David Westerfield

The Canons of the Council of Orange – 529 AD – A MUST READ.

The Council of Orange played a very prominent role in the defining of doctrine and theology within the church to defend against heresy. But what was the heresy they condemned? Pelagianism. But how is this relevant at all today? Because elements of this heresy are holding us, the church, captive in our thinking. But how? As R.C. Sproul says in his article entitled Augustine and Pelagius,

“Humanism, in all its subtle forms, recapitulates the unvarnished Pelagianism against which Augustine struggled. Though Pelagius was condemned as a heretic by Rome, and its modified form, Semi-Pelagianism was likewise condemned by the Council of Orange in 529, the basic assumptions of this view persisted throughout church history to reappear in Medieval Catholicism, Renaissance Humanism, Socinianism, Arminianism, and modern Liberalism.”

Both the Council of Orange and the Roman Catholic Church condemned pure Pelagianism as heresy, but the Council of Orange went a step further (rightfully so) and condemned semi-pelagianism as heresy as well. Full blown Pelagianism, as described by Adolph Harnack, is this:

“Nature, free-will, virtue and law, these strictly defined and made independent of the notion of God – were the catch-words of Pelagianism: self-acquired virtue is the supreme good which is followed by reward. Religion and morality lie in the sphere of the free spirit; they are at any moment by man’s own effort.”

Pelagianism essentially denies original sin (that man has inherited sin from Adam), and states that man is born in a true natural state of innocence (i.e. without a sin nature at all), and that he can be good enough to attain perfection of his own works and deeds. This essentially is a revisiting of the same error man is naturally inclined to follow: moralism, that man can attain to perfection independent of a work of God in the life of the individual, based upon his own works. The notion that man is saved by grace at all infuriated Pelagius. The theological ramifications of this heretical error are alive and well today in the church; and even if the church as a whole doesn’t buy into full blown pelagianism (which many liberal churches are already embracing in their theology), the church is definitely biting on the bait of semi-pelagianism.

What’s the difference between Pelagianism, Semi-Pelagianism, Arminianism, and Calvinism? Pelagianism states man can attain perfection on his own without God at all; Semi-Pelagianism states man takes the first steps toward God for salvation (that faith is produced by the unregenerate human nature – JWH); Arminianism states that God takes the first steps in salvation and that man then adds a response of faith (that faith is produced by an “island of righteousness” within the unregenerate man – JWH); and Calvinism states that it is every man’s duty to believe in Christ, but man is dead in sin, unwilling and unable (because of sin) to turn to God for salvation, his entire being is bound in the chains of sin (including his will), that God must first come and undo the chains of sin on every facet of his existence on His own time, and then effectually regenerate the unregenerate man in order that his spiritual eyes are opened, his ears unclogged, and he then, of his own will, is able and willing to believe in Christ.

I ask you to look at the cross of Christ, see our Savior hanging on the tree for sinners, and tell me which is more Biblical. I’m not asking you to exalt a system of theology above the Scriptures. But I am asking you to look at these options, look at the cross of Christ, see what the cross says about man’s nature, that man would nail God to a cross, what it says about God’s freedom and sovereignty in the midst of the cross, as well as His love, and tell me which is more accurate to the words of Scripture.

Pelagianism is an error that desperately needs to be readdressed within the church because there is a greater and greater resurgence of this error that is flattening the pure message of the Gospel, that God sovereignly saves sinners by grace alone through faith alone in Christ’s blood. The Council of Orange in 529 AD condemned Pelagianism and Semi-Pelagianism as heresy and we as a church would do well to recondemn it.

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Scriptures Pertaining to This, The Infallibly Authoritative Word of God:

“For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.” [Man will not and cannot submit to God apart from the work of the Holy Spirit alone to change his disposition and ability] – Romans 8:7

“And you [believing Ephesians] were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience– among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ–by grace you have been saved.” – Ephesians 2:1-5

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” [Faith is clearly shown here to be the grace and gift of God] – Ephesians 2:8

“And I am sure of this, that he [God] who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” – Philippians 1:6 [Notice who Paul references as beginning his salvation. Take note of Paul’s conversion experience in Acts as well; he was on his way to Damascus with letters to throw believer’s in prison when God stunned him with his glory. How much clearer can that be?]

