Proverbs 30: 12-13: "There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes; and yet is not washed from their filthiness. There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up."
At the end of Art. 15 our creed declares, "we reject the error of the Pelagians, who assert that sin proceeds only from imitation." Before we proceed in our discussion of original sin, it is good for us to defend the truth against this heresy. Pelagianism, named after a fourth-century British monk named Pelagius, is an ancient heresy, but a deeply rooted heresy which has plagued the church almost from the very beginning. In the middle ages, Pelagianism morphed into a less radical Semi-Pelagianism, and our Canons of Dordt charge the Arminians with "bring[ing] again out of hell the Pelagian error" (Canons II, Rejection of Error 3).
Pelagianism is an outright rejection of the truth of original sin. Pelagius taught that Adam's sin has no effect whatsoever upon the nature of man; that man did not in any sense lose the image of God; that neither Adam's own nature nor the nature of any of his descendants was corrupted by the fall; and that every person born into the world enters it as morally neutral. In fact, taught Pelagius, every person born into the world enters it as morally neutral. In fact, taught Pelagius, every person not only must, but can, if he strives hard enough and uses the light of nature, the law of God and the good example of Christ, lead a sinless life and merit heaven for himself.
What explains the universal prevalence of sin then? Pelagius taught that men sin because Adam gave his descendants a bad example. He argued that children sin only because they see others sin. Pelagianism is the underlying theory of many unbelievers today: they argue that if only we could make man's environment better, he would be a better person. They argue, therefore, that education, urban regeneration and other social programs are the answer to man's moral problems. Man, they say, is basically good! Not so, says the Word of God! Man is not basically good. Man is totally depraved, utterly corrupted, vile and polluted. Sin is not a matter of the environment; it is a matter of the heart. Jesus said, "Make the tree good, and his fruit good" (Matt. 12:33). It is foolish, wishful thinking to expect good fruit from a corrupt tree. Only God, by the powerful work of regenerating grace, can and does make evil trees good.
Semi-Pelagianism modified this view. Pelagianism was so obviously unbiblical that very few could hold to it, especially after Augustine had fought this heresy so vigorously. Semi-Pelagianism concedes that man's nature has been affected by Adam's sin- man is very far gone from original righteousness. However, Semi-Pelagianism contends that man is only sick, not dead in sin; and that man still retains the power of free will with the ability to do good. Where Pelagianism taught that grace is useful but not necessary, Semi-Pelagians teaches that grace is necessary but not irresistible. To be saved, say the Semi-Pelagians, man must cooperate with the grace of God, which is given to everyone as a help towards salvation. Final salvation, however, depends on man. Pelagianism teaches that salvation is entirely the work of man; the Bible teaches that salvation is entirely the work of God. How important it is to understand, and rightly confess, our sinful nature!
Rev. Martyn McGeown
Daily Meditations on the Belgic Confession, pp. 10-11
by the Protestant Reformed Churches of America
MIC(P) 178/07/2013
