Sola Gratia (By Grace Alone)
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In the early fifth century, the people had a prayer from Augustine, “O Lord, command what you will, and give what you command.” A prayer that God will give us the strength to do what He commands.
Augustine rightly believed that man was born in the state of original sin and therefore it was impossible for man not to sin, we are thus unable to please God and we must depend on the grace of God.
A British monk named Pelagius didn’t agree with this statement. He believed that if God commanded man to do something, man should have the strength to do it.
He believed that Adam’s sin, only effected Adam and that all human beings were born in the same state as Adam was. With the ability not to sin.
He believed that man could and some even did go through life without sinning.
Pelagius was declared a heretic in the third ecumenical council of 431, but the damage was done.
John Cassian agreed with Pelagius being labeled a heretic, but rejected the strong teachings of Augustine as well.
Cassian came up with what later came to be known as semi-Pelagianism.
Cassian believed that grace facilitates righteousness and is necessary to achieve righteousness.
But the grace that God makes available can, and often is rejected.
In the end, it is man, not God who must will to do the good.
Phil 2:13
God does not have to give the power of will to the believer because that power is already in man, despite his fallen condition.
No semi-Pelagian can ever say with resounding authority, “to God be the glory!”
Reformation
Skip down through the ages to the time of the reformation.
The idea of semi-Pelagianism had become prevalent.
While Rome still believed that grace was necessary for salvation, it wasn’t by grace ALONE that we were regenerated are saved.
They believed that the grace could be rejected, therefore the grace must be accompanied by works.
“But not that God has taken my salvation out of the control of my own will and put it under the control of His will and promised to save me, not according to my working or running, but according to His own grace and mercy, I have the comfortable certainty that He is faithful and will not lie to me, and that He is also great and powerful so that no devils or opposition can break Him or pluck me from Him.” -Martin Luther
Martin saw that man is weak on our own, therefore if it was by our own strength, we would fail. We needed to rely on the grace of God to regenerate us, not becasue of our works.
34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”
Who has given something to God, that God needs to repay him?
What a foolish idea.
Yet some view salvation this way. That we must contribute our works. If we contribute our works, isn’t it that God is paying us back.
The wages that we are to be paid for is our sins, and that is death.
You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary. -Johnathan Edwards
Thinking that I deserve heaven is a sure sign I have no understanding of the gospel. -Sinclair Ferguson
Paul in the book of Galatians, speaking of attempting to earn salvation by keeping the law.
3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law.
4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.
If you believe that you must do things to earn the favor of God. Keep the law because it is by grace…and; you are severed from Christ.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
We are saved through faith, but it is by grace alone that we have faith.