Summing up man in his natural state: “As it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’ ‘Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.’ ‘The venom of asps is under their lips.’ ‘Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.’ ‘Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.’ ‘There is no fear of God before their eyes.'” – Romans 3:10-18

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born [a prerequisite to believing], not of blood [bloodlines don’t determine salvation] nor of the will of the flesh [man cannot morally work hard enough to born again] nor of the will of man [this couldn’t be clearer! man cannot force his will contrary to its natural state in sin], but of God.” [God alone effects regeneration in an unregenerate people He’s chosen for Himself in order that they cannot help but believe, being stunned by the glory and beauty of God.] – John 1:12-13

Quoting Jesus: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” – John 6:44

“We love him, because he first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19 [Notice that God loving us is the very reason we love Him, i.e. He initiates the love at the cross which changes us and gives us a new nature that wills to love Him.]

“Whoever believes in him [Jesus] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been carried out [or wrought] in God.” [In other words, the fact that anyone believes proves God already worked in their hearts to draw them to Himself, that it’s a work of God alone.] – John 3:18-21

“So then it [meaning the granting of God’s mercy] depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” – Romans 9:16 [We must understand here that contextually, Paul is explaining why not all of Israel is saved and is cut off from Christ, but that rather only a remnant is saved. Why else would Paul be willing to cut Himself off from Christ for the sake of His kinsmen unless he was referring to their betrayal of the Messiah at the official level of Israel, that as a whole Israel is eternally lost? And if Israel as a whole is lost, what are we as Gentiles to make of the promises iterated in chapter 8? Will God’s word fail us? But Paul, in Romans 9:7 – 11:36, substantiates his argument in verse 6 that the word of God indeed does not fail, mainly because God never promised He would save every single Israelite, but His mercy towards individual people depends solely on His will and timing, not in any way on man’s willing or running. This could not be clearer in verse 16.]

David attests: “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” – Psalm 51:5

Isaiah states: “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” – Isaiah 64:6

(Insertions and emphases mine)

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Other articles and resources pertaining to this:

The Canons of the Council of Orange – 529 AD – A MUST READ.
Augustine and Pelagius – R.C. Sproul EXCELLENT!
Pelagianism – R. Scott Clark
The Pelagian Captivity of the Church (PDF) – Dr. R.C. Sproul

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made. Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. And I believe one holy *catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

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*The word “catholic” refers not to the Roman Catholic Church, but to the universal church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Deciphering ‘The Da Vinci Code’

This blog entry was written by Al Mohler almost three years ago now when the Da Vinci Code first came out, and still amply applies to the current fuss with the movie about to be released. Al Mohler does a good, concise job of laying out the main arguments proposed by Dan Brown within the book (whether Dan actually believes them or not, I don’t know), and then asks the question, “Is this conspiracy even feasible?” I think one of the big problems with this book is that Dan Brown takes some historic truth and then mingles it with pure non-truth to make it appear plausible to the average reader. And being that the average reader generally doesn’t know the actual history of Christianity to begin with, someone seemingly speaking in an authoritative manner can spout out correct names and dates but have all of the other information dead wrong about those people and events, and the reader buys it hook, line, and sinker. All in all, this, amongst other things, such as the Gospel of Judas, are nothing new under the sun: it is called Gnosticism. This is purely on attack on Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The same types of general arguments against Christianity have been brought up in the past and refuted over and over again by Christian scholars and historians, but the world will always reject the factual evidence because the world hates Christ. Those who continue in their obstinance will not understand the things of God unless the Holy Spirit gives them eyes to see and ears to hear the call of God unto salvation, to see and know in their hearts that these things are indeed true. And it’s funny how those arguments against Christianity rise and fall over and over again, but the truth of the Gospel continues without moving to this very day … hmmm, maybe that’s because what it says is the truth? Just consider …

Articles and Resources Pertaining to this Subject:

Da Vinci Code Truth – TheTruthAboutDaVinci.com
The Da Vinci Code – Christian History Institute
Dan Brown Breaks His Silence – MSNBC.com (Video)

