The Leaven of Pelagius is well and alive in the Church today

The British monk who lived in the third and fourth century AD, Pelagius, would probably be gratified that his doctrine of moralism is well and alive, and in fact, informs and influences the vast majority of 'Christians' in the 21st century.

Pelagius insisted that God's grace was man's will which is able to perform all the 'imperatives' of God contained in Scriptures by man's sheer will. He was opposed by Augustine of Hippo, and he reluctantly recanted, yet, under veil, continued to disseminate his vile doctrine to followers. The rest, as they say, is history!

Today, ask any 'Christian' about their locus of faith, and they will point to their 'heart', quite apart from Christ, and His grace. Ask any 'Christian' today about the walk of faith, and they would say that it is really hard to trust God for everything, let alone to surrender to Him fully.

Pulpits across the country and the world continue to sound the drum of inconsistent beats and rhythm of preachers, and pastors, who have yet to understand the great distinctions of faith, repentance, conversion, justification, sanctification and glorification, within the glorious package of salvation wrought for us by Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Godhead, the Anointed Servant of God, who through the Spirit, offered Himself as the Ultimate Sacrifice for our sins, and through His resurrection, justified and vindicated all His chosen elect who place their trust in Him, not only as Savior, but also, as absolute Lord.

The church of Jesus Christ of the 21st century today continues to amble, wobble and stumble because of the serious cancerous spread of Pelagius' yeast in every sphere, corner and quarter of what is known as 'churchianity' today.

Very sadly, the Scriptures continue to be ignored as the standard for faith and practice for the believer. I venture to say very boldly that most 'Christians' continue to make excuses why personal bible reading is way down low in their priorities and values, whether daily or as an existential reality of their lives.

So how do we find our way back?

Firstly, we desperately need to acknowledge that we are lost! And terribly so! We are lost, our churches are lost, and tragically, our leaders are lost as well. It is the absolutely rare preacher and pastor who will thunder forth the Scriptural teachings of election and predestination as foundational to grace, faith and repentance. Scriptures refuse to compromise the great message of God's sovereign grace. Human preachers long ago gave up this fight. Scriptures continue to sound the clarion cry of 'all of grace in Christ Jesus', from even before the stirrings of conviction in the human heart, right through the work of God in willing and doing sanctification. Human preachers continue to exalt fleshly power to do so.

Sola Scriptura was the ringing steeple bell sound of the Reformers of the 16th century. Nowadays, it seems as thought it is Sola Homo Sapiens! And so, once the domino tile of Sola Scriptura is ignored or dismissed, the rest of the tiles fall.

Bent by our human nature inherited by Adam's fall, we just cannot grasp, or believe, or obey the clear-cut indicatives and imperatives of the Gospel of God in Christ. In fact, our bent wills bend His word to conform it to our nature. Such is the total depravity of our hearts. And such is the depravity that it would have to take God, and only His unconditional grace to save us. See how our hearts and minds revolt at such a thought! That God, in the sheer pleasure of His good pleasure, purposed within Himself (it's all in Ephesians chapter 1), to save us in Christ. Not in a church, not in a mere abstract doctrine (even forensic be as it may), but in His Beloved Son.

Our flesh instead of bowing down to His utter and complete majesty of sovereignty, instead, argues why it is that some are saved and others aren't. When we dispense with Sola Scriptura, and Sola Gratia, of course we will contend with God's intention to save some. His grace IS irresistible. And this same grace, mediated through the Person of the Holy Spirit, who makes Jesus so very real to us, empowers our perseverance of the walk of faith in Him.