Pelagius was a monk of the early fifth century who had some original, and flawed, ideas about grace. Sts. Augustine and Jerome largely demolished his position,. A Pelagian is one who believes that we can do good works apart from grace—all that we need is knowledge. A more nuanced position, called semi-Pelagianism, holds that we need grace to get us started, but once we are started we can go at it on our own. St. Augustine also took on this position, but there was some debate about it for about 100 years, until Pope Boniface II ratified the teaching of the Synod of Orange on the issue in 531. Grace, and our continual cooperation with it, is the foundation and cause of any good works in which we participate.
Leaving the word works out of the equation, I resort to the formulation of St. Augustine
“God who created you without your cooperation, will not save you without your cooperation.” (Sermon 169)
I repeat my question regarding the dead: How do you know that those who die with a sin that is truly a sin but not a sin unto death (I John 5:17) are not cleaned up after death? Or is St. John lying?
Well we know in John chapter 3 that Jesus specifically says that a person MUST be born again to be saved.
So then the question becomes then How is one born again?
Well that is also answered in John Chapter 3: By the Holy Spirit. Well yes, but then HOW?
Well I’ll tell you. Because the answer is also in this chapter. (I am sure you can even quote John 3:16) I will give 14-18 which put it into context and further explain
“14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,[f] 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”[g]
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
So it is BELIEF in Jesus as your personal savior from your sin that will save. This new life is given by God, it is not one we can earn.
So clearly you can see from Jesus own mouth that if one (person) isn’t saved (born again) they ARE already condemned and if they die without being born again sadly they have chosen death, separation from God..
Now I will tell you what I believe is the truth, if one searches (truly) for the truth (this desire is no doubt been given by God, and desires to know Him, that God will move heaven and earth in that person’s life to know that Jesus is the Christ!