Augustine of Hippo; pillar of the Christian Faith? Or Just another Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing?- Heb.2:14

By Edward O'Hara,

This man is credited, and rightly so, with the introduction for the Roman Catholic Church to her belief in the doctrine of original sin and sin nature. Also known as “necessity” in Augustine’s writings.

Which is actually the introduction of Gnosticism into the that religion. And what was as many who recognized it as such at the time stated outright, a massive departure, a great falling away if you will, from the Biblical doctrine of salvation delivered to us through the apostles.

But, and this is where our focus will be today, on top of this he was a man captive to the practice, or lifestyle, of fornicating with harlots. Which is what prompted him in the first place to look for an excuse for this seemingly uncontrollable bad behavior that he had come to believe was impossible to break either with or without God’s help. As is proven by the fact that this captivity plagued him all his life.

This is why he came to believe in the inherent sin nature in man. Because in it he thought he found the answer to his questions as to why he could not stop doing this.

He decided on this for a couple of reasons. 1 was that his background was in the gnostic teachings of Manus. And 2 because like his followers have also found, he needed something other than his own God given free will to blame his bad behavior on.

Because, he reasoned, if free will was to blame then he could have chosen to stop. But, without free will he had no choice in the matter. So that it would then be impossible was that he should be held accountable by God for his own choices.

Now, as much as I could go on about the many wrong reasons Augustine came to the conclusions he did. What I want us to consider today comes from his truly distorted view of the scriptures. One that should have changed forever the notion that Augustine was a great Christian teacher, a man to be trusted, and pillar of the faith.

So that even for those who extol the virtues of the doctrine of original sin and sin nature they received from Augustine. In the final analysis by reasoning they are forced to in this distorted view of the scriptures they must conclude him as one who never came to a saving faith in Jesus.

Why? Because of what those who have believed this man’s gospel says about 1John3:6-9. And what it says about people like this man.

Because those who believe Augustine’s doctrine of original sin teach that what John was saying here is that a man who does the same sin over and over again like Augustine did is the one who John was saying can not be born of God. Making for them the doctrine that explains why men need Jesus come to them from an unbeliever.

To explain further I want to p[oint you to the words of 1John3:6-9. John writes,

“6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”

This is why these followers of Augustine’s original sin and sin nature doctrine teach that “can not sin” in 1John3:6-9 means he can not keep doing the same sin over and over again.

See why if this is true then they must reject Augustine’s teachings as those contrived in the imaginings of an unbeliever? A natural man who can not perceive the things of the Spirit of God. Unable to even know them for they are spiritually understood. As 1Cor.2:14 says.

A man whose teachings came out of his belief in the gnostic teachings of Manus who taught that the material world is evil. Including everything we see on earth that has been made. So that to him mankind not only has no free will. But, he also has flesh that is evil by its very nature because it is part of the material world.

This because as a matter of practice he fornicated with whores over and over again throughout his lifetime. Which for those who prescribe to the belief that 1John3:6-9 teaches that a man who does the same sin over and over again is not born of God, puts Augustine smack dab in the middle of their definition of an unbeliever.

Just think of it. The man Roman Catholicism calls her “doctor of theology”. The man that pastors and seminary professors everywhere claim is a pillar of the faith and a great teacher of christian theology. The man who’s teaching that both Martin Luther and John Calvin, also considered to be trustworthy for doctrine, sat under. Is provably by their own interpretation of 1John3:6-9 disqualified from the faith.

And now while they are teaching his doctrines. And using them to supposedly bring many to faith in Jesus. What is actually happening is they are leading people into the same kind of false religion that they criticize other cults like Mormonism and jw’s for doing.

On top of all this Gen.3:22, Rom.5:12,13, 1Cor.2:14, Heb.2:14, and 1Cor.15:45-50 all reject the false gospel Augustine and his followers teach. Showing that sin nature is impossible because these scriptures prove conclusively that all men are the same flesh that Adam was when he was made. The same flesh Jesus had when He lived as a man.

And destroys the notion that Adam or anyone else was punished with death for Adam’s sin of eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Because Paul says of the time from Adam to Moses that sin was not imputed because there was no law!

So we see that even according to their own teachings they must reject Augustine as a heretic. And an unbeliever. What will they do? Will they continue teaching the false narrative the unbeliever Augustine has given them? Or will they repent as Rev.18:4 instructs them to?

I’m not holding my breath till these people do the right thing. It has become apparent to me that this is not the reason they teach and preach Augustine’s message.

But, if they would God would be quick to help them on their way to a real and dynamic personal relationship with Him. A relationship that is built upon the truth of Paul’s gospel. A relationship that according to Paul’s gospel is the entire reason for which Jesus came.

By revealing to us who He is through His plan of salvation that is based on love rather than original sin’s condemnation. I repeat, Paul’s gospel reveals to us that God’s plan of salvation is based upon love rather than the false doctrine of original sin’s condemnation.

Not saying to us that it is because God must punish sin that He sent Jesus to be punished in our place. But, that it is because He loves us that He came to join with mankind in our mortality. So that through faith in Him and His resurrection we can be joined with Him in immortality.

