We have been looking at A.A. Hodge’s Outline of Theology in which he gives us three positions of doctrine in reference to human inability. This is so vital as it touches on the nature of God, the nature of man, the Gospel and sanctification. This is simply a huge issue. The first definition he gives is on Pelagianism and this is reproduced below. Read through it very carefully. All three positions can be seen together in a previous BLOG (A.A. Hodge on Human Ability). Again, this is not a minor issue. According to Luther it is the issue of the Reformation. No matter what a person professes to believe, this is the issue that determines what a person believes about those things. For example, a person can believe in the doctrine of election and yet believe it in such a way that is far different than what others believe about it. The doctrine of depravity and the will actually determines what a person believes about election. An Arminian and a Pelagian can actually believe in the doctrine of election. A person is not Reformed just because he or she believes in some form of election.
1st. Pelagian.-(a.) Moral character can be predicated only of volitions. (b.) Ability is always the measure of responsibility. (c). Hence every man has always the plenary power to do all that it is his duty to do. (d). Hence the human will alone, to the exclusion of the interference of an internal influence from God, must decide human character and destiny. The only divine influence needed by man or consistent with his character as a self-determined agent is an external, providential, and educational one.
As we have seen in previous BLOGS, the Pelagian system is an external one. It relies on reason and persuasion of the outer man rather than looking to the internal work of God in the soul. It believes that man has the power to do all that God commands him to do. It looks to the human will as the thing that decides human character and destiny. It does, however, leave God a few things to do but relegates those things to the external and providential realm. We must come to grips with this and see that its tentacles reach deeply into the modern Church. Open Theism is simply and profoundly Pelagian. Many denominations have descended into Pelagianism by various routes, but they are still there. Liberals and fundamentalists have Pelagianism in common. There are other denominations that claim to be Arminian but in fact have more in common with Pelagianism. There are even those who profess to be Reformed and yet practice evangelism and teach morality more in line with Pelagianism. Perhaps we could refer to that as “Reformed Pelagianism.”
I suppose it could be stated that I am making some wild and outlandish claims. Perhaps, but let us think through the issue in terms of what we are aware of today. Where do we hear of a way of evangelizing that is doing more than informing people of some facts and then trying to persuade them to make a choice and believe? Where do we hear preaching that tells people that they need the grace of God in order to love and in order to do anything morally good? Where do we read or hear of evangelism being done in a way that takes the sinners inability seriously and the need of God to change the hearts of sinners? We might hear much about the doctrines of grace in some ways, but are they preached and taught in a way that demands that it takes grace in the heart to believe and live them? We hear a lot about the means of grace in our day, but are they taught in such a way that the sinner realizes that God is not obligated to show that person grace even if the person uses the means of grace?
We see in our day an increase in certain circles of teaching the Ten Commandments and that is good. But the Pharisees taught those as well. We see self-help books galore on how to live a better life and how to keep certain commandments and strategies to beat certain sins. But do we see it taught that the Ten Commandments were never given to people with the ability to keep them? Is it taught that the Law was given to show us our utter inability to keep them and so drive us to Christ for salvation? Is it taught that in the New Covenant it is God who works in us to keep the commandments and not simply our own self-efforts? Is grace alone taught for salvation and sanctification as well? When these things are not being taught and stressed, Pelagianism is at best lurking in the scenes and worst is at the forefront. True biblical Christianity (Augustinianism) teaches that the human will cannot do anything in the spiritual realm until it is born again by grace. It then teaches that the renewed soul is still utterly dependant on grace for its holiness. No matter what else a person professes, without that, a person is at best teetering on the edges of Pelagianism even if she or he professes an orthodox theology. The devil is not called the deceiver for nothing. He loves to take heresy and put an orthodox dress on it to deceive those who do not truly love the truth. We must be careful about ourselves and others. Pelagianism is nothing but heresy, regardless of its dress.
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