What is Pelagianism?

Pelagianism is a 5th-century(401-500AD) heresy taught by a man named Pelagius. The theology taught that a human's nature is good(without a sinful nature) and he also denied the doctrine of original sin. Saint Augustine, who stood as the bishop of Hippo for 34 years, refuted Pelagius' idea by noting humans cannot attain righteousness(sinlessness) by their own efforts, stating, "by the sin of the first man, even infants need a Saviour (for this the Pelagian will not have)..." (Against Two Letters of the Pelagians (Book IV), Chapter 3).

Is Pelagianism Biblical? Can a Person be Good?

There are many issues with Pelagianism, firstly, a person can not become or be righteous. This is why we need Jesus, our savior. As Paul notes in Romans, "as it is written(in Psalms), There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; There is none that doeth good, no, not one," (Romans 3:10-12 KJV).

Even Jesus notes in Mark, "Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God," (Mark 10:18 KJV).

Pelagius also seems to miss Romans 5 where Paul states, "And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Wherefore, as by one man(Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned," (Romans 5:11-12 KJV).

Another verse we have that proves we are sinners is in first John where it says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us," (1 John 1:8 KJV). As the verse says, if one claims they are sinless they are deceiving themselves.

Works Cited:
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Pelagianism". Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 May. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pelagianism. Accessed 19 October 2022.

O'Donnell, James. "St. Augustine". Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Aug. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Augustine. Accessed 19 October 2022.

Trans. by Peter Holmes and Robert Ernest Wallis, and revised by Benjamin B. Warfield. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 5. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1887.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight <http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/15094.htm>.