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The Historic Faith
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Question 10
The speaker says Augustine’s view “denigrates the character of God,” comparing it to a despot making impossible laws (like “I forbid anyone to get sick”), and he points to Zacharias and Elizabeth being “righteous… blameless” as evidence God’s commands are doable in a fallen-human sense (“God requires our best”). What concrete habits, excuses, or “I can’t help it” narratives in your life would need to die if you truly believed God never commands the impossible—yet also does not require sinless perfection?
Another way to ask: If you truly believed God never commands what’s impossible, but also doesn’t demand sinless perfection, what specific excuses or “I can’t help it” stories in your life would need to stop?

Direct Answer The transcript pushes you to drop excuses that treat obedience as impossible (or optional) and to replace them with a commitment to “do [your] best” in a fallen-human way, trusting God’s mercy over imperfections. It doesn’t list specific personal habits for you, but it directly confronts the “I’m unable” narrative as false and damaging.

Support from Transcript:

  • Augustine’s logic is mocked as: God gives commands just to show “you can’t obey laws,” which the speaker calls “absurd.”
  • He illustrates the excuse-problem with Romans 13: you can’t tell the officer, “I’m just totally unable to obey laws,” and expect it to work.
  • He argues Jesus did not remove commandments; he “added new commandments that go much deeper,” showing God expects real obedience.
  • He quotes William Law: fallen people “can do their best… the only perfection that is required of us… God only requires… what a fallen human being can do.”
  • He cites Zacharias and Elizabeth: “righteous… walking in all the commandments… blameless,” while clarifying this isn’t “sinless perfection.”
Discussion Follow-ups Where do you most often blame “nature,” “weakness,” or “background” to excuse disobedience? How would your daily choices change if you believed God expects a “complete heart,” not flawless performance?

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