The obvious answer to this is, yes, we glorify God for all of our salvation. It’s a rhetorical question. But if that’s true, and we boast in nothing of ourselves but only in the cross of Christ, what does that look like theologically? This answers that very question. Excellent …

Do We Glorify God for Part or All of Salvation? – John Hendryx

In reading through the book of Acts, it’s so awesome to see that when Paul spoke to Jews or Gentiles, he spoke in the Holy Spirit with power. What is this power? What does it mean? Where does it come from? Who initiates it? With much of modern day Christianity submerged in a secularized culture like ours, it seems much of modern evangelicalism (whatever that means anymore in our contemporary context) we have lost what it means it speak in the power of the Holy Spirit. This has to do with the intellectual infiltration of godless, secular thinking into the minds of believers within the American church. Our minds have been enslaved to the culture. And so when we as a church witness to unbelievers, many tend to preach as if people are saved by what they say, by their own strength, that somehow others are saved by their forceful, convincing arguments, without any reference to the working power of the Holy Spirit within the unbeliever. Preaching the Gospel then becomes a burden for us that we cannot bear instead of a delight, because in this line of thinking unbelievers will only be saved if we as believers work hard enough to get them saved. This is just another law though! These believers will indeed preach the true Gospel, and God saves people anyway despite the believing sinner He chooses to use, but they seem to not understand or believe that the Holy Spirit alone effects change within unbelievers, this blessing itself purchased by Christ on the cross. We should indeed speak in a clear manner so people understand what we say, but it seems many forget the underlying principle at work that when we preach the Gospel, the Holy Spirit alone effectually regenerates unbelievers (or chooses not to) as He wills so that they are (or aren’t) freed from their bondage in sin to believe in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit alone creates that which was not there: a desire for Jesus Christ. Just as God spoke creation into existence from nothing, so also the Holy Spirit creates in wicked sinners that which was not in existence: a desire and love for the things of God, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Paul clearly understood that this was the case when he went before the Ephesians, the Corinthians, the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers, the Jews, and so many others, that he himself did nothing to effect change. Yes, he did indeed exercise his will to get up and speak. But he was simply a conduit, a vessel of God to deliver the message of the Gospel, an instrument in the hands of the great Redeemer. But only the Holy Spirit could (and can) actually change an unbelievers sinful disposition, disarming them, removing their hostility toward Himself, in order that they see and perceive the divine truths within Scripture, salvation through Jesus Christ and Him crucified for sinners, risen from the dead.

For Paul himself said in 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5, “For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.” Paul knew the Christians in Thessalonica were chosen by God to inherit salvation because the message of the Gospel came not just by the words of his mouth (i.e. that’s not what actually effected their change), but it came in 1) power, 2) in the Holy Spirit, and 3) as a result, with full conviction. He knew they were chosen because the Holy Spirit alone came in power and changed them, and their change was made apparent through their belief in Christ as Savior and Lord. Grace alone is what brought repentance, and is what gave rise to the Thessalonian Christian’s faith in Christ, in order that they were then saved. Paul in no way relied upon his own eloquence for people to be saved (though it is still important to communicate the Gospel clearly), but He relied on the Holy Spirit alone, because that’s where true change comes from, and he knew that.

Paul also reiterated this point to the Corinthian Christians in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, [in order] that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (Emphasis mine) Paul wanted to make sure they knew the roots of their election, salvation, faith, sanctification, justification, their everything lied not in the power of man in any respect (especially not their own power), but in the power of Christ, effected by the Holy Spirit alone. And this blessing of grace bestowed on sinners by God through the Holy Spirit, was purchased by Christ through the shedding of His blood for His bride, the church. And this atonement blessing is applied by the Holy Spirit alone to those people the LORD God has chosen from eternity past to inherit salvation through the indiscriminate preaching of His people (i.e. preaching to all people everywhere). Paul states in Romans 10:14-15, “But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!'” And so we are to go out and preach to all people everywhere the forgiveness of sins and redemption through faith in Christ’s blood.

