I apologize, I did not mean my post to appear to seeking conflict. I posted quickly over my phone.
There is no concept of “the Fall” in the Hebrew scriptures, so we have to look at where this originated. I think that the first indication is in the apocalyptic Jewish text 1 Enoch which produced a doctrine of Azazel. The concept of “the Fall” was completely avoided by Irenaeus. Throughout Rabbinic literature the idea of an original fall of humanity is peripheral at best. We see some of the idea coming to the forefront with Augustine as he held an anthropocentric focus of of the Fall with human choice becoming its origin.
The understanding that we now hold of the Fall and original sin is a reformation of Roman Catholic doctrine. It is not shared by the early church or by the Eastern Church. So in regards to who else holds my view on this issue, the answer is everyone except Roman Catholics and evangelicals who have inherited that doctrine.
"Pelaganists" who believe in depravity
Discussion in 'Calvinism & Arminianism Debate' started by JonC, Jul 17, 2020.
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BTW, if it is unique to you, I couldn't judge you for that. I have plenty of views I like to call my "no-friends-views."
And do the Orthodox really deny the fall and original sin? I'll plead ignorance on this also. Can't say I've studied Eastern Orthodoxy to any real extent.
Perhaps you're merely saying that your view is consistent with the early church since the doctrine is not mentioned early on. -
BTW, here's a good baseline article on Pelagianism.
What is Pelagianism? -
There have been millions of humanity who were born, lived their lives, and never heard the gospel and perished unsaved.
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On this point I agree with the Orthodox church. As I study there are a lot of things I have to admit that I agree with their position.
I also do not fault people for "no-friends-views". But I do warn people that if they are the only person holding the view that there may be an issue. I take this warning to heart because I am far from the sharpest tool in the shed.
Another issue is articulation. While we can share knowledge and positions we can never share our understanding. -
Alan Gross Well-Known Member
God Does Not Worship human beings any more than He Gave Calvin Doctrines to write.
The Doctrines are there, for Eternity, and must be thrown out, wholesale, with the rest of the Bible and new Extra-Biblical heresy written that is non-Biblical and Anti-Christ.
The entire Body of Divine and Practical Doctrine that GIVES GLORY to The Son of God, for Rescuing the perishing, since the fall of Adam MUST BE ABANDONED and replaced with, "God Worships individuals".
That is NOT in the Bible. -
Basically Calvinists define these terms so that if you do not accept "Total Spiritual Inability" you believe as historical heretics believed. The ploy is sophistry.
What does scripture teach?
First, as a consequence of Adam's sin, all mankind is made "sinners." Second, just as Adam was "corrupted" when his eyes were opened (to the knowledge of good and evil) all mankind was also "corrupted." Now just what are the results of being "corrupted" and "made sinners" is not specifically described in scripture, and so Calvinists have supplied those results, i.e. Total Spiritual Inability and needing to be "enabled" by Irresistible Grace which compels the individual to seek God and believe in the gospel - the so-called "gift of faith."
If "Total Spiritual Inability" were true, then God would not have needed to harden the hearts of unbelieving Jews, Romans 11:7. The fact that God did proves conclusively that the "T" of the TULIP is false doctrine.
Then we have Jesus teaching in parables to preclude people from understanding, believing and being saved. Matthew 13:10-15.
And we have examples of the lost seeking God, such as Matthew 23:13, but being blocked by false teaching.
Ask yourself if Abraham was enabled by irresistible grace and given his faith in God, why did God need to credit that faith as righteousness? Answer God would not need to credit it for Abraham's sake, nor (Romans 4:23-24) for our sake.
But what about "no one seeks after God?" Romans 310-12 Here contextually Paul is making the argument that all have fallen short of the glory of God, we all have sinned. When we are sinning, we are not seeking God, so since scripture says no seeks God (all the time or when sinning) this passage supports the idea we all are under sin. Calvinists use the same text to claim no one seeks God (at any time) to support their false doctrine of total spiritual inability.
But what about Romans 8:6-7:
For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,
Here Calvinist make the unsupported claim, unless they have been regenerated, the Fallen are unable to set their minds on any Spiritual things. But again this is reading a self serving limitation into the text. Again I point to Matthew 23:13 which has unsaved people seeking God (trying to enter the kingdom) thus able to set their minds at least a little of the time on spiritual things.
Well what did the Fall accomplish? The separation from God (because we are made sinners) results with us being spiritually dead, and yes Calvinists redefine that concept to mean unable to seek God and trust in Christ, but again that is an unsupported claim. Thus we need to be born anew, made alive together with Christ which occurs when God places us into Christ. But why cause our corruption, our predisposition to sin? I think the idea is the same as when God reduced the size of Gideon's army in order to increase the glory given to God because of the victory. When a fallen sinner turns to God and trusts in Christ, from a fallen state, that brings more glory to God. -
I believe semi-Pelagianism and Arminianism are Pelagianism in Drag. (so to speak).
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RighteousnessTemperance& Well-Known Member
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