Three Historical views of Man’s Condition
Throughout church history, three major views have existed.
Pelagianism
Semi-Pelagianism
Augustinianism
Pelagius was a monk in the fourth century.
He taught that man has the natural ability to be righteous and can obey God perfectly without divine grace.
He denied original sin and denied that man’s nature was corrupted by Adam’s fall.
This view is anti-Christian because it undermines the necessity of Christ’s atonement.
Many churches today function practically as semi-Pelagian, even if they do not use the name.
They teach that grace is necessary for salvation, but man still has the natural ability to choose or reject grace by his own power.
This means man is not spiritually dead—only spiritually sick.
But this weakens grace and allows room for human boasting.
If salvation partly depends on man, then grace is no longer sovereign grace.
God was not obligated to redeem fallen man.
He did not redeem fallen angels.
Salvation is entirely an act of mercy.
Augustine taught the biblical doctrine of total depravity.
He believed:
No one is righteous
Sin has corrupted heart, mind, and will
Man is spiritually dead
God alone initiates salvation
Grace is sovereign and necessary
Man cannot save himself.
Salvation belongs entirely to the Lord.
Ephesians 2:1–5 says:
“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins… Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
This is the biblical view.
Man is not merely sick.
Man is dead.
And only God can raise the dead.