CHAPTER TWO

CONFLICTING THEORIES OF ORIGINAL SIN AND ETERNAL PUNISHMENT

SO much has been written upon the subject of Original Sin and Eternal Punishment that it is impossible to consider all the sub-divisions: but the main theories fall under five headings:

Predestinarian Theories.
Universalist Theories.
Born in Sin Theories.
Pelagian Theories.
The Dead Sin in the Flesh Theory.

We will examine each theory briefly and see how it passes the two tests of The Love of God and the Free Will of Man.

Predestinarian Theories

The root thought of such theories is that God, being by Nature absolute, has the right to do whatever He wills, and not only cannot, but should not, be withstood. He has no duties to anyone, while for their part His creatures have no rights and only duties towards Him. The world was created by Him for His glory and pleasure, and He has a perfect right to do what He will with His own. It is therefore open to Him to create some beings for Heaven and others for Hell just as He chooses, without any reference to their wishes or deserts but simply to please Himself. They base their theories chiefly upon the picture of the Potter having power over the clay. (Jer. 18,1-10)1

All such theories are dashed to pieces upon the Rock of God's Benevolence, by which He does nothing to please Himself,