.  As dumbfounding as it was to Moses to find his people dancing around an idol, Paul is dumbfounded at how quickly and how easily the Galatians have been led astray to another gospel.  And Paul quickly amends that, because, really, there is no other gospel.  There's the gospel.  Everything else is just is a lie. Also, the language Paul uses to write of them “turning”, that has its own shameful undertones.  The word he uses is one used in the Greek Old Testament to describe desertion.  In 2 Maccabees there's the poignant story of seven brothers whom Antiochus tried to force to eat pork, killing them one after the other when they refused.  When it's down to the youngest of them, the text says that Antiochus tried to entice the boy to “turn form his ancestral ways”.  (Or course, the boy refused and became a martyr.)  This is the same language Paul uses here and I think just to stress his point.  This probably corresponds to what we read in Acts about “certain persons from James” who arrived in Galatia not long after Paul and Barnabas had returned from their mission there.  Paul had seen these people devoted to Jesus and to the gospel, he'd seen them transformed by it, and now he's shocked that they've turned from the gospel—and so quickly and easily.  If they're going to accuse him of being disloyal to Israel's traditions, he turns that accusation right back around on them.  They've been disloyal to, they've deserted Jesus. He's not into the details of their corrupted gospel yet, but he says here that they've turned from the one who called them by grace.  They've turned from God himself.  Paul puts the emphasis on grace as manifest in Jesus the Messiah.  God's call is an act of pure grace.  His sending of Jesus is a pure act of grace.  The God of Israel has finally sent his Messiah as a gift of pure grace—and Paul now points his finger at these people and says—And you've turned away from him! So what was their “other gospel”?  We have to do more reading between the lines and it won't be fully fleshed out until we get through the rest of the letter, but the best way to look at it may be to see these new teachers not so much preaching a different Jesus, but preaching Jesus as the culmination of a different story.  Paul was preaching Jesus as the fulfilment a story in which the God of Israel defeats the powers of sin and death to rescue his people from the present evil age, but these folks seemed to be preaching Jesus as an add-on to Jewish life as it already was—maybe Jesus as the fulfilment of some Jewish nationalist hope or agenda: maybe a message that fired up zeal against the gentiles, for example, instead of announcing to them the grace made available in Jesus. And I think it's likely that Paul had in mind what “gospel” meant in the Roman world.  To the Greeks and Romans, “gospel” was the good news announced about the accession or the birthday of Caesar.  Caesar's new cult was spreading like wildfire through Asia and that included Galatia.  It's not that the Christian there were in danger of worshiping Caesar.  The danger was that they would embrace torah to save themselves from persecution for not worshiping Caesar.  To refuse to worship Caesar—not to mention all the other gods—would be a bit like marching the wrong way, carrying the flag upside-down, and saying unpatriotic things in the middle of a Canada Day parade.  But in that culture, not only was it disloyal, if and when calamity struck the city or the country, you'd be the one to get the blame for it, because you'd angered the gods.  But the Jews, they were uniquely exempt.  The Jews would rather die than worship an idol, so after all the trouble they'd caused him, Caesar had granted them an exemption.  And those first Christians started claiming that exemption for themselves.  They were, after all, Jews.  Even the gentile converts claimed it.  But then to claim to be Jews, well there was pressure to start acting like Jews, too—and that became a problem. And so Paul announces: Anathema!  A curse.  The real gospel, the true gospel is about how, in Jesus and his death and resurrection, God has dealt with sin and inaugurated a new age.  That's why it's good news.  But these new teachers, they're not just veering off course a little.  They're completely wrong.  They're telling a different story.  They're not announcing the good news that God's new creation has started.  No, they're just giving advice about how to live and get along in the present evil age.  There's no good news there.  As my New Testament prof, Gordon Fee, used to put it, they'd gone backwards from AD to BC—going from the bright sunlight of God's new day, back into the darkness of the old.  No, Paul says, if any—even if an angel from heaven—proclaims anything other than the good news that I've proclaimed, let that person be accursed. Brothers and Sisters, it's really very simple.  It's about Jesus and Jesus alone and it's faith in him that defines the people of God.  There is an organic relationship between faith and works such that real faith will always show itself in our lives.  We know good trees because they bear good fruit.  But as much as good works borne of faith mark us out, the thing that makes, the thing that defines us as the people of God is faith in Jesus.  That's it.  Nothing else.  Whenever we add something else—whether it's circumcision as in Galatia or some other thing or set of rules, when we establish some ethnic or cultural criteria, when we set up some kind of personal or ecstatic or emotional experience that stands alongside Jesus—we diminish Jesus and we rob God of his glory and we lose the gospel.  The solution, I think, if we listen to Paul, is to keep our eyes focused on Jesus and the cross.  Over and over Paul comes back to Jesus, declaring things like “who loved me and gave himself for me”.  We need to do the same.  Every week the Lord offers us a reset when he invites us to his Table.  Here we recall and participate anew in those events by which Jesus the Messiah gave himself for our sins, to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of God our Father.  Here we're reminded of grace, to go into another week with our eyes focused on Jesus that we might live to the glory of our gracious God and for the sake of his kingdom.  Here we're reminded again that it's all about God's grace poured out in Jesus.  It's not about us, it's not about who we are, it's not about what we've done or will do, it's all about and only about Jesus. Let's pray: Heavenly Father, you have poured out your amazing grace on us, giving your Son as a sacrifice for our sin and rescuing us from the bondage of the present evil age.  We should be overwhelmed by your grace and by your Son, but we confess that we too often lose our focus on him.  By your grace, set our eyes again and always on Jesus, that we might perpetually be amazed by your grace, so that we are never tempted to diminish your glory by adding anything else to the gospel.  In his name we pray.  Amen.

In this episode of Holy Shenanigans, Pastor Tara Lamont Eastman offers encouragement and strategies for transitioning from summer to fall. She presents a 'Top 10 Back to School' list and introduces the story of Pelagius, an influential but controversial Celtic theologian. Tara explores the themes of peace, love, and harmony through Pelagius' teachings and concludes with an original poem 'It's Only Just the Dawn,' emphasizing the importance of hope and resilience during times of change. The episode aims to inspire and guide listeners in their autumnal adventures, blending practical advice with spiritual reflection.Send Tara a Text MessageSupport the Show.Pastor Tara Lamont Eastman is an Ordained Minister of Word & Sacrament in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. She has pastored ELCA and PCUSA churches throughout New York State. She was a contributing writer to the Collaborate Lutheran Student Bible and the Connect Sunday School curriculum, published by Sparkhouse.

A new MP3 sermon from Antioch Reformed Baptist Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: 5th Century - Augustine and Pelagius Subtitle: Historical Theology Speaker: Brance Gillihan Broadcaster: Antioch Reformed Baptist Church Event: Sunday School Date: 8/18/2024 Bible: Romans 5:12-19 Length: 35 min.

Wednesday Summer Study, June 5, 2024 Sovereignty, Grace, and Free Will Teacher: Matthew Price  

In this episode, Dr. Alan Strange joins the podcast again to discuss the development of the doctrine of justification, particularly in the medieval period. He explains how Augustine recovered key aspects of Paul's teaching on justification being by grace alone while still viewing it as an ongoing process of being "made righteous" rather than a punctiliar declarative act. Dr. Strange describes how in the centuries after Augustine, there was confusion and lack of clarity around his actual views, with some of Pelagius' works even being mistakenly attributed to other church fathers. He contrasts Augustine and Aquinas' view of faith involving "caritas" or love/obedience to the law with the Reformers' view of faith as fiducia or trust in Christ alone. The discussion covers the key distinctions between the medieval Catholic view of justification as a process involving meriting grace through the sacraments and purgatory versus the Protestant Reformation's understanding of justification as a decisive declaration that happens at the moment of faith in Christ. Dr. Strange argues that the Reformation position actually recovered the biblical, Pauline view of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

Last week I wrote a series on discernment in 6 essays. They are below. I called it “Wolf Week” because false teachers are called wolves in scripture. My own version of Shark Week, lol. Wolf Week Intro: or, We DO know the heartWolf Week # 1: My two “starter false teachers”Wolf Week # 2: Why Wolves?Wolf Week # 3: Types of false teachers and their different methodsWolf Week # 4: Has that false teacher REALLY ‘helped' you?Wolf Week # 5: Why does God allow false teachers? A follow-up series I am publishing contains 4 more essays in short form focusing on 4 influential ‘Bible' teachers. I cut to the chase and made shorter essays showing why these folks are false. Today I look at 4 reasons not to follow Lori Alexander, half of the duo behind godlywomanhood/ The Transformed Wife. If you want to know more about the denial of Original Sin and its originator, Pelagius, and why it's a heresy, listen to this sermon "A Survey of Heresies- Pelagianism" by Phil Johnson Music attribution Track New York Music by ⁠⁠https://www.fiftysounds.com⁠⁠ Track London Music by ⁠⁠https://www.fiftysounds.com

