Archive for ‘Original Sin’

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November 24, 2015

The Christian View of Man

Christian View of Man CoverStatus: Available

Book Description

The question: What is Man? which arose centuries ago in the Psalms remains one of the most vital issues faced by present-day man.

Bewildered by technological advance, alienated from the convictions and lifestyle of his forefathers, modern man has lost his place in the universe. The echoes of his bewilderment can be heard everywhere, from the city graffiti to the rock songs, subcultures and new religions of our time.

Yet there is an answer to man’s identity crisis. Man is made by God, in his image, for his glory. This truth with all its implications is the theme of J. Gresham Machen’s popular presentation of The Christian View of Man. It explains, for Christians and non-Christians alike, how the Bible serves as a mirror to show us who we are. In simple yet careful language, Machen deals with such subjects as creation, man as the image of God, the fall, sin, God’s providence and care, and God’s restoring grace.

Table of Contents

FOREWORD
AUTHOR’S PREFACE
1 The Living and True God
2 The Decrees of God
3 God’s Decrees and Man’s Freedom
4 What is Predestination?
5 Does the Bible Teach Predestination?
6 Objections to Predestination
7 God’s Works of Creation and Providence
8 God’s Works of Providence
9 Miracles
10 Did God Create Man?
11 How Did God Create Man?
12 God’s Image in Man
13 The Covenant of Life
14 The Fall of Man
15 What is Sin?
16 The Majesty of the Law of God
17 Is Mankind Lost in Sin?
18 The Consequences of the Fall of Man
19 What is Original Sin?
20 Sinners Saved by Grace
INDEXES

J Gresham Machen

Dr. J. Gresham Machen (1881-1937)

About the Author

John Gresham Machen was born at Baltimore on July 28, 1881, the middle of three sons born to a southern lawyer, Arthur Machen, whose brother had fought for the Confederates in the Civil War. Some time in his youth Machen came to a personal faith in Christ, but there was no dramatic conversion experience. In later years he was not even able to recall the date (4 January 1896) when he had publicly professed faith and become a church member in Franklin Street Presbyterian Church. He was educated at Johns Hopkins and Princeton Universities, Princeton Theological Seminary and the Universities of Marburg and Göttingen in Germany.

Machen taught at Princeton Seminary from 1906 until its reorganisation in 1929. Then he left to help found Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, where he served as professor of New Testament until his death from pneumonia on New Year’s Day, 1937. In 1936 Machen was instrumental with others in founding what became the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, and was its first Moderator.

Machen’s books published by the Trust are The Christian View of Man, What is Faith?, God Transcendent, and New Testament Introduction.

[See also Ned B. Stonehouse, J. Gresham Machen: A Biographical Memoir (Banner of Truth, 1987); Geoffrey Thomas, ‘J. Gresham Machen’, The Banner of Truth, No. 214 (July 1981), pp. 12-20 and Nos. 233-238 (February-July 1983) .]

Source: Banner of Truth

Paperback, 254 pages

Publication Dates:

The Trustees u/w J. Gresham Machen, 1937;
First Banner of Truth Edition, 1965;
Reprinted, 2015

ISBN: 978 0 85151 112 2

Library patrons who have read this book are invited to share their comments, reviews, questions or criticisms for discussion in the comments below this post.

Posted in Anthropology, Attributes of God, Creation, Decrees of God, Fall, Grace, J. Gresham Machen, Original Sin, Predestination, Providence, Supernaturalism, Uncategorized, Westminster Confession of Faith, Westminster Larger Catechism, Westminster Shorter Catechism | Leave a Comment »

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November 21, 2015

Pelagianism, Semi-Pelagianism and the Decline of Conciliar Orthodoxy

Pelagius

HT: Wikipedia

On Sunday, November 15, 2015, Elder Wayne Wylie lead a discussion on the heresies of Pelagianism and Semi-Pelagianism, and the decline of conciliar orthodoxy.

Pelagianism—A teaching, originating in the late fourth century, which stresses man’s ability to take the initial steps toward salvation by his own efforts, apart from special grace. Belief that original sin did not taint human nature and that mortal will is still capable of choosing good or evil with Divine aid (from class handout).

The class discussed Pelagius’ first principle that man is able to obey God’s commands, and that Adam sinned only for himself, not humankind. This was followed by a discussion of the orthodox doctrine of original sin (See Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 6).

Next, Semi-Pelagianism was defined, and it was explained that this heresy persists in various forms to the present.

Semi-Pelagianism or Massilianism—Semi-Pelagianism involved doctrines upheld during the period from 427 to 529 that rejected the extreme views both of Pelagius and of Augustine in regards to the priority of divine grace and human will in the initial work of salvation. The beginning of faith springs from the free will of nature, and that the essence of “prevenient grace” consists in the preaching of the Christian doctrine of salvation. On the basis of such faith, man attains justification before God (“prevenient grace” allows persons to engage their God-given free will to choose the salvation offered by God in Jesus Christ or to reject that salvific offer) [from class handout].

With the fragmentation of the Christian Church due to the Great Schism between the Eastern (“Orthodox”) and Western (“Catholic”) Churches and the Protestant Reformation, the Christian Church could no longer speak with one voice to formally condemn heresies. Subsequently, heresy abounds today due to the lack of universally authoritative accountability.

Listen to “Pelagianism, Semi-Pelagianism and the Decline of Conciliar Orthodoxy” at mcopc.org.

Posted in Church History, Heresy, Original Sin, Pelagianism, Podcast, Semi-Pelagianism, Wayne Wylie | 2 Comments »

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