Truly, "there is nothing new under the sun." We moderns, right or wrong, are incredibly arrogant. Material determinists proclaim triumphantly that they have finally discovered the argument that will put Christianity in its grave: "Surely, now that we have dispensed with that irrational concept of free will, everyone must see that there is no such thing as sin!" And in response, we scurry around desperately to come up with arguments against this new attack. When we have finally shown it to be empty and self-defeating, we sigh, "Now that was an accomplishment – we dealt with an issue that no Christians have had to fight before!"
If only we read our Augustine. "Astrologers try to destroy this entire saving doctrine when they say: 'The reason for your sinning is determined by the heaven,' and 'Venus or Saturn or Mars was responsible for this act.' They make a man not in the least responsible for his faults, but mere flesh and blood and putrid pride…" (Confessions, IV, iii). This is no new attack at all, only a new spin on an ancient lie. Modern philosophers and scientists are far too sophisticated to believe that the planets control our actions. Instead, it's psychology, evolutionary instinct, or (go as low-level as you like) chemical interactions within our brain. But the goal is the same – to undermine Christianity by reasoning away sin, by shuffling the responsibility off onto nature.
In fact, at its very core the argument is far older than that. The first human to try to fend off God's claims on him by passing off the blame for his sin was… well, the first human. "The woman whom You gave to be with me…" Adam attempted to put all responsibility for his sin onto Eve and onto God. Did God reply with a long, detailed, merciless treatise proving that Adam
was, in fact, guilty? He knows He could have. But He didn't bother, because it wasn't necessary. Adam knew perfectly well that he was guilty – imagine how heavily one's conscience must weigh after committing the very first sin in human history!
The situation of the modern determinist is fundamentally the same. He knows very well that he is guilty of sin – God wisely made us so that we can never entirely forget that fact. His goal is not to prove his innocence, but merely to confuse and distract us, himself, and ultimately God with his excuse. Don't be fooled; don't waste time swatting down such a worthless excuse. Not the most brilliant argument in the world can change the mind of a man who, deep inside, already knows the truth. The only answer to sin which can give any solace is the one that God gives: "whosoever believes on Him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life."