In this episode, Dr. Alan Strange joins the podcast again to discuss the development of the doctrine of justification, particularly in the medieval period. He explains how Augustine recovered key aspects of Paul's teaching on justification being by grace alone while still viewing it as an ongoing process of being -made righteous- rather than a punctiliar declarative act.--Dr. Strange describes how in the centuries after Augustine, there was confusion and lack of clarity around his actual views, with some of Pelagius' works even being mistakenly attributed to other church fathers. He contrasts Augustine and Aquinas' view of faith involving -caritas- or love-obedience to the law with the Reformers' view of faith as fiducia or trust in Christ alone.--The discussion covers the key distinctions between the medieval Catholic view of justification as a process involving meriting grace through the sacraments and purgatory versus the Protestant Reformation's understanding of justification as a decisive declaration that happens at the moment of faith in Christ. Dr. Strange argues that the Reformation position actually recovered the biblical, Pauline view of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

In this episode, Dr. Alan Strange joins the podcast again to discuss the development of the doctrine of justification, particularly in the medieval period. He explains how Augustine recovered key aspects of Paul's teaching on justification being by grace alone while still viewing it as an ongoing process of being -made righteous- rather than a punctiliar declarative act.--Dr. Strange describes how in the centuries after Augustine, there was confusion and lack of clarity around his actual views, with some of Pelagius' works even being mistakenly attributed to other church fathers. He contrasts Augustine and Aquinas' view of faith involving -caritas- or love-obedience to the law with the Reformers' view of faith as fiducia or trust in Christ alone.--The discussion covers the key distinctions between the medieval Catholic view of justification as a process involving meriting grace through the sacraments and purgatory versus the Protestant Reformation's understanding of justification as a decisive declaration that happens at the moment of faith in Christ. Dr. Strange argues that the Reformation position actually recovered the biblical, Pauline view of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

In this episode, Dr. Alan Strange joins the podcast again to discuss the development of the doctrine of justification, particularly in the medieval period. He explains how Augustine recovered key aspects of Paul's teaching on justification being by grace alone while still viewing it as an ongoing process of being "made righteous" rather than a punctiliar declarative act.Dr. Strange describes how in the centuries after Augustine, there was confusion and lack of clarity around his actual views, with some of Pelagius' works even being mistakenly attributed to other church fathers. He contrasts Augustine and Aquinas' view of faith involving "caritas" or love/obedience to the law with the Reformers' view of faith as fiducia or trust in Christ alone.The discussion covers the key distinctions between the medieval Catholic view of justification as a process involving meriting grace through the sacraments and purgatory versus the Protestant Reformation's understanding of justification as a decisive declaration that happens at the moment of faith in Christ. Dr. Strange argues that the Reformation position actually recovered the biblical, Pauline view of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

Pelagius was so optimistic about human nature and the freedom of the will that he went so far as to deny the reality of original sin and the need for infant baptism. Saint Augustine corrected Pelagius and his followers, but in the heat of the debate he went a bit too far in in the opposite direction, and proposed a doctrine of election that the Church ultimately did not embrace. This episode explores, not only the problems with Pelagianism, but also the problems with its opposite, and the ways in which Saint Augustine inadvertently laid the foundation for the later heresy of Calvinism.  Links To listen to Mike Aquilina's episode 38 on Augustine of Hippo (part 1): https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/38augustine-part-1-misspent-youth-and-conversion/ To listen to Mike Aquilina's episode 39 on Augustine of Hippo (part 2): https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/39augustine-part-2-mob-made-bishop-makes-his-mark/ To listen to Mike Aquilina's episode 40 on Augustine of Hippo (part 3): https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/40augustine-part-3-last-days-and-end-age/ To read St. Augustine's Confessions: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=3102&repos=8&subrepos=0&searchid=2399020 To read St. Augustine's On the Proceedings of Pelagius: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=3308&repos=8&subrepos=0&searchid=2399018 To read St. Augustine's On the Spirit and the Letter: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=3305&repos=8&subrepos=0&searchid=2399019 To read St. Augustine's On Grace and Free Will: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=3302&repos=8&subrepos=0&searchid=2399021 To read St. Augustine's On the Soul and its Origin: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=3311&repos=8&subrepos=0&searchid=2399023 To read St. Augustine's Handbook on Faith, Hope, and Love: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=3287&repos=8&subrepos=0&searchid=2399022 For more on the controversy over Pelagianism, St. Augustine's rebuttal of it, and the Council of Orange, see the book: Reading the Church Fathers: A History of the Early Church and the Development of Doctrine: https://sophiainstitute.com/product/reading-the-church-fathers/ For more on the concept of the will of God as it relates to God's sovereignty, human free will, and the submission of the human will to the will of God, see the book: Praying Like the Early Church: Seven Insights from the Church Fathers to Help You Connect with God: https://sophiainstitute.com/product/praying-like-the-early-church/ SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter:  https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/ DONATE at:  http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio To connect with Dr. James Papandrea, On YouTube - The Original Church:  https://www.youtube.com/@TheOriginalChurch Join the conversation in the Original Church Community on Locals:  https://theoriginalchurch.locals.com/ Dr. Papandrea's Homepage:  http://www.jimpapandrea.com Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:  https://www.ccwatershed.org/  

For this episode Dr. Jenkins looks at the debate between St. Augustine and Pelagius on the power of sin in our lives, how extensive is its hold, and how do we 'get' it. Doxamoot tickets: https://tinyurl.com/Doxamoot24 Orthodoxy and Education: https://tinyurl.com/OrthodoxEducation

For this episode Dr. Jenkins looks at the debate between St. Augustine and Pelagius on the power of sin in our lives, how extensive is its hold, and how do we 'get' it. Doxamoot tickets: https://tinyurl.com/Doxamoot24 Orthodoxy and Education: https://tinyurl.com/OrthodoxEducation

This week on Riff Worship we are joined by Cam & Ryan of Pelagius to discuss their dissonant beginnings, Nashville's hardcore & metal scene, Yacht Rock, as well as their crushing self-titled debut EP Pelagius is OUT NOW via Total Dissonance Worship Follow Pelagius on Instagram For all updates on the show, follow us here: @distortion891 on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Tune in LIVE to Vocal Distortion, Mondays at 6PM CST on FM89, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠WONC.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, & the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeart Radio app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to our Riffs on Repeat playlist here!

In this new episode, we begin our study of the Four Views of Salvation (Pelagianism, Semi-Pelagianism, Semi-Augustinianism and Augustinianism), by working through an article written by Christopher Bounds entitled "How Are People Saved? The Major Views Of Salvation With a Focus On Wesleyan Perspectives And Their Implications" . We discuss the spectrum of Pelagianism and Augustinianism, the concepts of synergism vs. monergism and we look at some of Pelagius;s writings. Link to Article here:https://www.jstor.org/stable/42909800

