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Historical Background

In the early 5th century a debate arose between Pelagius, a British monk, and Augustine, the Bishop of Hippo in North Africa. They disagreed over the relationship between human nature after the Fall and saving, divine grace in Jesus Christ.

When Pelagius arrived in Rome and saw the city’s dim view of morality, he developed a reputation for being a spiritual director who urged people to reform their behavior and live lives as upstanding, moral citizens.

Pelagius’ View of Sin

Pelagius rejected the doctrines of original sin, substitutionary atonement, and justification by faith.

Pelagius emphasized unconditional free will and the ability to better oneself spiritually without grace. This was in direct contrast to Augustine, who believed that humanity was completely helpless in Adam’s sin and in desperate need of grace. Specifically, Pelagius took issue with Augustine’s prayer in his Confessions, which asked God to grant humans grace to act in accordance with his divine commands: “Grant what you command and command what you will.”
(Confessions, X. 40).

Pelagius rejected the teaching of “original sin,” the results of the Fall upon humanity. According to him, Adam’s sin in no way made humans corrupt, but instead “over the years our sin gradually corrupts us, building an addiction and then holding us bound with what seems like the force of nature itself.” (Letter to Demetrias, VIII). Humans by nature have a clean slate, and it is only through voluntary sin that humans are made wicked. Potentially, then, one could live a sinless life and merit heaven.

Pelagius thought that God commanding a person to do something that he lacked the ability to do would be useless: “To call a person to something he considers impossible does him no good.” (Letter to Demetrias, I). If God called humans to live moral lives, Pelagius thought, it should be within their power to carry out such commands.

Orthodox Response

Pelagius’ error was deemed heretical in 416 by the Council of Carthage. Originally Adam, Augustine said, possessed freedom—the ability not to sin. After the Fall, all human beings participate in Adam’s sin, which renders them not able not to sin. After the mediation of divine grace in Jesus Christ humans are once again given the ability not to sin.

Augustine replied to Pelagius’ views in two treatises: On the Grace of Christ and On Original Sin. Augustine writes: “We must realize that Pelagius believes that neither our will nor our action is helped by divine aid…he believes that God does not help us to will, that he does not help us to act, that he helps us only to be able to will and to act.”(On the Grace of Christ, V.6).

Augustine saw Pelagius’ teaching to be a clear denial of Philippians 2:12-13, because Pelagius located the capacity “to will and to do” what pleases God in human nature rather than in God’s grace.”(On the Grace of Christ, V.6 and VI.7).

Why Does All This Matter?

Ignoring the consequences the Fall has on everyone leads to a diminishment of the multifaceted work of Christ. In his ministry Jesus not only bore our sins on the cross, but lived a perfect life in obedience to the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit—the life that Adam failed to live—in order to restore fallen humans to their original state of grace.

It is not only through the grace of God that humans are initially saved but also through this grace that they are sustained. As Augustine put it, God “guards the weak so that by his gift the saints unfailingly choose the good and unfailingly refuse to abandon it.”(On Rebuke and Grace, 38).

Without understanding the magnitude of sin and the plight of humanity, the gracious work of Jesus for us and our salvation seems superfluous. 1 Peter 1:18-19 says: “You were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ.”

Because of sin, humans are not naturally good—that's why we need Jesus.

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Heirs of God: Click | View Series

Romans 8:17—"And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him."

Paul sets before us a golden ladder, and from every step he climbs to something yet higher: from sonship he rises to heirship, and from heirship to joint-heirship with the Lord Jesus.

OUR HEIRSHIP DEPENDS ON JESUS

"And fellow heirs with Christ."

1. This is the test of our heirship. We are not heirs except with Christ, through Christ, and in Christ.
2. This sweetens it all. Fellowship with Jesus is our best portion.
3. This shows the greatness of the inheritance. Worthy of Jesus. Such an inheritance as the Father gives to the well-beloved.
4. This ensures it to us, for Jesus will not lose it. His title deed and ours are one and indivisible.
5. This reveals and endears his love. That he should become a partner with us in all things is love unbounded.
• His taking us into union with himself secures our inheritance.
• His prayer for us attains it.
• His going into heaven before us prepares it.
• His coming again will bring us the full enjoyment of it.
6. This joint heirship binds us faster to Jesus, since we are nothing, and have nothing apart from him.

Let us joyfully accept the present suffering with Christ, for it is part of the heritage.

Let us believe in the glorification which is sure to follow in due time, and let us anticipate it with immediate rejoicing.

Adapted from Charles Spurgeon's sermon notes.

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Heirs of God: Click | View Series

Romans 8:17—"And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him."

Paul sets before us a golden ladder, and from every step he climbs to something yet higher: from sonship he rises to heirship, and from heirship to joint-heirship with the Lord Jesus.

OUR INHERITANCE IS IMMENSE

"Heirs of God."