We must preach the Gospel knowing there is great and awesome power from the Holy Spirit in what we say, and God does as He wills among those He chooses to work in through our words. And so this alleviates us of feeling like we have to work harder to convince people (when they continue in their unbelief) when really all we need to do is clearly preach the Gospel to people, concisely articulate all of the aspects of man, God, His attributes, sin, wrath, judgment, the cross, Jesus’ death, resurrection, ascension, and His final return, and the Holy Spirit alone changes people through that message. If someone remains obstinate and refuses to heed your words, that’s not a failure on your part in witnessing (unless, that is, you are not preaching the true Gospel). They simply won’t believe until (if) the Holy Spirt chooses to effectually save them. By believing in grace alone, we see that we are freed from the burden of “getting people saved of our own doing and working” because only the Holy Spirit works in and through our preaching as He wills. I would like to add too though that if someone does reject what you say but will continue to listen to you and work with you, give it your best shot to reason through the Scriptures with them, being patient, merciful and loving, just as Christ was infinitely patient, merciful and loving toward you.

So if you preach the Gospel clearly and know in your heart you preached it accurately from His word (i.e. using Scripture as your only infallible authority) and preached it as clearly as you possibly could, then if someone doesn’t believe, it’s because they are still in bondage to their sin and are unable to see the things you speak of. If we forsake belief in grace alone in the preaching of the Gospel, we’ve lost the very thing, the very power that will bring any change at all. I do believe unbelievers will still be saved regardless of whether or not a believer accepts this doctrine (mainly because of grace alone working despite the believers’ theological convictions). But if we fail to recognize and believe that the Holy Spirit alone changes people in our Gospel preaching, what power are we relying on in our preaching? Ours? I have no strength apart from Christ. Man forget that. Praise God He saves sinners despite the vessels He uses! Talk about about drawing a straight line with a crooked stick …

So basically, in our witnessing, the two principles here are:

1) God is sovereign, saves who He chooses, and it’s only by grace alone that men are regenerated from their deadness in sin and then able to believe in Jesus Christ. Basically, God must first come and unlock the chains of sin binding up our hearts and free us in order that we may freely choose Him. “We love God because He first loved us (1 John 4:19),” not the other way around.

2) Being that God is sovereign in the salvation of sinners and saves who He chooses, we are not apathetic toward His sovereign rule so that we think people are saved by His sheer decree without the preaching of the Gospel. Anyone who is saved is always saved in relation to Jesus Christ. Also, no one is saved apart from the preaching of the Gospel. But instead, because God is sovereign, and has sovereignly chosen the preaching of His word by His people as the means by which people are saved, we are now empowered and emboldened to go and preach the Gospel fearlessly and freely (without burden), precisely because we believe the Holy Spirit alone is the only power and agent who effects change within unbelievers and that we do nothing but open our mouths. Because of God’s sovereignty are we now truly free to preach the Gospel knowing that God can and does save sinners in His great, infinite love and mercy!

In writing my blog yesterday on Judges, it really hit me how great my sin is against God. Just thinking about the fact that in order for me to be saved from the eternal wrath of God that every man deserves (especially me), it was necessary for the Son of God to come into the world and die on the cross for me, the wrath of God falling on Him instead of me. And to think that my sins held the precious Son of God there until it was finished! What a great sinner I am! What great mercy is this that God would pardon me? Why did He choose me and not another? I cannot give an answer, but I just fall on my knees in praise. There is no answer other than He wanted to in His great divine eternal counsel that I cannot fathom. I am no better than anyone else that He should visit His eternal, covenantal blessing upon me. I’m a sinner of sinners. I fall on my face and stand and wonder at such love for me, a sinner; a sinner! Just think about that … How can God forgive anyone being that He is holy and we are wicked? We deserve His wrath, we’ve earned it. It is only through the cross of Christ that God can pardon men, by faith in His blood, it is only through God Himself becoming man and living the morally perfect life we are unable to and then dying the eternal death that was ours. If you think you are too far gone in your sinning that Christ cannot save you, consider the cross of Christ. On the cross, Jesus bore the sins of any who would believe in Him and He can wipe you clean; He was obedient even to death on behalf of those who believe in Him. After He died, He rose again, that any who believe in Him would rise to a better life, with a perfect body, forever. How great a sinner I am … but how great of a God is the Lord, that He would take my wrath in Himself and make me able to stand before the Father in perfect righteousness, His righteousness. What praise does the Lord of heaven and earth deserve? Unceasing praise.