Today Dr Will Ryan & Dr. Matt launch a series examining the Doctrine of Original Sin. If you've followed us long enough you've probably seen there are 2 theologies we tend to jab at quite a bit: Dispensationalism, Calvinism/Reformed Theology, So we basically have issues with doctrines that promote fear and a distortion of God's Character. In this series we'll be looking at how Original Sin is not Biblical or Ancient. The first 400 years of the Church did not believe this There is zero evidence that Judaism ever believed this. Messianic Jews do not believe this. The Eastern Orthodox church along with some Protestant denominations never adopted this view. As we'll see in this intro, Augustine was the inventor of this doctrine in the 5th century and much of it was due to his importation of his pagan background into Christianity. Defining original sin We do not deny that there was AN ORIGINAL SIN. What we will be referring to as “Original Sin” is the doctrine of Original Sin which teaches that because of Adam and Eve's sin we are all born guilty before God and that we inherit their guilt from birth. Sometimes we may refer to this as Original Guilt. This is also called Augustinian Anthropology or Augustinian Original Sin Original Sin is the building block for Total Depravity or Total Inability of Calvinism's TUPLIP which is about the nature of man in that they are so totally depraved that they cannot even seek after God.  Augustine and Original Sin The doctrine came into the church through Augustine of Hippo (396-440 CE) and the doctrine was originally called Concupiscence.   “Concupiscence” , according to Augustine, relates to Adam's sin being transferred through sexual reproduction.  It's root definition is a base sexual desire. We get our word concubine from this.  He believe that though this all men are born with their will, body, and mind corrupt and this is transmitted sexually. They inherited the sin through the sexual act leading to birth. Augustine could only read Latin. He tried to learn Greek but despised it due to his teacher who was very hard on him and so never learned it. He also could not read Hebrew. Augustine came to original sin by reading Romans 5:12 in a bad Latin translation.  Augustine and Pelagianism  Often the label thrown at those who disagree with Original Sin or who hold to Freedom of the Will is “Pelagian”.  Augustine developed 14 points of accusation against Pelagius. But you can look Pelagius' writings and they completely refute the accusations.  The 14 Points of Pelagianism: 1. Adam was created mortal & would die whether he sinned or not  2. Adam's sin harmed only Adam, not mankind  3. The law leads to heaven in the same way as the Gospel  4. Newborn infants are in the exact same state as Adam before his sin  5. The whole human race doesn't die through Adam & live through Christ  6. Even unbaptized infants possess eternal life  7. The wealthy must renounce their possessions or they will not see the Kingdom of Heaven  8. God's grace & help are not given for individual actions, but consist in free will, the law & teaching.  9. God‘s grace is given in accord with our merits & is located in the human will  10. Only those who are without sin can be called children of God  11. Forgetfulness & ignorance are not sinful since they're not done willingly  12. A choice is not free if it needs God's help  13. Our victory is not the result of God's help, but free will  14. The soul can be as sinless as God.  “Pelagianism” based on Augustine's 14 slanderous claims is not a real thing, but rather a strawman, a distortion, defamation and slander of the beliefs of a truly Orthodox Christian in order to change orthodoxy in the church.  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/expedition44/support

Panentheism The belief that the universe is contained within God. The universe is a part of God, but not all of God. Pantheism This is an identification of the universe with God. With this view there is a blurring of the distinction between the Creator and the creation. Pantheism tends to equate God with the process of the universe and states that the universe is God and God is the universe. This is a problem for Christians who believe that God is the creator of the universe (Isaiah 44:24) and therefore separate from it. Papyrus A plant growing along the Nile in Egypt during biblical times. It was used as writing material. Papyrus scrolls were made by cutting and pressing sections of the papyri plant together at right angles. The typical maximum length of a scroll was about 35 feet. The scribe, when using papyrus, would often use the natural horizontal fibers of the papyrus plant as guidelines. He would take a blunt instrument and score horizontal lines and then score two or more vertical lines as margins for the edge of the sheet or to define columns on it. We get the word "paper" from this word. Many of the biblical manuscripts were on papyrus. Parable An illustrative discourse or story that uses common events and culture and is meant to convey a meaning or lesson. Jesus used parables extensively. Some of the OT parables are Trees Making a King (2 Sam. 12:1-4); The Thistle and the Cedar (2 Kings 14:9); Israel, a Vine Planted by Water (Ezek. 24:1014), etc. Some NT parables are The Sower (Luke 8:5-8); the Ten Virgins (Matt. 25:1-13); The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37); The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), etc. See Parables. Paradise Biblically, paradise is the place of uninterrupted bliss. The Garden of Eden was considered a paradise. Jesus mentioned paradise while on the cross (Luke 23:43) and Paul also mentioned Paradise (2 Cor. 12:1-4). See also: Heaven Parapsychology The study of things not generally explainable by the scientific method. Examples of subjects studied by parapsychologists would be telepathy, clairvoyance, ghosts, etc. Parousia (par-ooo-see'-a) A Greek term that means “arrival” or “coming.” The term is often referred to as the time of Christ's return; hence, the Parousia, i.e., 2 Thess. 2:1. Pascal's Wager The argument that believing in God is the most logical thing to do since if there is a God and you deny him, then you are in trouble. If there is no god and you accept him, there is no problem because it doesn't matter. Logically, it is better to not deny that God exists than to deny he does. There is truth to this argument, but the problem is that it does not define which "god" to believe in. Pedobaptism The practice of infant baptism. Pelagianism The teaching of a monk named Pelagius in the fifth Century. He taught that people are free to choose good or evil and there is no inherited sin (through Adam). Every infant born into the world is in the same condition as Adam before the fall and becomes a sinner only by commiting a specific violation of the law. This is opposed to the orthodox view that the sin of Adam implicated the entire human race, a notion referred to as the doctrine of original sin. (Compare to Arminianism and Calvinism.) Penance In Catholicism, a process through which sins are acknowledged and forgiven. In the Roman Catholic Church, penance is seen as one of the sacraments and is a means of grace.More on the sacraments. Pentateuch This word is from the Greek penta, "five" and teuchos, "a tool". It refers to the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. All five were traditionally attributed to Moses and are also known as "the Law". Pentecost The word comes from the Greek which means fifty. So, Pentecost was a celebration on the fiftieth day after Passover. It was a culmination of the feast of weeks (Exodus 34:22,23). Pentecost in the NT is the arrival of the H --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/apostolicpowerofgod/support

"This Saint was a prominent actress of the city of Antioch, and a pagan, who lived a life of unrestrained prodigality and led many to perdition. Instructed and baptized by a certain bishop named Nonnus (November 10), she departed to the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem, where she lived as a recluse, feigning to be a eunuch called Pelagius. She lived in such holiness and repentance that within three or four years she was deemed worthy to repose in an odour of sanctity, in the middle of the fifth century. Her tomb on the Mount of Olives has been a place of pilgrimage ever since." (Great Horologion). The Prologue adds that Pelagia had accumulated a large fortune as a courtesan, all of which she gave away to the poor upon her conversion.

"This Saint was a prominent actress of the city of Antioch, and a pagan, who lived a life of unrestrained prodigality and led many to perdition. Instructed and baptized by a certain bishop named Nonnus (November 10), she departed to the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem, where she lived as a recluse, feigning to be a eunuch called Pelagius. She lived in such holiness and repentance that within three or four years she was deemed worthy to repose in an odour of sanctity, in the middle of the fifth century. Her tomb on the Mount of Olives has been a place of pilgrimage ever since." (Great Horologion). The Prologue adds that Pelagia had accumulated a large fortune as a courtesan, all of which she gave away to the poor upon her conversion.

Romans 3:1-20 // Caleb JenkinsIf there's nothing we can do to save ourselves, why does it matter if I still try to obey God? Why does God tell me what to do when he knows I can't do it? Isn't he just setting me up for failure? Too often we answer this question with one of two insufficient answers. We either say there's no point in trying to obey God because we can't and he'll just forgive us anyways, or we assume we must be able to do what is right from our own power without God. Join us as we continue our series in Romans and hear how the Apostle Paul answers this important question.Sermon Notes: https://www.bible.com/events/49142761 Prayer Requests: https://ccefc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/2553/responses/new

Today's episode is the audio version of the Holiness Today Issue: God Saves. This is the second issue of a Journey of Grace, a four part series that Holiness Today produced in 2020 and 2021. If you wish to order this series free of charge for you or for your church please email holinesstoday@nazarene.org. God Saves: 0:00 Intro 00:29 Redemption — Heather Powell 03:48 A Son of Abraham — Eugénio Duarte 08:37 The Initiative of God: Prevenient Grace and Justification — T. A. Noble 16:51 Pelagius, Augustine, and Arminius — Vinicius Couto 23:48 A Community Born by Grace — Tim Green 32:07 The Righteous Judge — Svetlana Khobnya 38:15 With the Grain of the Universe — T. Scott Daniels 44:44 Justification, Regeneration, and Adoption — Stéphane Tibi 51:39 A Merciful Savior — Flavio Valvassoura 57:25 Keeping in Step with Jesus — Scott Rainey 01:00:37 Outro

