Required reading
The Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther (Available from Amazon or free here) - Conclude the 'Discussion: Third Part' by reading Sections 156 to 166.
My summary
Today Luther leaves the proofs texts of Paul and turns to John gospel to overturn free will.
Luther shows us that man does not have free will according to
(i) John 1:5, 10-11, 12-13, 16;
(ii) John 3:5, 9, 15, 18, 27, 31, 36;
(iii) John 14:6;
(iv) John 8:23;
(v) John 6:44;
(vi) John 16:8-9.
Then to finish the section, Luther speaks about
(i) the war of the flesh and the Spirit in a man as described in Romans 7 and Galatians 5;
(ii) the justice of God in election.
What grabbed me
I loved this statement from Luther: 'As to myself, I openly confess, that I should not wish “Free-will” to be granted me, even if it could be so, nor anything else to be left in my own hands, whereby I might endeavour something towards my own salvation. And that, not merely because in so many opposing dangers, and so many assaulting devils, I could not stand and hold it fast, (in which state no man could be saved, seeing that one devil is stronger than all men;) but because, even though there were no dangers, no conflicts, no devils, I should be compelled to labour under a continual uncertainty, and to beat the air only. Nor would my conscience, even if I should live and work to all eternity, ever come to a settled certainty, how much it ought to do in order to satisfy God. For whatever work should be done, there would still remain a scrupling, whether or not it pleased God, or whether He required any thing more; as is proved in the experience of all justiciaries, and as I myself learned to my bitter cost, through so many years of my own experience.'
If we had free will and our salvation depended upon us, what great consternation it would produce!
Next week's reading
Read the Conclusion, Appendix 1 and Appendix 2.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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