Augustine addresses believers confused about the relationship between free will and divine grace, warning against both the denial of grace through excessive confidence in human power and the denial of free will through excessive emphasis on grace. Scripture’s commandments presuppose genuine choice and establish human responsibility: temptation arises from disordered desire, not from God, and ignorance does not provide a universal excuse for sin.

Against the Pelagians, Augustine argues that the law reveals sin but cannot justify or conquer it; only the grace of Christ and the life-giving Spirit enable people to fulfill God’s commands. Free will is real, yet too weak to perform good works without divine assistance. Faith, the initial movement toward God, charity, perseverance, and every good work are gifts that precede and sustain human cooperation. Eternal life is both reward and grace because God crowns his own gifts in those who act. The transformation of a stony heart, the conversion of unbelievers, and even infant baptism testify to grace’s gratuitous and mysterious initiative. God’s sovereignty does not make him the author of evil or erase responsibility, though his judgments remain hidden. Augustine closes by urging prayer, humility, thanksgiving, and fidelity to revealed truth while awaiting greater understanding.