tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33930357.post3980505151858487467..comments2014-01-04T13:32:20.076-05:00Comments on New Christianity: A Critical Review of:Ian A. McFarland's In Adam's Fall: A Meditation on the Christian Doctrine of Original Sin, Part 2. A Misinterpretation of modern culture.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08729965956946739033noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33930357.post-36026313697590702932013-06-23T16:55:23.262-04:002013-06-23T16:55:23.262-04:00James,
I agree with you that the Augustinian doc...James, <br /><br />I agree with you that the Augustinian doctrine of original sin leaves us absolutely helpless. God has to do it all for us or we are lost. On the other hand, every "Augustinian" I've ever met (including myself at one time) believed that part of God's work is to change the heart so that we desire to do good and immediately start doing it. As God gives more grace, we do more good. There was no tolerance for the idea that you could bang your pastor up his butt and still go to heaven because justification is by faith alone. If you were saved, you wouldn't bang your pastor up his butt anymore, period. If you insisted on continuing to do so, it was evidence that God hadn't really given you grace to change and you'd be subject to church discipline. <br /><br />Frankly, I'm way beyond disputes about faith alone vs. faith and works. Both views are wrong and for essentially the same reasons. Orthodox Christianity is a falsified belief system and rejecting one element of it, such as "original sin" won't do much to save the rest. Oh, by the way, as far as I'm concerned, there is nothing inherently wrong with gay sex either.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08729965956946739033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33930357.post-30432955709778681832013-06-23T12:51:56.478-04:002013-06-23T12:51:56.478-04:00There is no need for "original sin" if w...There is no need for "original sin" if we will simply allow works to play a part in salvation. The whole point of original sin is to banish works and make Jesus' sacrifice all that matters. You can't do anything -- you're disabled by original sin -- so Jesus' sacrifice and the Holy Spirit do it all -- just sit on your easy chair and receive.<br /><br />If instead, Jesus' sacrificed paved the sidewalk but you've got to walk on it, then original sin is useless theologically and can be tossed. This also provides moral impetus. No more "I can bang my pastor up his butt and still go to heaven because justification is by faith alone" -- sorry Episcopalians. The fact is, as goes original sin, so must go Paul the Gnostic heretic. Original sin is tied with faith-alonism: they both must die together and must return to believing that living a moral life is necessary to salvation in addition to Jesus' sacrifice, which is clearly the way its presented in the gospel of Matthew and in James.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16372463300223880001noreply@blogger.com