In Fr. Seraphim Rose's time, as well as today in 2023, many diverse and strongly held opinions exist when it comes to how we should regard Blessed Augustine of Hippo. In one extreme, some treat him as either the greatest father of the first millennium, as one can see in some western confessions and even by some Orthodox. In another extreme, some see him as the root source of a multitude of heresies, even explicitly or implicitly condemning him as a heretic. This collection of writings by Fr. Seraphim Rose is meant to express the moderate, sober understanding of the place Blessed Augustine holds in the Orthodox Church. What follows are readings from the biography of Fr. Seraphim Rose, titled “Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works”, sections from his book titled “The Place of Blessed Augustine in the Orthodox Church”, selected private letters, and concluding with the Troparion and Kontakion for Blessed Augustine. This collection of writings is by no means all of what Fr. Seraphim taught on Blessed Augustine. You'll find much more when you buy the book here: https://www.sainthermanmonastery.com/mobile/Product.aspx?ProductCode=blaug 0:08 Editor's Introduction 1:42 Excerpts from “Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works” From “On The Place of Blessed Augustine in the Orthodox Church”: 4:07 Preface 13:10 The Place of Blessed Augustine in the Orthodox Church 14:24 The Controversy over grace and free will 20:53 The Doctrine of Predestination 30:06 St. Photius on Blessed Augustine 35:26 Opinion of Blessed Augustine in Modern Times 40:58 A Note on the Contemporary Detractors of Blessed Augustine Readings of Sections of Letters Written by Fr. Seraphim Rose: 51:15 Letter to Nicholas 53:35 Letter to Fr. Michael Azkoul 58:30 Troparion and Kontakion for Blessed Augustine _______ "Probably St. Cassian would not have spoken so eloquently and so in detail on the subject of God's grace if Augustine had not already been teaching his own one-sided doctrine. But the important thing to bear in mind here is that the disagreement between Cassian and Augustine was not one between Orthodox Father and heretic (as was, for example, the disagreement between Augustine and Pelagius), but rather one between two Orthodox Fathers who disagreed only in the details of their presentation of one and the same doctrine. Both St. Cassian and Blessed Augustine were attempting to teach the Orthodox doctrine of grace and free will as against the heresy of Pelagius; but one did so with the full depth of the Eastern theological tradition, while the other was led into a certain distortion of this same teaching owing to his overly-logical approach to it.” -Fr. Seraphim Rose, pp. 34-35 "Today all we Orthodox Christians, whether of East or West-if only we are honest and sincere enough to admit it--are in a 'Western captivity' worse than any our Fathers in the past have known. In previous centuries, Western influences may have produced some theoretical formulations of doctrine that were wanting in preciseness; but today the 'Western captivity' surrounds and often governs the very atmosphere and tone of our Orthodoxy, which is often theoretically "correct" but wanting in true Christian spirit, in the indefinable savor of true Christianity." -Fr. Seraphim Rose, p. 88 "I myself fear the cold hearts of the 'intellectually correct' much more than any errors you might find in Augustine. I sense in these cold hearts a preparation for the work of Antichrist (whose imitation of Christ must also extend to 'correct theology'); I feel in Augustine the love of Christ." -Fr. Seraphim Rose, p. 100-101 "We, though, who know that some of our Holy Fathers and teachers strayed from the faith of true dogmas, do not take as doctrine those areas in which they strayed, but we embrace the men." -St. Photius the Great, p. 67 _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/orthodox-wisdom/message

About The Guest(s): Dr. Tom Nettles is a retired professor of historical theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has taught at several seminaries and has written extensively on church history and theology. Summary: Dr. Tom Nettles discusses the Pelagian Controversy and its significance in church history. He explains the theological issues surrounding the nature of sin, human nature, and the role of grace in salvation. Augustine's response to Pelagius and his development of the doctrines of grace are highlighted. The conversation also touches on the influence of Pelagianism in modern theology and the importance of understanding the nature of sin and the need for divine grace. Key Takeaways:Augustine's theological work focused on the nature of sin, human nature, and the role of grace in salvation.Pelagius believed in the perfectibility of human nature and the ability to achieve righteousness through personal effort.Augustine emphasized the fallen nature of humanity and the necessity of divine grace for salvation.The Pelagian Controversy led Augustine to develop a more scriptural and exegetical approach to theology.The influence of Pelagianism can still be seen in modern theology, particularly in the emphasis on human freedom and the rejection of the doctrines of grace.Quotes:"Augustine stands within the history of theology, dealing with the issue of human sin, the nature of saving grace, and how human nature became polluted by sin." - Dr. Tom Nettles"Pelagianism was rejected in 431 at the same council where Nestorianism was rejected, as they were seen as twin errors." - Dr. Tom Nettles"Augustine's engagement with Pelagius is a tremendously important theological step that influenced the Reformation and the development of Protestant theology." - Dr. Tom Nettles