Our inheritance is divinely great. We are:

• Heirs of all things. "The one who conquers will have this heritage" (Rev. 21:7). "For all things are yours'' (1 Cor. 3:21).
• Heirs of salvation (Heb. 1:14).
• Heirs of eternal life (Titus 3:7).
• Heirs of promise (Heb. 6:17).
• Heirs of the grace of life (1 Pet. 3:7).
• Heirs of righteousness (Heb. 11:7).
• Heirs of the kingdom (James 2:5).

Since we are said to be "heirs of God," it must mean that we are:

1. Heirs of all that God possesses.
2. Heirs of all that God is: of his love, for God is love. Hence, heirs of all possible good, for God is good.
3. Heirs of God himself. What an infinite portion!
4. Heirs of all that Jesus has and is as God and man.

Adapted from Charles Spurgeon's sermon notes.

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Heirs of God: Click | View Series

Romans 8:17—"And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him."

Paul sets before us a golden ladder, and from every step he climbs to something yet higher: from sonship he rises to heirship, and from heirship to joint-heirship with the Lord Jesus.

ALL HEIRS ARE EQUAL

"Children, then heirs."

1. The principle of priority as to time cannot enter into this question. The elder and the younger in the divine family are equally heirs.
2. The love of God is the same to them all.
3. They are all blessed under the same promise (Heb. 6:17).
4. They are all equally related to that great Firstborn Son through whom their heirship comes to them. He is the Firstborn among many brethren.
5. The inheritance is large enough for them all.

They are not all prophets, preachers, apostles, or even well-instructed and eminent saints; they are not all rich and influential, they are not all strong and useful, but they are all heirs.

Let us, then, all live as such, and rejoice in our portion.

Adapted from Charles Spurgeon's sermon notes.

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Heirs of God: Click | View Series

Romans 8:17—"And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him."

This chapter is like the Garden of Eden, which had in it all manner of delights. If one were shut up to preach only from the eighth of Romans he would have a subject which might last a lifetime. Every line of the chapter serves for a text. It is an inexhaustible mine. Paul sets before us a golden ladder, and from every step he climbs to something yet higher: from sonship he rises to heirship, and from heirship to joint-heirship with the Lord Jesus.

4 WAYS WE CAN'T ESTABLISH HEIRSHIP

"If children, then heirs."

1. It does not follow from ordinary creation. It is not written "if creatures, then heirs."
2. Neither is it found in natural descent. It is not written "if children of Abraham, then heirs" (Rom. 9:7-13).
3. Nor can it come by meritorious service. It is not written "if servants, then heirs" (Gal 4:30).
4. Nor by ceremonial observances. It is not written "if circumcised or baptized, then heirs" (Rom. 4:9-12).

Our being regenerated or born again to God by his Holy Spirit is our one ground of heirship.

Let us inquire:

• Have we been born again (John 3:3)?
• Have we the spirit of adoption (Gal. 4:5)?
• Are we fashioned in the likeness of God (Col. 3:10)?
• Have we believed on Jesus (John 1:12)?

Adapted from Charles Spurgeon's sermon notes.

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God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong (1 Cor. 1:27).

When I Am Weak, Then I Am Strong

Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 1:27 because the religious couldn’t accept a defeated Savior, and philosophers couldn’t believe in a God who would take on frail flesh and die. Paul honed the point later by repeating what God said to him: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). Basking in this promise, Paul declared: “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10).

The Inverted Way of Jesus

Jesus’ life and shameful death informed Paul’s thinking. Jesus spent lots of his time with the lost and the least. He talked about the last becoming first and the first becoming last. He embraced the meek and the broken—the humble ones who felt swamped with heavy burdens. He died alone, bitterly forsaken by all.

This is Jesus’ upside-down approach to our world. It is the way of his grace. We live in a world where the biggest, best, and brightest succeed and the littlest, last, and least get trampled. But Jesus disrupts and interrupts our power-fetish and our lust for significance, polishing our reputations and annihilating other people for our success. The ways of our world are interrupted by the inverted way of Jesus. Because of this, Christianity has from its beginning prized weakness and rebuffed strength.

In his book on leadership lessons from 1 Corinthians, D.A. Carson writes: “God has not arranged things so that the foolishness of the gospel saves those of us with an IQ above 130. Where would that leave the rest of us? Nor does the foolishness of what is preached transform the young, the beautiful, the extroverts, the educated, the healthy, the wealthy, the upright. Where would that leave the old, the ugly, the illiterate, the introverts, the poor, the sick, and the perverse?”

Despair of Your Ability

This leaves us in despair. But it can be “gospel despair” if it leads to trusting in Christ and not in ourselves. Martin Luther writes: “It is certain the man must utterly despair of his own ability before he is prepared to receive the grace of Christ.”