The book of Judges can be summed up in the last verse of the last chapter, Judges 21:25, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Emphasis Mine). The point of Judges is not just to say, “Don’t be like Israel who turned away again and again,” but the greater point is that we are all just like Israel now when left to ourselves, apart from the intervening work of the Holy Spirit. Within the book of Judges, there is a pattern of Israel falling into sin, God judging them by bringing calamity or destruction upon them (disciplining them), Israel crying out for mercy to the LORD to deliver them, the LORD delivering them in His great patience, and then Israel falling back into sin despite God’s merciful help and kindness. This pattern goes on and on throughout the book and illustrates a huge point about man in general. Israel was the chosen people of God, a people for His own possession. And yet despite God’s pursuit of Israel as a people, personally speaking to them, giving them His law, the covenants, the temple worship, etc (partially quoting Romans 9:1-5), they still ran away from God. If the very people chosen by God were so wicked as to turn their back on the true God who pursued them, what does that say about the Gentiles, the rest of the world? What does that say about all of us together? If the very people of God failed over and over in Judges, how much more so have the rest of us failed?

This illustrates the greater point that we as fallen humans, both Jew and Gentile alike, are in total bondage to sin, slaves to sin, and the book of Judges couldn’t illustrate that more. “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Does that language sound familiar these days within our secular culture? And yet this was the people of Israel, the very people the LORD had spoken to Himself! And they still turned from Him, their hearts hardened by sin. What does that say about all of us wicked humans? If this doesn’t illustrate man’s wicked rebellion against the LORD God Almighty, I don’t know what does. The history of Israel within Judges shows that when man is left to His own devices to follow God, even when God calls to us in mercy, we will always turn from Him. God must come and uphold our end of the covenant we could never uphold on our own and then empower us to live holy lives, changing us from the inside out. God commanded Israel to follow His laws and commandments or else. And yet, it is not possible with man to follow the Lords precepts. This could not be clearer with Israel in Judges.

But there is an even greater illustration of the wickedness of man, even moreso than Judges. Judges is simply a foreshadowing of the greatest sin ever committed by man. What would man do to God if He came into the world as a human, living among us, fulfilling the law of God, upholding our end of the covenant perfectly on our behalf? Well, we put Him to death, whipped Him and beat Him, pierced Him, and strung Him up on a cross. As the song Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted states, “Ye who think of sin but lightly, Nor suppose the evil great, Here (at the cross) may view its nature rightly, Here its guilt may estimate.” At the cross, we see what man thinks of God; we hate Him so much we killed Him. That’s how great our sin is against the Lord. Oh the depths of our sinning! Who can fathom it? To look upon the perfect Lamb of God upon that cross and to think we put Him there with our sinning! It horrifies me. I ask all of you who think very little of their infinite sin against the Creator, how are we “basically good” if this is what we do to our Creator who came to save us, the Lord Jesus Christ?

And so Judges points out God’s absolute holiness, and the desperate condition of every man apart from the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit to breathe new life into us, to enable us to live lives pleasing to Him; and it also ultimately points to the cross where our wickedness was at its worst point ever. And yet Jesus, the Son of God, in His great mercy, willingly came and submitted Himself to our wickedness, bore the penalty of that wickedness (the infinite wrath of God) for any who would believe in Him, died upon the cross, rose from the grave, ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God, and will come back soon to wipe out all of His enemies (those who betray Him and never trusted in Him for salvation). But those who believed in Him will live with Him forever in glory, being forever satisfied by His presence. Turn to the Lord from your wickedness, repent and believe in Jesus, the Son of God, who bore the sins of His people, to save them from the awful hopelessness of eternal destruction. Oh God, have mercy on any who read this, send your Holy Spirit to open their ears, their eyes, their hearts, their minds, to understand and believe in Jesus Christ that they may be saved. And for those who have believed in Christ, I pray the cross would bring them unbelievable joy, because they have been set free from the power of sin and hell, and are liberated to freely pursue You, Lord. Uphold us by your Holy Spirit, made possible through the cross.