     There are four basic views concerning who saves. First is autosoterism (auto = self + soter = savior) which is a belief that entrance into heaven is entirely by good works. Autosoterists don't feel they need salvation from an outside source. Their good works are enough. Second is syntheosoterism (syn = with + theo = God + soter = savior) which is a belief that people partner with God and contribute to their initial salvation by good works, or a promise to perform them. These frontload the gospel with some human requirement in addition to faith in Jesus (i.e., turn from all their sin, keep the Sabbath, water baptism, etc.). Third is posttheosoterism (post – after + theo = God + soter = savior) which is the belief that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, but later, after being saved, the Christians are persuaded they must perform good works to keep themselves saved (like the Christians in Galatia). Last is solatheosoterism (sola = alone + theo = God + soter = savior), which is the belief that salvation is entirely a work of God through Christ and is provided by grace alone, though faith alone, in christ alone, plus nothing more. In this view, salvation is a gift from God, freely given and freely received with no requirement of good works before, during, or after receiving salvation. These understand that good works should follow salvation (Eph 2:10), but they are never the condition of it.      The autosoterists believe that, from beginning to end, they save themselves by adhering to a moral code that will secure their entrance into heaven. In this system of thought, the Bible becomes a moral guide to one's path to heaven (perhaps among other guides). I've personally heard people say, “I'll keep the Ten Commandments and hope God lets me into heaven”, or “I'll love God and my neighbor and trust that He will let me into His kingdom when I die.” Historically, this would be similar to Pelagianism, a teaching derived from a British monk named Pelagius who lived and preached in Rome circa A.D. 400. According to Ryrie, Pelagius “believed that since God would not command anything that was not possible, and that since He has commanded men to be holy, everyone therefore can live a life that is free from sin.”[1] In this teaching, a person needs only follow God's laws to be saved from hell and accepted into heaven. From beginning to end, this is a works-salvation.      The problem with autosoterism—among several—is that those who think they can save themselves by works fail to grasp God's absolute standard of righteousness to gain entrance into heaven. The Bible reveals God is holy (Psa 99:9; Isa 6:3), which means He is perfectly righteous and completely set apart from sin (Psa 99:9; 1 Pet 1:14-16). Because God is holy, He cannot have anything to do with sin except to condemn it. The Scripture states, “Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and You cannot look on wickedness with favor” (Hab 1:13), and “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Autosoterists also fail to understand the biblical teaching about sin and total depravity, in which sin permeates every aspect of our being—intellect, body, will, and sensibilities—and that we are helpless to correct our fallen position. The biblical teaching is that all mankind is sinful and separated from God (Rom 3:10-23). We are sinners in Adam (Rom 5:12; 1 Cor 15:21-22), sinners by nature (Rom 7:14-25; 13:12-14), sinners by choice (Isa 59:2; Jam 1:14-15), and completely helpless to solve the sin problem and save ourselves (Rom 5:6-10; Eph 2:1-3). Good works have no saving merit before God (Isa 64:6; Rom 4:4-5; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5). Paul wrote, “we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law” (Rom 3:28), and “a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified” (Gal 2:16).      Furthermore, autosoterists are trapped in a vague system of rules-for-salvation that can never provide assurance of their salvation. No matter how much good they do, there is always that nagging question, “have I done enough?” The reason they can never have assurance of their salvation is because the Bible does not teach that salvation is by human works, either in total or in part. Those who approach God by their works are in want of any passage of Scripture that can provide them assurance they've done enough to secure their place in heaven. For if one performs a hundred good works during a lifetime, how do  they know that God doesn't require a hundred and one, or a hundred and two? They don't, because the Bible does not teach salvation by works. Autosoterists are not saved, as they trust entirely in their good works to save them.      The syntheosoterists are those who think good works are required in addition to their initial act of faith in Jesus. These teach faith in Christ, but then muddy the gospel by adding something we do, such as turning from sins, keeping the Sabbath, water baptism, promising to live a moral life, joining a church, receiving sacraments, etc. I don't believe these persons are saved, as human activity is added to the gospel message from the beginning. We observe an example of this in the early church in which “Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved'” (Acts 15:1). This teaching caused a huge reaction in Paul and Barnabas, who had “great dissension and debate with them” (Acts 15:2). The simple gospel message was: “we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 15:11). But some Judaizers from Judea were presenting a false gospel which frontloaded the message with a requirement to follow to the Law of Moses; specifically, circumcision. Concerning Acts 15:1, Arnold Fruchtenbaum states: "Verse 1 describes the issue that led to the debate: Gentile circumcision. After their first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas gave a report to the church of Antioch and spent some time with the Believers there. Eventually, certain men came down from Judea. They were members of the “circumcision party,” mentioned earlier, in Acts 11:2, who had challenged Peter about going into the home of an uncircumcised Gentile. Acts 15:24 makes it clear that these men had not been sent by the church of Jerusalem, but that they simply came down to Antioch of their own accord. In Galatians 2:4, Paul made reference to this same Jerusalem Council and describe these men as false brethren. They came to Antioch to teach. The Greek tense of the verb “teach” means they began to teach, and they kept at it with determination. The false teachers picked on the brethren, meaning the Gentile believers, because they were not circumcised. To these Gentile believers, they said: except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. This was the Judaizers dictum: Believing Gentiles are not saved until they are circumcised. Today certain groups teach another heresy, namely, that believers are not saved until they have been baptized. Both statements are equally wrong. Both involve salvation by works and salvation through ritual."[2]      If any human works or religious rituals are added to the simple gospel message, it is rendered null and void. A gospel message that includes human works is no gospel at all. Such a message saves no one. Warren Wiersbe states: "God pronounces a solemn anathema on anyone who preaches any other Gospel than the Gospel of the grace of God found in Jesus Christ His Son (Gal 1:1–9). When any religious leader says, “Unless you belong to our group, you cannot be saved!” or, “Unless you participate in our ceremonies and keep our rules, you cannot be saved!” he is adding to the Gospel and denying the finished work of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote his Epistle to the Galatians to make it clear that salvation is wholly by God's grace, through faith in Christ, plus nothing!"[3]      The posttheosoterists are those who believe they are saved initially by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, but then later adopt a works-system to continue to be saved. I think many in this camp were saved when they heard and responded positively to the simple gospel message (perhaps as a child), placing their faith in Christ alone for salvation, but then later were persuaded to accept a system of legalistic teaching that told them they must do good works to continue to be saved. These would be similar to the Christians Paul wrote to in Galatia, who said, “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel” (Gal 1:6). These were believers whom Paul called brethren (Gal 1:11; 2:4; 3:15; 4:12, 28, 31; 5:11, 13; 6:1, 18), declaring they were “sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:26). The Christians in Galatia had trusted in Christ as their Savior; however, some “false brethren” (Gal 2:4) came among them and taught they must adhere to the Law of Moses to be saved. These were false teachers. According to Fruchtenbaum, “The problem that Paul was dealing with in his epistle to the Galatians concerns a group that has come to be known as ‘the Judaizers.' These people felt that the Gentiles must obey the Law of Moses in order to be saved (Acts 15:1 and 5).”[4]Paul, in an effort to correct the false teaching, posed a few simple questions to the Galatian Christians, saying, “This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Gal 3:2-3). The Christians in Galatia had trusted in Christ as their Savior and had received the Holy Spirit. They were saved. Yet, the legalism of the Judaizers had corrupted the concept of faith alone in Christ alone. Fruchtenbaum notes, “Too many believers think they can and need to add to their salvation. By grace through faith alone does not seem to satisfy. People add the keeping of some of the laws of Moses to their salvation. Others believe their baptism plays a role in it. Again others throw what is commonly known as Lordship salvation into the mix.”[5] I think posttheosoterism describes many Christians today, who truly trusted Christ as their Savior, but then later were led to believe they needed good works to keep themselves saved. Chafer states, “True salvation is wholly a work of God. It is said to be both a finished work and a gift, and, therefore, it lays no obligation upon the saved one to complete it himself, or to make after payments of service for it.”[6]      I personally trusted Christ as my Savior at age eight; however, shortly afterwards I was taught I needed to keep myself saved by ceasing to sin and also by doing good works. Though I did not lose my salvation (which is impossible), the joy I had when I trusted Christ as my Savior was lost, as I became trapped in a vicious system of trying to keep my salvation by good works. Subsequently, I believed I lost my salvation every time I sinned (which  was daily), and felt I needed to come groveling back to God as a failure, and trusting Christ over and over again in order to be saved. Eventually, exhaustion took its toll, and after several years I walked away from God, thinking the Christian life was impossible. It was not until roughly fifteen years later that my assurance of salvation rested in Christ alone, and the joy of my salvation was restored.      Because pride is the default setting of the human heart; it's our natural proclivity to think we can fix the problem of sin and righteousness and either earn God's approval by our own efforts, or at least participate in the effort. Pride must die for salvation to occur, as we come to God with the empty hands of faith, offering nothing, but only receiving the salvation which He offers to us by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Human efforts to save are useless. Lewis Chafer notes, “No one under any circumstances could forgive his own sin, impart eternal life to himself, clothe himself in the righteousness of God, or write his name in heaven.”[7]      Solatheosoterism is the correct biblical view. This teaches that our spiritual salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, plus nothing more. No good works are required for our salvation before, during, or after we trust in Christ. As stated before, good works should follow salvation (Eph 2:10), but they are never the condition of it. This is the record of Scripture in the OT, as “Salvation belongs to the LORD” (Psa 3:8), and “Our God is a God of salvation” (Psa 68:20 CSB), and “Salvation is from the LORD” (Jon 2:9). In the NT we read about Jesus, and that “He will save His people from their sins” (Matt 1:21), and “He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col 1:13a), and “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (Tit 3:5), and it is “God who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (2 Tim 1:8b-9). In these verses, salvation is always in one direction, from God to us.      Scripture reveals we are helpless, ungodly, sinners, and enemies of God (Rom 5:6-10), and prior to our salvation, we were dead in our trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1). Salvation is never what we do for God; rather, it's what He's done for us through the death of His Son, who paid the full penalty for all our sins on the cross at Calvary. Having paid the full price for our sins, there is nothing that remains for us to pay. Christ paid it all, and our spiritual salvation was completed at the cross, where Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). According to Francis Schaeffer, “Salvation is the whole process that results from the finished work of Jesus Christ as He died in space and time upon the cross.”[8]And Lewis Chafer notes, “As for revelation, it is the testimony of the Scriptures, without exception, that every feature of man's salvation from its inception to the final perfection in heaven is a work of God for man and not a work of man for God.”[9]      No one has the means to redeem his own soul, nor the soul of another. Jesus asked, “what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt 16:26). The answer is nothing! If Jesus had not paid our sin-debt to God, there would be no hope of ever being liberated from spiritual slavery, for “no man can by any means redeem his brother or give to God a ransom for him—for the redemption of his soul is costly, and he should cease trying forever” (Psa 49:7-8). However, Paul writes of the “redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:24b), and this speaks to the payment He made on behalf of sinners. The word redemption translates the Greek apolutrosis which means to “release from a captive condition.”[10] Redemption refers to the payment of a debt that one gives in order to liberate another from slavery. Jesus declared “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45), and the apostle Paul tells us that Jesus “gave Himself as a ransom for all” (1 Tim 2:6). When we turn to Christ as our only Savior “we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses” (Eph 1:7; cf. Col 1:13-14). Because Jesus died in our place, He is able to set us free from our spiritual bondage and give us eternal life, but it is only because of His shed blood on the cross that He can do this, for we “were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold…but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Pet 1:18-19). The blood of Christ is necessary, for “without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb 9:22). And the blood of Christ is the coin of the heavenly realm that paid our sin debt. He paid it all, and there's nothing more for us to pay. Salvation is a gift from God. If we have to pay for it, it ceases to be a gift. Dr. Steven R. Cook   [1] Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1999), 254. [2] Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, The Book of Acts (San Antonio, TX, Published by Ariel Ministries, 2022), 316. [3] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 461. [4] Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, Faith Alone: The Condition of Our Salvation: An Exposition of the Book of Galatians and Other Relevant Topics, ed. Christiane Jurik, Second Edition. (San Antonio, TX: Ariel Ministries, 2016), 9. [5] Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, Faith Alone: The Condition of Our Salvation: An Exposition of the Book of Galatians and Other Relevant Topics, ed. Christiane Jurik, Second Edition. (San Antonio, TX: Ariel Ministries, 2016), 1. [6] Lewis Sperry Chafer, Satan (New York: Gospel Publishing House, 1909), 111. [7] Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1993), 7. [8] Francis A. Schaeffer, Death in the City (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2002), 100. [9] Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1993), 6. [10] Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, rev. and ed. Frederick W. Danker, 3rd ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 117.

