against Marcion, a heretic who claimed that human evil
faith. In any case, they don't offer any substantial argument against our understanding of the will's bondage in sin.
3. Tertullian – Tertullian, often quoted by Pighius, is speaking against Marcion, a heretic who claimed that human evil originated with God. In defending the goodness of God's creation, Tertullian argues that humanity was originally created good and with free will. His defense is aimed at affirming the goodness of human nature at creation, not denying the corruption of the will that came with sin. Tertullian's arguments do not apply to humanity's current, fallen state.
4. Irenaeus – Irenaeus argues against heretics who claimed that humanity's evil required the existence of an evil god. He defends that humanity was created good, with the capacity for both good and evil, emphasizing that this capacity existed before the fall. Irenaeus explains that while man was created rational and in control of himself, he fell and became like a beast, enslaved to earthly desires. This aligns with our teaching that humanity's original freedom was lost through Adam's sin and must now be renewed by the Holy Spirit.
In sum, the early Fathers did affirm free choice—but they did so in the context of humanity's original, unfallen state. After the fall, the will is no longer free in the same sense; it is bound by sin. This distinction is crucial, and it aligns with our belief that while humans act willingly, they are enslaved by sinful desires unless renewed by God's Spirit.
I present Pighius with two choices regarding Irenaeus's writings on human nature. Either Irenaeus was unaware of the inherited corruption passed down from Adam, or he simply chose not to address it because it was irrelevant to his argument against heretics