Grace, Free Will, and the Reformation Debate

 

Summary

In the heart of the 16th century, a profound theological debate unfolded between Desiderius Erasmus and Martin Luther, centering on the nature of free will and divine grace. Erasmus, a renowned Catholic scholar, initially supported Luther but later diverged, critiquing Luther's views in his work "The Diatribe Concerning Free Will." Luther's response, "The Bondage of the Will," is considered his most significant work, delving into the core issues of the Reformation: sola fide (faith alone) and sola gratia (grace alone).

Luther argued that the doctrine of justification by faith alone is rooted in the doctrine of grace alone. He emphasized that salvation is entirely a work of God, not dependent on human effort or merit. This perspective challenges the notion of free will in matters of salvation, asserting that human will is bound by sin and incapable of choosing God without divine intervention. Luther's stance was that the doctrine of election, or predestination, is central to understanding God's grace and the human condition.

Erasmus viewed the debate over free will as an academic exercise, not essential for the average believer. He feared that emphasizing human inability and divine sovereignty would lead to moral laxity and despair. However, Luther countered that understanding our complete dependence on God's grace is crucial for genuine Christian piety and worship. He argued that acknowledging our inability to seek God on our own leads to a deeper appreciation of God's grace and glory.

Luther also addressed the issue of divine foreknowledge and human freedom. He clarified that God's knowledge of future events does not coerce human actions. Instead, people act according to their desires, which are inherently sinful without God's transformative grace. This distinction between necessity and coercion underscores that while God's knowledge is certain, it does not force human choices.

Ultimately, Luther's teachings challenge believers to recognize the depth of human fallenness and the magnificence of God's grace. By understanding that salvation is entirely a work of God, Christians are called to live lives of gratitude, acknowledging that all glory belongs to God alone.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Centrality of Grace: Understanding that salvation is by grace alone (sola gratia) is foundational to Christian faith. It shifts the focus from human effort to divine action, emphasizing that our salvation is entirely a work of God, not dependent on our merit or striving. This perspective fosters humility and gratitude, recognizing that we are utterly dependent on God's grace for our redemption. [04:04]

2. The Nature of Free Will: Luther's exploration of free will reveals that human will is bound by sin and incapable of choosing God without divine intervention. This understanding challenges the notion of human autonomy in salvation, highlighting our need for God's transformative grace to enable us to seek Him. [08:59]

3. Divine Foreknowledge and Human Freedom: God's foreknowledge of future events does not coerce human actions. People act according to their desires, which are inherently sinful without God's grace. This distinction between necessity and coercion underscores that while God's knowledge is certain, it does not force human choices. [22:27]

4. The Role of Election: The doctrine of election, or predestination, is central to understanding God's grace and the human condition. It emphasizes that salvation is entirely a work of God, not dependent on human effort or merit. This perspective challenges believers to recognize the depth of human fallenness and the magnificence of God's grace. [14:04]

5. The Glory of God in Salvation: Recognizing that salvation is entirely a work of God leads to a life of gratitude and worship. It calls believers to acknowledge that all glory belongs to God alone, as we are rescued by His grace and not by our own efforts. This understanding fosters a spirit of humility and dependence on God. [09:56]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:34] - Erasmus and Luther's Theological Duel
- [01:28] - Erasmus' Critique on Free Will
- [02:24] - Luther's Response: The Bondage of the Will
- [03:08] - Sola Fide and Sola Gratia
- [04:04] - The Doctrine of Election
- [05:43] - Erasmus' View on Free Will
- [06:42] - Luther's Rebuttal to Skepticism
- [07:32] - The Importance of Understanding Grace
- [08:19] - The Role of Human Will in Salvation
- [09:56] - Soli Deo Gloria: Glory to God Alone
- [11:45] - Practical Concerns of Erasmus
- [13:13] - Luther's Response to Practical Concerns
- [14:38] - The Human Condition and Divine Grace
- [16:15] - Luther on Free Will and Desire
- [18:54] - The Righteousness of Choice
- [21:47] - Necessity vs. Coercion in Divine Knowledge

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."
2. Romans 9:16 - "It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy."
3. John 6:44 - "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day."

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Observation Questions:

1. What was the main theological disagreement between Erasmus and Luther regarding free will and divine grace? [00:34]

2. How did Luther view the relationship between sola fide (faith alone) and sola gratia (grace alone)? [03:08]

3. According to the sermon, how does Luther describe the role of human will in salvation? [08:19]

4. What concerns did Erasmus have about the practical implications of Luther's teachings on divine grace and human will? [11:45]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does Ephesians 2:8-9 support Luther's argument that salvation is entirely a work of God and not dependent on human effort? [04:51]

2. In what ways does Romans 9:16 challenge the notion of human autonomy in matters of salvation, as discussed in the sermon? [14:04]

3. How does John 6:44 relate to Luther's view on the necessity of divine intervention for someone to come to faith? [15:21]

4. What might Luther mean when he says that understanding our complete dependence on God's grace is crucial for genuine Christian piety and worship? [09:56]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you relied on your own efforts rather than God's grace. How can you shift your focus to depend more on God's grace in your daily life? [09:56]

2. How does understanding the concept of sola gratia change the way you view your relationship with God and others? [04:04]

3. Consider the role of free will in your spiritual journey. How does Luther's perspective on human will challenge or affirm your current beliefs? [08:19]

4. Erasmus feared that emphasizing divine sovereignty might lead to moral laxity. How can you ensure that your understanding of grace leads to a life of gratitude and worship rather than complacency? [11:45]

