Blasts fron the PastThe Sinfulness of Original Sin William G.T. Shedd

This is the second time something from Shedd has been posted here. This time Shedd addresses the innate condition of all those born of Adam - that of "Original Sin", a condition and a doctrine often neglected by modern preachers. Indeed, a refusal to embrace this doctrine lay at the heart of the heresies of Morgan, the Celtic monk who later became known as "Pelagius".

Morgan was from the "midst of the sea" (the British Isles) and hence bears the name Pelagius, like the pelagic fish which live their whole lives in mid-ocean and not close to the shore. Be that as it may, he was a very moral man who lived an exemplary life of moderation and good works. On visiting Rome in the fourth century, he was, in fact, so scandalized by the moral laxity and corrupt practices of the church that he put much of it down to the teaching of "(sovereign)grace" in the salvation of souls. He thought that such a concept removed the responsibility from men to live holy lives.

Interestingly, this Pelagianism has remained with us throughout history, despite the fact that Morgan himself was twice condemned as a heretic by the church and his teachings were forever anathematized at the Second Council of Orange in 529AD. In fact, many professing Christians today are at least SEMI-Pelagian in their thinking which I believe is because they have never been properly taught, or have not accepted, the Doctrine of Original Sin and the principles of Federal Representation which are present everywhere in Scripture.

The question for them is this - "If you didn't incur guilt in Adam as your Federal Representative then how can you be justified in Christ, the second Adam, as your Federal Representative?"

But enough of me and my gripes - listen to Shedd instead as he is much better at theology, preaching and exposition than I....

The Sinfulness of Original Sin - William G.T. Shedd