If I had to choose what is the most dangerous doctrine that calls itself Christian it would have to be 2 doctrinal teachings that came from the mind of Augustine. Because it is from him the church at the time, Roman Catholicism as decreed by the Roman emperor Constantine, received the gnostic heresies of the Docetists, as well as the Greek philosophical view of God from the Greeks.

And the doctrine that came forth from this amalgum of ideas has been leading people away from the truth ever since. As it teaches that all men are sinners from birth by way of inheritance from our first parents Adam and Eve. And that death is a penalty that all men receive by way of being held accountable for Adam’s sin when he ate the fruit.

Now this heresy is easily shown to be false by reading the scriptures. But, who has time to do that anymore? It’s easier to just let the pastor tell us what to believe. And most of them get their messages off of a website rather than Bible study.

So most never look for themselves to see whether the Bible actually teaches this or not. And in the rare occasion that someone does read the Bible they most often are not looking for truth. But, only for confirmation that what they already believe to be true is the truth.

And if we have done this we need to stop. We need to read the scriptures with the humility that is teachability that James says causes us to receive more grace. That is, a deeper and more meaningful relationship with God.

For instance, when we read in Galatians and Romans about justification do we perceive it to be in legal terms? Or do we think of it in terms of our relationship with Jesus? If in legal terms it is because we have accepted Augustine’s teachings that couch everything in relationship to the law’s demands on Israel. If in relationship with Jesus we have understood it in terms of knowing Him.

What I mean is because the word justified and righteous are the same word in the Greek. And righteousness is knowing Him. If we then see these in terms of measuring up to the legal standard the law required of Israel. We will understand our relationship with Jesus to be dependent upon the satisfaction of the law’s demands to make it possible. Rather than simply trusting in Him and His resurrection for eternal life.

Our relationship with Jesus will always be thought of as something that is only possible because Jesus measured up to the standard the law required of Israel. Which means our relationship with Him is based on works and not by grace through faith alone.

And if we think of it this way we will have to first place ourselves under the law where no gentiles, that is people other than Israel, have ever been. Or ever will be. So we must reject the legal standard for justification to be what Paul intended when he said we are justified by faith.

To understand justification correctly it must be defined by the righteousness that is knowing Jesus. Then and only then will we know justification to be by grace through faith and not by works of the law. As Paul so eloquently stated in Eph.2:8,9. Augustine’s justification is legalistic. While Paul’s definition of justification is based solely upon our relationship with Jesus. Knowing Him.

By way of another example when we read Rom.5:12-14 if we will really hear what was being taught by the apostle Paul we will see something that those who believe Augustine’s teachings will never be able to see.

That Adam’s sin did not bring the penalty of death to all men as man’s so called “federal head” as the doctrine of original sin teaches. And neither was this a message about inheriting from Adam of a sin nature.

No, not at all. For one the Bible never says Adam’s nature changed from a godly nature to a sinful nature. In fact the psalmist in Ps.139:13-ff says we are fearfully and wonderfully made. And 2 the Bible clearly says in Ez.18:20 that the son will not bear the iniquity of the father’s sin. So no man has ever been held accountable and punished by God for Adam’s sin. Not even under the law.

So what was actually going on in the garden was that when Adam sinned he was sent from there and at the entrance God put a guard to block man’s way back so that no man could ever enter.

This is how death passed upon all men. Not by a penalty for Adam’s sin being imputed to Adam’s offspring. But, by the way into the garden and its tree of life being guarded by God.

And this was not to punish mankind for Adam’s sin. It was not even to punish Adam and Eve for their sin. Rather, it was meant to be the way God would lead man into the blessing of a full and rich relationship with Him. At a time in the distant future after Jesus died and rose from the grave. A relationship for which God created mankind, but that would never have been possible as long as man remained in the garden.

So what Augustine came to believe because of his Greek philosophical and gnostic biases that he read into all of the scriptures was actually opposite from what is being described for us in the scriptures when we read about these events.

It was not a punishment for man to be sent from the garden. It was a blessing. And neither was death a punishment for man. Rather, these would be the means by which God would cause man to seek Him for deliverance from death.

And seek Him man has. From Adam after he left the garden when God continued to instruct him, Eve, and their children. To Noah the 8th man, saved from a flood that God brought upon the earth to save man, not to destroy him. To Abraham who believed God and was called His friend. Who also became the father of all those who believe in Jesus.

To Jesus, who as God in human flesh joined with man in our mortality. So that after conquering death by His resurrection we through faith in Him would finally have the eternal life and immortality that God planned for us to have since before He made the world. And a life that Adam nor any other man could ever have if he had remained in the garden.

But, since he left God’s plan has been working out throughout time. Till we came to this dispensation where through faith in Jesus and His resurrection men can have eternal life now. And immortality at the resurrection.

Paul said in Rom.10:9,10 that to be saved we must confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus. And believe in our hearts that He has raised from the dead. Jesus said we must be born again to enter the kingdom of God. Being born again not through our mother’s womb. But, by a spirit created in us by God that we never had before. A spirit that makes us His child and heir to His kingdom.

If you will do this then you will be God’s child and heir to His kingdom. If you will do this you will have eternal life now and immortality at the resurrection. If you will do this… then I will see you there or in the air!