     There are four basic views concerning who saves. First is autosoterism (auto = self + soter = savior) which is a belief that entrance into heaven is entirely by good works. Autosoterists don't feel they need salvation from an outside source. Their good works are enough. Second is syntheosoterism (syn = with + theo = God + soter = savior) which is a belief that people partner with God and contribute to their initial salvation by good works, or a promise to perform them. These frontload the gospel with some human requirement in addition to faith in Jesus (i.e., turn from all their sin, keep the Sabbath, water baptism, etc.). Third is posttheosoterism (post – after + theo = God + soter = savior) which is the belief that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, but later, after being saved, the Christians are persuaded they must perform good works to keep themselves saved (like the Christians in Galatia). Last is solatheosoterism (sola = alone + theo = God + soter = savior), which is the belief that salvation is entirely a work of God through Christ and is provided by grace alone, though faith alone, in christ alone, plus nothing more. In this view, salvation is a gift from God, freely given and freely received with no requirement of good works before, during, or after receiving salvation. These understand that good works should follow salvation (Eph 2:10), but they are never the condition of it.      The autosoterists believe that, from beginning to end, they save themselves by adhering to a moral code that will secure their entrance into heaven. In this system of thought, the Bible becomes a moral guide to one's path to heaven (perhaps among other guides). I've personally heard people say, “I'll keep the Ten Commandments and hope God lets me into heaven”, or “I'll love God and my neighbor and trust that He will let me into His kingdom when I die.” Historically, this would be similar to Pelagianism, a teaching derived from a British monk named Pelagius who lived and preached in Rome circa A.D. 400. According to Ryrie, Pelagius “believed that since God would not command anything that was not possible, and that since He has commanded men to be holy, everyone therefore can live a life that is free from sin.”[1] In this teaching, a person needs only follow God's laws to be saved from hell and accepted into heaven. From beginning to end, this is a works-salvation.      The problem with autosoterism—among several—is that those who think they can save themselves by works fail to grasp God's absolute standard of righteousness to gain entrance into heaven. The Bible reveals God is holy (Psa 99:9; Isa 6:3), which means He is perfectly righteous and completely set apart from sin (Psa 99:9; 1 Pet 1:14-16). Because God is holy, He cannot have anything to do with sin except to condemn it. The Scripture states, “Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and You cannot look on wickedness with favor” (Hab 1:13), and “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Autosoterists also fail to understand the biblical teaching about sin and total depravity, in which sin permeates every aspect of our being—intellect, body, will, and sensibilities—and that we are helpless to correct our fallen position. The biblical teaching is that all mankind is sinful and separated from God (Rom 3:10-23). We are sinners in Adam (Rom 5:12; 1 Cor 15:21-22), sinners by nature (Rom 7:14-25; 13:12-14), sinners by choice (Isa 59:2; Jam 1:14-15), and completely helpless to solve the sin problem and save ourselves (Rom 5:6-10; Eph 2:1-3). Good works have no saving merit before God (Isa 64:6; Rom 4:4-5; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5). Paul wrote, “we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law” (Rom 3:28), and “a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified” (Gal 2:16).      Furthermore, autosoterists are trapped in a vague system of rules-for-salvation that can never provide assurance of their salvation. No matter how much good they do, there is always that nagging question, “have I done enough?” The reason they can never have assurance of their salvation is because the Bible does not teach that salvation is by human works, either in total or in part. Those who approach God by their works are in want of any passage of Scripture that can provide them assurance they've done enough to secure their place in heaven. For if one performs a hundred good works during a lifetime, how do  they know that God doesn't require a hundred and one, or a hundred and two? They don't, because the Bible does not teach salvation by works. Autosoterists are not saved, as they trust entirely in their good works to save them.      The syntheosoterists are those who think good works are required in addition to their initial act of faith in Jesus. These teach faith in Christ, but then muddy the gospel by adding something we do, such as turning from sins, keeping the Sabbath, water baptism, promising to live a moral life, joining a church, receiving sacraments, etc. I don't believe these persons are saved, as human activity is added to the gospel message from the beginning. We observe an example of this in the early church in which “Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved'” (Acts 15:1). This teaching caused a huge reaction in Paul and Barnabas, who had “great dissension and debate with them” (Acts 15:2). The simple gospel message was: “we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 15:11). But some Judaizers from Judea were presenting a false gospel which frontloaded the message with a requirement to follow to the Law of Moses; specifically, circumcision. Concerning Acts 15:1, Arnold Fruchtenbaum states: "Verse 1 describes the issue that led to the debate: Gentile circumcision. After their first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas gave a report to the church of Antioch and spent some time with the Believers there. Eventually, certain men came down from Judea. They were members of the “circumcision party,” mentioned earlier, in Acts 11:2, who had challenged Peter about going into the home of an uncircumcised Gentile. Acts 15:24 makes it clear that these men had not been sent by the church of Jerusalem, but that they simply came down to Antioch of their own accord. In Galatians 2:4, Paul made reference to this same Jerusalem Council and describe these men as false brethren. They came to Antioch to teach. The Greek tense of the verb “teach” means they began to teach, and they kept at it with determination. The false teachers picked on the brethren, meaning the Gentile believers, because they were not circumcised. To these Gentile believers, they said: except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. This was the Judaizers dictum: Believing Gentiles are not saved until they are circumcised. Today certain groups teach another heresy, namely, that believers are not saved until they have been baptized. Both statements are equally wrong. Both involve salvation by works and salvation through ritual."[2]       If any human works or religious rituals are added to the simple gospel message, it is rendered null and void. A gospel message that includes human works is no gospel at all. Such a message saves no one. Warren Wiersbe states: "God pronounces a solemn anathema on anyone who preaches any other Gospel than the Gospel of the grace of God found in Jesus Christ His Son (Gal 1:1–9). When any religious leader says, “Unless you belong to our group, you cannot be saved!” or, “Unless you participate in our ceremonies and keep our rules, you cannot be saved!” he is adding to the Gospel and denying the finished work of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote his Epistle to the Galatians to make it clear that salvation is wholly by God's grace, through faith in Christ, plus nothing!"[3]   Dr. Steven R. Cook   [1] Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1999), 254. [2] Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, The Book of Acts (San Antonio, TX, Published by Ariel Ministries, 2022), 316. [3] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 461.

This week the guys dig deeper into Augustine's history and the prevailing thoughts that influenced his theology. Was Pelagius really a heretic? How to make sense of the immaculate conception? And what do sex and a handshake have in common? All this and more in today's episode of the After Class Podcast!

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - For the first time since the Reformation, a Catholic prelate will be formally participating in the coronation of King Charles III on Saturday, May 6, along with other Christian leaders across the country who have been invited to formally bestow a blessing on the new king. The Order of Service, released by the Church of England, explains: “The progress of ecumenical relations since 1953 means that for the first time, this blessing is to be shared by Christian leaders across the country.” The blessings will take place shortly after the archbishop of Canterbury formally crowns King Charles III, after which Westminster Abbey's bells will peal for two minutes and then the official blessings will commence. Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Catholic archbishop of Westminster, will say: “May God pour upon you the riches of his grace, keep you in his holy fear, prepare you for a happy eternity, and receive you at the last into his immortal glory.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254225/catholic-prelate-will-participate-in-british-coronation-ceremony-for-the-first-time-since-reformation Today, the Church celebrates the English Carthusian Martyrs, the 18 Carthusian monks who were put to death in England under King Henry VIII between 1535-1540 for maintaining their allegiance to the Pope. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/english-carthusian-martyrs-227 The Church also celebrates Saint Pelagia, a pagan woman who sought baptism after hearing a homily by a bishop. As a result of her conversion, the emperor's son, whose eye Pelagia had caught, turned against her, as did her mother. Together they reported her to the emperor in hopes that her faith would weaken under torture. Diocletian interviewed her, but he failed to persuade her to change her mind and heart about being a Christian. She ran from home, giving away all of her possessions and setting her slaves free, and lived as a hermit within the mountains. She was called "the beardless hermit," and went by the name of "Pelagius." She then died three or four years later, apparently as a result of extreme asceticism, which had emaciated her to the point she could no longer be recognized. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-pelagia-484

