What Did the Early Christians Teach Lesson 5
What happened in Rome:
Julian and eighteen Italian bishops objected
to Augustian doctrine. In 417 Pope Zosimus had approved of Pelagius’ doctrines
stating that there was nothing unorthodox about them. In 418 Roman Emperor
Honorius outlawed Pelagianism and Zosimus in turn retracted his approval,
forcing all of the bishops in the East and the West to subscribe to a document
renouncing Pelagianism or else lose their sees. Julian and eighteen other
bishops refused to sign and were thus deposed. This letter was a defense of the
nineteen bishops as to why they had refused to support Zosimus’ document. It
began by offering an objection to Augustinian theology, which had been
officially forced upon Western Christianity after Honorius had outlawed
Pelagianism, and ended with an explanation of the Pelagian doctrinal position.
In their presentation of the arguments they attempted to show similarities
between Augustinian theology and Manichean theology in their understanding of
human nature, attitude towards marriage, understanding of the law, denial of
free will and attitude toward the righteous men and women of the past (referred
to as the saints). The following fragments of it are preserved in Augustine of
Hippo’s “Against Two Letters Of The Pelagians
Synopsis: This illustrates how far the Established Church had Drifted from Ancient Doctrine. The Julian Bishops who dissented seen clearly the dangers of blending Pagan Teaching into the mainstream. They made every attempt to restore sanity to the Church, but because of Political influence & Jealous opponents the stage was set for the next many thousand years for the Catholic System to silence their opposition on pain of death. The following is an exert from the letter they wrote to the Setting Pope:
I. The Doctrines of Augustine, As The Pelagians
Understood Them
Those Manicheans (Julian refers to the non-Pelagians, whose chief theologian has
become Augustine, as Manicheans, a clear intimidation that he has sensed a carry
over of Manichean thought from Augustine into the Christian Church. Augustine
was a Manichaean himself for about nine years) say with whom now we do not
communicate,—that is, the whole of them with whom we differ,—that by the sin of
the first man, that is, of Adam, free will perished: and that no one has now the
power of living well, but that all are constrained into sin by the necessity of
their flesh.
They say also that those marriages which are now celebrated were not appointed
by God, and this is to be read in Augustine’s book, against which I replied in
four books. And the words of this Augustine our enemies have taken up by way of
hostility to the truth.”
They say also that sexual impulse and the intercourse of married people were
devised by the devil, and that therefore those who are born innocent are guilty,
and that it is the work of the devil, not of God, that they are born of this
diabolical intercourse. And this, without any ambiguity, is Manichaeism.”
They say that the saints in the Old Testament were not without sins,—that is
that they were not free from crimes even by amendment, but they were seized by
death in their guilt.”
They say that even the Apostle Paul, even all the apostles, were always polluted
by immoderate lust.”
[Augustine says] that Christ even was not free from sins, but that, from the
necessity of the flesh, He spoke falsely, and was stained with other faults,”
They also say that baptism does not give complete remission of sins, nor take
away crimes, but that it shaves them off, so that the roots of all sins are
retained in the evil flesh.”
II. A Doctrinal Statement of The Pelagians
In opposition to these things we daily
argue, and we are unwilling to yield our consent to transgressors, because we
say that free will is in all by nature, and could not perish by the sin of Adam;
which assertion is confirmed by the authority of all Scriptures.”
We say that that marriage which is now celebrated throughout the earth was
ordained by God, and that married people are not guilty, but that fornicators
and adulterers are to be condemned. (Heb13:4, Mt19:5)
We say that the sexual impulse—that is, that the virility itself, without which
there can be no intercourse—is ordained by God. (Gen1:28, 1Cor7:1-9)
We maintain that men are the work of God, and that no one is forced unwillingly
by His power either into evil or good, but that man does either good or ill of
his own will; but that in a good work he is always assisted by God’s grace,
while in evil he is incited by the suggestions of the devil. (Deut30:19,
Mt33:37)
We say that the saints of the Old Testament, their righteousness being perfected
here, passed to eternal life,—that is, that by the love of virtue they departed
from all sins; because those whom we read of as having committed any sin, we
nevertheless know to have amended themselves. (Noah, Enoch, Moses)
We confess that the grace of Christ is necessary to all, both to grown-up people
and to infants; and we anathematize those who say that a child born of two
baptized people ought not to be baptized.
We condemn those who affirm that baptism does not do away all sins, because we
know that full cleansing is conferred by these mysteries.
III. Conclusion
Let no one therefore seduce you, nor let the wicked deny that they think these
things. But if they speak the truth, either let a hearing be given, or let those
very bishops who now disagree with me condemn what I have above said that they
hold with the Manicheans, as we condemn those things which they declare
concerning us, and a full agreement shall be made; but if they will not, know ye
that they are Manicheans, and abstain from their company.
The Contrast is Glaring! Augustine introduced the following fallacies into Christian Doctrine:
1) Free Will Perish with Adam
2) Adam’s Sin is passed down to his posterity
3) Man is Born infected with Original Sin
4) God is immutable & everything is Pre-determined (election & irresistible grace)
5) Faith comes as a Gift of God only to the Elect
Augustine undoubtedly is the most influential theologian in Christian History. The Reformers were Greatly influenced by him, especially Luther and Calvin. Luther, of course, was an Augustinian Monk in Germany. It is this period of history, 1500-1800, that frame the present day debate raging on the internet. Many of the ancient writings previously unavailable to us have now been translated into English and posted on line. Through these we can CLEARLY SEE the dividing lines between truth and fallacy. The Early Saints taught NONE of the Augustinian theories. In fact, well into the forth Century groups of Believers contended earnestly against these things. (as we have seen with Julian)
These Saints understood the extreme importance of preserving the teaching of Free Will, Moral Choice, Real Repentance and Faith and following the example of Christ. Allowing these Precious Truths to perish spelled Doom to the Genuine Salvation of the soul. But as history has shown a sinister System of Religion emerged on earth that ensnared the souls of man for generations to come. The World fell into much the same condition as found by the Holy Prophets and Christ Himself, when He came in the flesh to Israel. The entire Root became rotten and Truth was suppressed by evil men and imposters. Although the Reformation did not provide a Return to Apostolic roots it did afford us the Word of God in the languages of the common people. Through which the oppressive Catholic Church lost much of it’s strangle hold on the minds of men. Today we have inherited a System of Mass Confusion where almost anything goes! But we do have available to us reams of information not previously made public. If you are willing to Dig Deep enough into this evidence and diligently apply it to the teaching of the Lord, you can find those Roots and begin to build on the Firm Foundation. But I fear MOST of you will remain in Laodicia, wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.