Insights from Martin Luther on Reformation Day

Today, Oct. 31, in 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenburg Germany. Luther was challenging the system of indulgences accepted into practice within the Roman Catholic Church. This morning, I read several pages in Luther's The Bondage of the Will, in which he defends his position on human freedom. I greatly enjoyed the reading and thought you might enjoy it as well. Here are some excerpts...

Whereas the matter rather stands that Christ saith, "He that is not with Me is against Me." (Matt. xii. 30) He does not say, He that is not with Me is yet not against Me, but in the medium. For if God be in us, Satan is from us, and it is present with us to will nothing but good. But if God be not in us, Satan is in us, and it is present with us to will evil only... When our liberty is lost we are we are compelled to serve sin: that is, we will sin and evil, we speak sin and evil, we do sin and evil.

If then God, as a Father, deal with us as with sons, that he might shew us who are in ignorance our impotency, or as a faithful physician, that He might make our disease know unto us, or that He might insult His enemies who proudly resist His counsel; and for that end, say to us by proposed laws (as being those means by which he accomplishes His design the most effectually) 'do,' 'hear,' 'keep,' or, 'if thou wilt,' 'if thou wilt do,' 'if thou wilt hear;' can this be drawn herefrom as a just conclusion -- therefore, either we have free power to act, or God laughs at us? Why is this not rather drawn as a conclusion-- therefore, God tries us, that by His law He might bring us to a knowledge of our impotency, if we be His friends; or, He thereby righteously and deservedly insults and derides us, if we be His proud enemies. For this, as Paul teaches, is the intent of the divine legislation. (Rom. iii. 20, v. 20; Gal. iii. 19,24) ... Let is suffice to have thus touched upon it here, to refute this conclusion or carnal and absurd wisdom; -- 'if thou wilt' -- therefore thou are able to will freely.

Luther wrote his book to defend himself against Erasmus of Rotterdam. He wanted to prove from Scripture and not from human reason that the will of man is bound to sin so powerfully that is takes the work of God to save souls. Men do not freely come to God without God's direct involvement. There are certainly many point of theology which I would disagree with Luther, but on this point, he clearly speaks the Word of God. Without the direct work of God in the hearts and minds of lost sinners, men and women would never chose God.