Can a man keep the law?

Glf, in response to post #100. First, I do appreciate and thank you that you considered and came to the conclusion that God did not curse our moral nature. Not because you agree with me, but because that is what the scriptures teach.

Second, I do not agree with Pelagius, I believe it impossible for any man to come to Christ without God's grace, although I consider God's word which Jesus said is spirit and life that grace.

But I do agree with Pelagius that man is not born dead. I can present quite a bit of scripture to support my view.

Rom 7:9 For I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

First, it is obvious Paul is speaking of spiritual death here, he could not possibly mean he is physically dead.

Second, when did the law (the commandment) come? Moses had given the law around 1500 years earlier.

The only possible explanation is that Paul is speaking of himself when he was a child, before he could know and truly understand the law. But when his mind matured and he understood good and evil and the consequences before God, he came to realize he was a sinner and spiritually died. This is the only reasonable explanation for this verse.

Another example is the parable of the prodigal son.

Luk 15:24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.

Twice Jesus said the prodigal son was alive AGAIN (see also vs. 32). Now, Jesus knows proper doctrine better than anyone, how can someone be alive AGAIN if they were born dead in sins? Obviously, you can't.

There are actually many more scriptures I could show you, but I do not believe the Bible teaches we are born dead in sin, regardless of what theologians have taught. I am shocked they could have overlooked this scripture.