“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
Ephesians 2:8
Augustine saw clearly in Scripture that humanity was saved by faith alone in Christ alone through grace alone. So when he learned Pelagius was teaching contrary to this, another great debate began.
Pelagius was a British monk working in Rome when it fell in AD 410. He was among many who fled to North Africa. He taught that there was no real need for God’s grace, and that by use of free will, we could rid ourselves of sin. He wrote, “It is said we sinned in Adam, not because sin is innate, but because it comes from imitation.” Pelagius reduced Jesus to a good example we can follow.
This ruffled Augustine’s feathers. He wrote, calling out Pelagius and explaining grace. He said that humanity fell with Adam, and only through Christ’s work on the cross could “original sin” be forgiven. The free gift of grace not only cleanses us of sin, but it also regenerates our souls so we can choose to glorify God by the Spirit.
Praise God for the comforting truth of Scripture and for the ardent work of those who went before us to make it known!
Pelagius was a British monk working in Rome when it fell in AD 410. He was among many who fled to North Africa. He taught that there was no real need for God’s grace, and that by use of free will, we could rid ourselves of sin. He wrote, “It is said we sinned in Adam, not because sin is innate, but because it comes from imitation.” Pelagius reduced Jesus to a good example we can follow.
This ruffled Augustine’s feathers. He wrote, calling out Pelagius and explaining grace. He said that humanity fell with Adam, and only through Christ’s work on the cross could “original sin” be forgiven. The free gift of grace not only cleanses us of sin, but it also regenerates our souls so we can choose to glorify God by the Spirit.
Praise God for the comforting truth of Scripture and for the ardent work of those who went before us to make it known!
Scripture Focus
Ephesians 2:4-10
Insight
A thousand years later, Martin Luther and others were inspired by Augustine’s writings, bringing the truth of salvation by grace alone back to theChurch’s attention.
Bible In A Year
- 1 Chronicles 10-11
- Proverbs 29
- Revelation 13-14