Greg Bryan and Jim Reske talk about the fight for the gospel reflecting on church history.So what was all the fuss about?  Bruce Shelley, in his book “Church History in Plain Language,” provides an excellent summary of the controversy (emphasis added): What did Pelagius teach to arouse Augustine's vigorous opposition?  The monk denied that human sin is inherited from Adam. Man, he said, is free to act righteously or sinfully... Almost all the human race have sinned; but it is possible not to sin, and some people have in fact lived without sin.  [God's] forgiveness comes to all who exercise “faith alone”; but, once forgiven, man has power of himself to live pleasing to God... His idea of the Christian life was practically the Stoic conception of ascetic self-control. Amazing.  It's as though Pelagius had the single-line drawing right there in front of him.  Jesus starts you out in the Christian life, but the rest is up to you.  Justification is through Christ, but sanctification is through hard work and effort.  Pelagius said that God would never give you a command that you couldn't fulfill; you just need to make better choices.  Just like me, he may have added.  Pelagius didn't just think he was a 9 on a scale of 1-10; he thought it was completely possible to be a perfect 10, if you just tried hard enough. Augustine was the polar opposite of Pelagius.  Before he became a Christian, he had a very explicit problem with sexual self-control. We know this because Augustine himself wrote all about it in his “Confessions”.  He was very much aware of his own totally depraved sinful nature, and the need for complete and total grace to save him from it.  Pelagius thought that grace was a “nice to have”, but not a necessity because it was completely possible for a person to make all the right choices and avoid sin entirely if they just tried hard enough.  Augustine would have none of it.  Shelley explains (emphasis added): Augustine sensed profoundly the depth of his sin and hence the greatness of God's salvation.  He felt that nothing less than irresistible divine power (grace) could have saved him from his sin and only constantly inflowing divine grace could keep him in the Christian life.  His Christian ideal was no Stoic self-control, but love for righteousness infused by the Spirit of God. In other words, Augustine was very aware of his sin (the lower line).  And though he had been a Christian for some time by the time he met Pelagius, he was growing in that awareness, because as he fought Pelagius, he said that he had no power in himself to do the right thing; all power to do good was completely a gift from God by grace.  Christian growth wasn't a matter of hard work and effort – it was all by grace.  Augustine's focus was squarely on the grace of Jesus (the growing cross), not his own spiritual performance, and as a result, his life changed (the dotted line). But as Dr. John Hannah, the church historian who taught at Dallas Theological Seminary, explains, all good controversies invite a compromiser who will try to synthesize the two positions.   That person was Cassian.  Hannah explains that:·      Pelagius taught that sin does not corrupt a person's mind, will, and emotions, such that we are spiritually alive; and·      Augustine taught that sin completely corrupts a person's mind, will, and emotions, such that we are spiritually dead (total depravity); but·      Cassian taught that sin only hinders a person's mind, will, and emotions, such that we need help (deprivation, but not depravity). In Cassian's view, the grace of God and the will of man work together in salvation.  In other words, God helps those who help themselves.  Which is a lot like the single-line view of the world.

TEXT - ROMANS 7:14-242 "Roman Roads" of Interpretations - Romans 71. Paul is describing his current situation/struggle as a Christian - Portrays the experience of believers after their conversion. They have died and risen with Christ with the capacity to renounce sin. Yet as children of Adam, they continue to possess a sinful nature that dogs their well-intended efforts to do what is right. This sets up the struggle that Paul presents in this chapter. It is his struggle and every believer's struggle until the return of Christ.2. Paul is describing his past before Christ - Romans 7 presents Paul's description of his own struggle prior to his conversion to Christ. Paul describes the unregenerate state in which he (and, by extension, others) struggles to do what is right [under the law] and confesses to sin's repeated victories prior to the entrance of the Spirit into his life.ROMANS 7 Commentary/Interpretation“If Paul was describing the dilemma of a Christian in verses 13-25, then “in my spirit” (rather than “in my inner being”) would have been the natural phrase to describe the source of a Christian's longing for God. But Paul avoids “S/spirit” language throughout this whole passage since it DOES NOT APPLY to the one who does not belong to Christ”. (pg. 745, Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary)  “Most of the early church fathers thought that these verses described an unregenerate person. Augustine as well, but he changed his position after the controversy with Pelagius. Almost all of the reformers held to the regenerate interpretation. It was the basis of Luther's ‘simul iustus et peccator.'” (simultaneous justified and sinner) - Nick Campbell “It should be of interest to the reader that Romans 7 was never interpreted as a believer in the first 300 years of the Christian Church.” – James Shelly“The Greek Fathers, during the first three hundred years of church history, unanimously interpreted this scripture as describing a thoughtful moralist endeavoring, without the grace of God, to realize his highest ideal of moral purity. Augustine, to rob his opponent Pelagius of the two proof-texts, originated the theory that the seventh of Romans delineated a regenerate man” - Dr. Daniel Steele“The more ancient teachers of the Church had unanimously explained it of the man who has not yet become a Christian, nor is upheld in the struggle by the Spirit of Christ” - Tholuck“Among those who reject this teaching (a regenerate man in vv. 14-25), the view of the Greek fathers prevails. It is worthy of note that this is the earlier opinion and was accepted by nearly all who spoke as their mother-tongue the language in which this epistle was written.” - Joseph Abgar Beet “In analyzing the early Christian understanding of Romans 7 it has become very clear that the early church did not understand this passage to teach the necessity of sin in believers, usually attributing to it the interpretation that it was a man who was striving to please God under the Law of Moses. In fact, this interpretation was so prevalent that when discussing this passage around 415AD, Pelagius [said]… 'that which you wish us to understand of the apostle himself, all Church writers assert that he spoke in the person of the sinner, and of one who was still under the law...' Augustine, in his attempt to refute this statement of Pelagius, was unable to offer any church writers who disagreed with Pelagius.” - Daniel JenningsTEXT - ROMANS 6:1-7, 11-22TEXT - ROMANS 8:2-13DO WE STILL HAVE A "SIN NATURE"?We have a “sin nature” before we were saved. As believers, we have the Holy Spirit living within us. We still have an unrenewed mind.  In as much as our mind is unrenewed, we still have ungodly emotions.  But this is NOT our Nature now. I have sinful propensities in my emotions and in my thinking, but they are getting changed little by little (process) the more I renew my mind.  To say I have no sin propensity, even though I no longer have a sin nature, isn't true.  I have propensities to sin in my emotions, my thinking and my bodily desires but NOW have the ability to challenge them and have victory… Some people over-exaggerate it and say we have none of this and they are living in total unreality and dishonesty to say that they don't have sinful thought processes, emotions or sinful desires in your body.Roman 6:11 – “Consider yourself to be DEAD TO SIN” Meaning - Sin nature killed = free from the mandatory reign of sin, not sinful “feelings”) - “It didn't say that sin is dead in you. It didn't say there are no more sinful promptings in the life of a believer. It doesn't say you'll never feel anger again. It didn't say that sinful feelings are dead in you. That is NOT what is says and that's how a lot of people read it… It says that you are dead to the ‘reign of sin'… You are no longer in the place where you are under the mandatory slavery of sin.  The feelings still arise, but you have the power to challenge them”.2 Cor. 5:17 - “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”Gal 2:20 - “I have been crucified with Christ…

Greg Bryan and Jim Reske talk about the fight for the gospel reflecting on church history.So what was all the fuss about?  Bruce Shelley, in his book “Church History in Plain Language,” provides an excellent summary of the controversy (emphasis added): What did Pelagius teach to arouse Augustine's vigorous opposition?  The monk denied that human sin is inherited from Adam. Man, he said, is free to act righteously or sinfully... Almost all the human race have sinned; but it is possible not to sin, and some people have in fact lived without sin.  [God's] forgiveness comes to all who exercise “faith alone”; but, once forgiven, man has power of himself to live pleasing to God... His idea of the Christian life was practically the Stoic conception of ascetic self-control. Amazing.  It's as though Pelagius had the single-line drawing right there in front of him.  Jesus starts you out in the Christian life, but the rest is up to you.  Justification is through Christ, but sanctification is through hard work and effort.  Pelagius said that God would never give you a command that you couldn't fulfill; you just need to make better choices.  Just like me, he may have added.  Pelagius didn't just think he was a 9 on a scale of 1-10; he thought it was completely possible to be a perfect 10, if you just tried hard enough. Augustine was the polar opposite of Pelagius.  Before he became a Christian, he had a very explicit problem with sexual self-control. We know this because Augustine himself wrote all about it in his “Confessions”.  He was very much aware of his own totally depraved sinful nature, and the need for complete and total grace to save him from it.  Pelagius thought that grace was a “nice to have”, but not a necessity because it was completely possible for a person to make all the right choices and avoid sin entirely if they just tried hard enough.  Augustine would have none of it.  Shelley explains (emphasis added): Augustine sensed profoundly the depth of his sin and hence the greatness of God's salvation.  He felt that nothing less than irresistible divine power (grace) could have saved him from his sin and only constantly inflowing divine grace could keep him in the Christian life.  His Christian ideal was no Stoic self-control, but love for righteousness infused by the Spirit of God. In other words, Augustine was very aware of his sin (the lower line).  And though he had been a Christian for some time by the time he met Pelagius, he was growing in that awareness, because as he fought Pelagius, he said that he had no power in himself to do the right thing; all power to do good was completely a gift from God by grace.  Christian growth wasn't a matter of hard work and effort – it was all by grace.  Augustine's focus was squarely on the grace of Jesus (the growing cross), not his own spiritual performance, and as a result, his life changed (the dotted line). But as Dr. John Hannah, the church historian who taught at Dallas Theological Seminary, explains, all good controversies invite a compromiser who will try to synthesize the two positions.   That person was Cassian.  Hannah explains that:·      Pelagius taught that sin does not corrupt a person's mind, will, and emotions, such that we are spiritually alive; and·      Augustine taught that sin completely corrupts a person's mind, will, and emotions, such that we are spiritually dead (total depravity); but·      Cassian taught that sin only hinders a person's mind, will, and emotions, such that we need help (deprivation, but not depravity). In Cassian's view, the grace of God and the will of man work together in salvation.  In other words, God helps those who help themselves.  Which is a lot like the single-line view of the world.