If they will repent from their belief in Augustine’s lies gone will be the thinking that it is because men are evil flesh that he needs Jesus. And welcomed will be the truth that men need Jesus because the flesh that Adam had since he was made, the same flesh all men have now, was made only to live on earth. And that this is why flesh and blood can not inherit the kingdom of God.

Let me repeat that. The reason Jesus came is because as long as men are only flesh they are not equipped to inherit the kingdom of God. Not because the flesh is evil. But, because the flesh is not spirit.

Hopefully, through personal Bible study and hearing the truth taught here you have come to realize this truth. That our need for Jesus comes from our need to be born again. Born of the Spirit of God. And has nothing to do with the naughty/nice paradigm that is developed in those who are deceived by the pagan Gnosticism of Augustine’s doctrine of original sin.

A paradigm that completely misses the mark where it comes to knowing Jesus. Because in it they have joined themselves to the law and works rather than to grace and faith. Repeatedly going to Jesus to confess sins that were forgiven when Jesus died on the cross. As 2Cor.5:19 plainly tells us.

These false teachers understand sin as the law defines it as all men who have been deceived to believe in salvation by works do. Rather than the sin of the world the Holy Spirit is reproving them of because they do not have a relationship with Jesus as it is defined in the New Covenant. By grace through faith and not by works.

It is in John16 that Jesus gave the disciples a glimpse of the future after He would go to be with the Father. When the Holy Spirit would lead them in the truth.

Where the Holy Spirit would show them that the sin of the world is not believing in Jesus. And has nothing to do with works as defined by the law. Because the Old Covenant was done away with for Israel when Jesus on the cross said, “It Is Finished”! Making the way for a personal and loving relationship with Jesus that would now determine whether a man is in sin or not.

This is why those who have followed Augustine into this trap wrongly interpret 1John3:6-9 the way they do. Making themselves and their mentor Augustine into unbelievers. By believing that when they do the same naughty behavior over and over again they can not be saved.

This happens because they define sin by the law. Rather than a by a personal relationship with Jesus. As Jesus in John16:9 told them it would be defined after He has gone and the Holy Spirit has come.

Because a man is set free from sin when he comes out from under the law. Paul told us this in 1Cor.15:56 saying it is from the law that sin derives its power to enslave men.

Do you want to be free from sin? Then stop thinking of sin in terms of the law. Come out from under the law and be dead to it by the body of Christ as Paul says in Rom.7.

This is why Paul said in Rom.6:7 that he that is dead is freed from sin. When you are dead to the law you will begin to define sin the way Jesus told His disciples they would after He had gone. By whether or not we believe in Jesus. It’s really that simple.

And when you do that what you will find will be astonishing. You will find something that was never revealed to Augustine and his followers. That is that the sins defined by the law lose all their power over you. You will finally find the truth in these words- “He who the Son sets free is free indeed.”

Because your focus will be so completely wrapped up in the love you have found in a relationship with Jesus. Love for God and for others. For you it will be just as the song says, “the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace”.

Things like the carnal commandments given through Moses to Israel. Things like the many worldly principles and values we may have learned from our parents and others that turned out not to be Biblical. Things our experiences may have taught us when we had no real way to discern them Biblically.

As all these fall away from us to be replaced with the love and understanding that comes from our relationship with Him that grows through trusting fully in the plain teaching of His word. From faith to faith and from glory to glory. Our minds renewed by the relationship that is all about knowing Him rather than doing works.

You see, Augustine and those who have followed him never even came to this understanding. They have remained in the doing works paradigm, rather than a personal relationship with Jesus, for the eternal life they seek. A life spoken of but not found by them who were in the Old Covenant. But, only in the New Covenant.

Which is why you can be delivered from that gnostic paradigm into a glorious relationship with Jesus. By simply trusting in Him for eternal life. Knowing that it is the fact that you have trusted in Him that means you can not sin.

Because the sin John is talking about in 1John3:6-9 is unbelief. And has nothing to do with works of any kind. The same unbelief that Jesus told the disciples would be the determining factor for turning at the Holy Spirit’s reproof to have eternal life. This is why Jesus said in John17:3, “this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

And Paul said if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus. And will believe in your heart that He has raised from the dead. You shall be saved. Why? Because this is the initial step we must take to begin a personal relationship with Jesus. And knowing Jesus is eternal life.

See why John said he who is born of God can not sin? Because he who is born of God can never ever not believe in Jesus and His resurrection.

It is only when you interpret scripture with scripture in context that you will see the truth in what John said. And not be deceived by the doctrine of original sin and sin nature that the the devil gave to the pagan gnostic Augustine with which to deceive men.

Will you believe in Him? Will you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus? Will you believe in His resurrection? If you will then you will have eternal life now. If you will then you will have immortality at the resurrection. If you will then you will be made a child of God by a spirit He creates in you that alone can make you an heir to His kingdom. If you will… then I will see you there or in the air!

This message can also be heard at: https://rumble.com/v4cn5lb-augustine-of-hippo-pillar-of-the-faith-or-just-another-wolf-in-sheeps-cloth.html