This means that we are not operating out of self-sufficiency, but out of total dependency on Christ and in need of being empowered by the Spirit. So, let’s boast in our weakness instead of displaying our self-righteousness and strength. This is obviously folly and nonsense to the world, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God.

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Bought with a Price: Click | View Series

1 Corinthians 6:19-20—"You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

He slays our sins at the cross. "You were bought with a price." Let us consider this argument, that we may find therein death for our sins.

WHAT THE REDEEMED SHOULD DO

"So glorify God in your body."

Glorify God in your body:
By cleanliness, chastity, temperance, industry, cheerfulness, self-denial, patience, etc.

Glorify God:

• In a suffering body by patience unto death.
• In a working body by holy diligence.
• In a worshipping body by bowing in prayer.
• In a well-governed body by self-denial.
• In an obedient body by doing the Lord's will with delight.

Glorify God in your spirit:
By holiness, faith, zeal, love, heavenliness, cheerfulness, fervor, humility, expectancy.

Remember, O redeemed one, that:

1. You will be closely watched by Christ's enemies.
2. You will be expected to be more gracious than others and rightly so, since you claim to be Christ's own.
3. If you are not holy, the sacred name of your Redeemer, your Proprietor, and your Indweller will be compromised.
4. But if you live a redeemed life, your God will be honored.

Let the world see what Redemption can do.

Let the world see what sort of men "God's own" are.

Adapted from Charles Spurgeon's sermon notes, which are in the public domain.

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Bought with a Price: Click | View Series

1 Corinthians 6:19-20—"You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

He slays our sins at the cross. "You were bought with a price." Let us consider this argument, that we may find therein death for our sins.

THE CONSEQUENCE OF BEING BOUGHT

"You are not your own."

Negative. It is clear that if bought, you are not your own.
1. This involves privilege.

• You are not your own provider; sheep are fed by their shepherd.
• You are not your own guide; ships are steered by their pilot.
• You are not your own father; children loved by parents.

2. This also involves responsibility.

• We are not our own to injure. Neither body nor soul.
• Not our own to waste, in idleness, amusement, or speculation.
• Not our own to exercise caprice, and follow our own prejudices, depraved affections, wayward wills, or irregular appetites.
• Not our own to lend our service to another master.
• Not our own to serve self. Self is a dethroned tyrant. Jesus is a blessed husband, and we are his.

Positive. "Your body and your spirit, which are God's."

• We are altogether God's. Body and spirit include the whole man.
• We are always God's. The price once paid, we are forever his.

We rejoice that we know we are God's, for consequently:

• We have a beloved owner.
• We pursue an honored service.
• We fill a blessed position. We are in Christ's keeping.

Adapted from Charles Spurgeon's sermon notes, which are in the public domain.

Light into Darkness

In John 8, right before Jesus heals a blind man he says: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” The miracle of giving sight to the man born blind demonstrates the purpose of Jesus’ ministry. It illustrates Jesus’ power to bring his light to those in darkness.

Jesus is driving home a point for us when he declares that he is the light of the world in the presence of a blind man.

Imagine how obnoxious it would be for someone to tell you to do something when you know you just can’t do it. For example, imagine having the best food in the world in your mouth, but not having taste buds. Imagine being asked to describe the taste.

The issue is that of capability or ability. Without the ability to see, you cannot experience that which is just “out there.” You need to be capable of tasting to enjoy an Italian dinner.

Perhaps it is at this point that we can identify with the blind man and reflect on how our blind eyes don’t see the light that Jesus says he is. Our spiritual eyes don’t see without healing.

Brilliance of His Light

However, Jesus shows up and illuminates our hearts so we can see the brilliance of his light. Jesus brings healing to the exact point of the blind man’s suffering and darkness. Like this man, we can’t heal our own blindness regardless of how hard we try.

It is not like we are spiritually injured and can limp toward Jesus so we can lean on him the rest of the way. Rather, we are blind and poking around in the dark. And left on our own, we are not capable of experiencing the absolute beauty and splendor of grace unless Jesus heals our spiritual blindness.

Where darkness, death, and decay reign in our lives, Jesus breaks in with light, liberation, and love.

Punching Holes

A picture of this comes from Robert Louis Stevenson, the author of Treasure Island, who lived in 19th century Scotland. As a boy, his family lived on a hillside overlooking a small town. Robert was intrigued by the work of the old lamplighters who went about with a ladder and a torch, lighting the street lights for the night. One evening, as Robert stood watching with fascination, his parents asked him "Robert, what in the world are you looking at out there?" With great excitement he exclaimed: "Look at that man! He's punching holes in the darkness!"

With that one statement, Robert Louis Stevenson summed up Jesus’ miracle and teaching on spiritual blindness. Jesus came into this world and accomplished many great and miraculous wonders, yet his primary purpose was to punch great gaping holes in the darkness that shrouds us. He came to be the light to the entire world—he came to punch holes in our darkness.

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