Greg Bryan and Jim Reske talk about the fight for the gospel.  So what was all the fuss about?  Bruce Shelley, in his book “Church History in Plain Language,” provides an excellent summary of the controversy (emphasis added): What did Pelagius teach to arouse Augustine's vigorous opposition?  The monk denied that human sin is inherited from Adam. Man, he said, is free to act righteously or sinfully... Almost all the human race have sinned; but it is possible not to sin, and some people have in fact lived without sin.  [God's] forgiveness comes to all who exercise “faith alone”; but, once forgiven, man has power of himself to live pleasing to God... His idea of the Christian life was practically the Stoic conception of ascetic self-control. Amazing.  It's as though Pelagius had the single-line drawing right there in front of him.  Jesus starts you out in the Christian life, but the rest is up to you.  Justification is through Christ, but sanctification is through hard work and effort.  Pelagius said that God would never give you a command that you couldn't fulfill; you just need to make better choices.  Just like me, he may have added.  Pelagius didn't just think he was a 9 on a scale of 1-10; he thought it was completely possible to be a perfect 10, if you just tried hard enough. Augustine was the polar opposite of Pelagius.  Before he became a Christian, he had a very explicit problem with sexual self-control. We know this because Augustine himself wrote all about it in his “Confessions”.  He was very much aware of his own totally depraved sinful nature, and the need for complete and total grace to save him from it.  Pelagius thought that grace was a “nice to have”, but not a necessity because it was completely possible for a person to make all the right choices and avoid sin entirely if they just tried hard enough.  Augustine would have none of it.  Shelley explains (emphasis added): Augustine sensed profoundly the depth of his sin and hence the greatness of God's salvation.  He felt that nothing less than irresistible divine power (grace) could have saved him from his sin and only constantly inflowing divine grace could keep him in the Christian life.  His Christian ideal was no Stoic self-control, but love for righteousness infused by the Spirit of God. In other words, Augustine was very aware of his sin (the lower line).  And though he had been a Christian for some time by the time he met Pelagius, he was growing in that awareness, because as he fought Pelagius, he said that he had no power in himself to do the right thing; all power to do good was completely a gift from God by grace.  Christian growth wasn't a matter of hard work and effort – it was all by grace.  Augustine's focus was squarely on the grace of Jesus (the growing cross), not his own spiritual performance, and as a result, his life changed (the dotted line). But as Dr. John Hannah, the church historian who taught at Dallas Theological Seminary, explains, all good controversies invite a compromiser who will try to synthesize the two positions.   That person was Cassian.  Hannah explains that:·      Pelagius taught that sin does not corrupt a person's mind, will, and emotions, such that we are spiritually alive; and·      Augustine taught that sin completely corrupts a person's mind, will, and emotions, such that we are spiritually dead (total depravity); but·      Cassian taught that sin only hinders a person's mind, will, and emotions, such that we need help (deprivation, but not depravity). In Cassian's view, the grace of God and the will of man work together in salvation.  In other words, God helps those who help themselves.  Which is a lot like the single-line view of the world. 

After the apostles, St. Augustine may be the most influential Christian in history. At the core of his theology was that God cannot be glorified unless our hearts find their joy in him.   This message was originally given as the second of four talks in the "Joy and Glory for the Ages" series by Desiring God. Used with kind permission.   To support or become a friend of Union, visit www.theolo.gy   Delighting in the Trinity with Michael Reeves is brought to you by Union. For more resources visit www.unionpublishing.org   Connect with us on:   Twitter @mike_reeves @uniontheology @unionpublishing   Instagram @drmichaelreeves @uniontheology @unionpublishing   Facebook www.facebook.com/unionpublish www.facebook.com/uniontheology

In this episode we launch the new series: TULIP: A series comparing Calvinism and Classical Arminianism. This episode discusses expectations, goals, and the general outline for the series. Furthermore, this episode begins our examination of Historical Points of Interest with a brief look at Soteriology before the controversies between Augustine and Pelagius.    Get the resources/further reading materials on the episode landing page: https://christisthecure.org/2023/02/09/tulip-1-introduction-and-historical-points-of-interest-pt-1-pre-pelagianism/   Christ is the Cure is subscriber supported: Join the support team at patreon.com/christisthecure or go to https://christisthecure.org/support-citc/

In today's episode, Doug Stuart and Norman Horn are grilled by Matthew Bellis in a game of "Would You Rather ...?" From pancakes vs waffles, to Tom Woods vs Bob Murphy, to Matthew's meager attempt to ferret out Norm's and Doug's heretical tendencies, you'll find out more about these guys than you ever cared to. Enjoy our last episode of 2022 before we get back to the serious stuff in the New Year.   Main Points of Discussion: 00:00    Introduction 02:24    ... be painted red or blue for the rest of your life? 03:02    ... dogs or cats? 04:09    ... pancakes or waffles? 04:43    ... triskets or saltines? 05:14    ... coffee or tea? 06:47    ... Wonder Woman or Captain Marvel? 08:25    ... lose your sight or lose you memories? 10:00    ... give up air conditioning or internet? 11:03    ... have a full time maid or a full time chef? 12:01    ... 11ft tall or 1ft tall? 13:26    ... royalty 1000 years ago or middle class Canadian today? 14:32    ... nothing but Hallmark movies or nothing but Horror movies? 16:42    ... rat or snake hiding in your room? 18:23    ... a year at war or a year in prison? 18:44    ... get rid of taxes or get rid of world hunger? 19:55    .. for your dad ... Tom Woods or Bob Murphy? 21:48    ... Joe Rogan or Dave Smith? 22:20    ... John Stossel or Dave Rubin? 23:58    ... Matt Walsh or Ben Shapiro? 25:12    ... Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh? 26:10    ... Saint Augustine of Hippo or Pelagius? 27:03    ... Saint Nicholas or Arius 27:56    ... SBC or PCUSA? 29:01    ... Methodist or Annabaptist 30:03    ... dinner with Al Mohler or play ping-pong with Benny Hinn   Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com

"This Saint was a prominent actress of the city of Antioch, and a pagan, who lived a life of unrestrained prodigality and led many to perdition. Instructed and baptized by a certain bishop named Nonnus (November 10), she departed to the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem, where she lived as a recluse, feigning to be a eunuch called Pelagius. She lived in such holiness and repentance that within three or four years she was deemed worthy to repose in an odour of sanctity, in the middle of the fifth century. Her tomb on the Mount of Olives has been a place of pilgrimage ever since." (Great Horologion). The Prologue adds that Pelagia had accumulated a large fortune as a courtesan, all of which she gave away to the poor upon her conversion.

"This Saint was a prominent actress of the city of Antioch, and a pagan, who lived a life of unrestrained prodigality and led many to perdition. Instructed and baptized by a certain bishop named Nonnus (November 10), she departed to the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem, where she lived as a recluse, feigning to be a eunuch called Pelagius. She lived in such holiness and repentance that within three or four years she was deemed worthy to repose in an odour of sanctity, in the middle of the fifth century. Her tomb on the Mount of Olives has been a place of pilgrimage ever since." (Great Horologion). The Prologue adds that Pelagia had accumulated a large fortune as a courtesan, all of which she gave away to the poor upon her conversion.