5. In what ways can acknowledging God's foreknowledge and human freedom impact your decision-making and trust in God's plan? [22:27]

6. How can you cultivate a spirit of humility and gratitude, recognizing that all glory belongs to God alone in your salvation? [09:56]

7. Identify one area in your life where you struggle to see God's grace at work. What steps can you take to open your heart to His transformative power? [14:38]

Devotional

Day 1: Grace as the Foundation of Salvation
Understanding that salvation is by grace alone (sola gratia) is foundational to Christian faith. It shifts the focus from human effort to divine action, emphasizing that our salvation is entirely a work of God, not dependent on our merit or striving. This perspective fosters humility and gratitude, recognizing that we are utterly dependent on God's grace for our redemption. Luther's teachings remind us that acknowledging our inability to seek God on our own leads to a deeper appreciation of God's grace and glory. [04:04]

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Reflection: In what ways can you express gratitude today for the grace that God has freely given you, knowing that it is not earned by your efforts?


Day 2: The Bound Will and Divine Intervention
Luther's exploration of free will reveals that human will is bound by sin and incapable of choosing God without divine intervention. This understanding challenges the notion of human autonomy in salvation, highlighting our need for God's transformative grace to enable us to seek Him. Recognizing our limitations and the necessity of divine intervention can lead us to a more profound reliance on God and His power to change our hearts and lives. [08:59]

Romans 7:18-19 (ESV): "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing."

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you feel bound by sin. How can you invite God's transformative grace into this area today?


Day 3: God's Foreknowledge and Human Freedom
God's foreknowledge of future events does not coerce human actions. People act according to their desires, which are inherently sinful without God's grace. This distinction between necessity and coercion underscores that while God's knowledge is certain, it does not force human choices. Understanding this can help us reconcile the tension between divine sovereignty and human responsibility, encouraging us to seek God's guidance in aligning our desires with His will. [22:27]

Isaiah 46:10 (ESV): "Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’"

Reflection: How can you align your daily decisions with God's will, knowing that His foreknowledge does not override your freedom to choose?


Day 4: The Doctrine of Election and Human Fallenness
The doctrine of election, or predestination, is central to understanding God's grace and the human condition. It emphasizes that salvation is entirely a work of God, not dependent on human effort or merit. This perspective challenges believers to recognize the depth of human fallenness and the magnificence of God's grace. By embracing this doctrine, we are invited to trust in God's sovereign plan and find assurance in His unchanging love and purpose for our lives. [14:04]

2 Timothy 1:9 (ESV): "Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began."

Reflection: Reflect on how the understanding of election can deepen your trust in God's plan for your life. How does this perspective change the way you view your relationship with God?


Day 5: Living for God's Glory Alone
Recognizing that salvation is entirely a work of God leads to a life of gratitude and worship. It calls believers to acknowledge that all glory belongs to God alone, as we are rescued by His grace and not by our own efforts. This understanding fosters a spirit of humility and dependence on God, encouraging us to live in a way that reflects His glory in all aspects of our lives. [09:56]

1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV): "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

Reflection: Consider one area of your life where you can more intentionally reflect God's glory. What practical steps can you take today to ensure that God is glorified in this area?

Quotes


Luther, in speaking of the doctrine of election or predestination, which is so controversial, made the comment that in his judgment election is the core ecclesia, or the very heart of the church. Again, you have to remember that Luther was an Augustinian monk, and his primary mentor theologically was Augustine, and it was Augustine who had emphasized so strongly centuries earlier his concept of sola gratia, that we are saved by grace and by grace alone. [00:04:20]

And in his “Diatribe,” Erasmus argued that the whole issue of free will in this debate was a matter that was really not all that important. It was an academic point – a technicality – that could better be left to scholars and not something that people should be all of that concerned about. [00:05:43]

Erasmus had said that the doctrine of free will is, “One of those useless doctrines that we can do without.” Luther said, “It is irreligious, idle, and superfluous, you say, to want to know whether our will affects anything in matters pertaining to eternal salvation or whether it is wholly passive under the work of grace? [00:07:43]

Now, what Luther is saying here is this: that the question of what part God plays in my salvation and what part I play in my salvation has everything to do with our religious posture before God and everything to do with our understanding of the grace of God, our appreciation of the grace of God, our worship of God, and our dependence on God. [00:08:59]

Am I to reduce the glory that belongs to God for my redemption and arrogate some of the praise and glory to myself, or is it proper in the religious spirit of the Christian heart to understand that salvation is of the Lord, that we have been rescued as slaves who could not liberate themselves, as debtors who could not pay their debt so that we sing praises to God’s grace throughout our lives. [00:10:13]

Erasmus said, “This would open a floodgate of iniquity and would spread such news openly to the people.” Then he raised this practical question, “If this doctrine of election were to be taught, what wicked man would amend his life? Who would believe that God loved him, and who would fight against his flesh?” [00:12:00]

Luther said, “So be it.” Luther’s willing to go to the final point on this. He said, “Hey, what’s at stake here is the character of God, and if by teaching what the Bible teaches about our utter dependence upon the grace of God to redeem us, is going to cause people not to strive to come to God in their spiritual death” – he said, “If that’s the floodgate of iniquity and that it’s opened,” he said, “let it be open.” [00:14:04]

Again, he’s saying, “The problem that we have in our fallen condition is that nobody wants God. We don’t want God in our thinking, we don’t want God in our lives, and we are not pursuing God over heaven and earth. We’re fleeing from God as far and as fast as we possibly can; and our only hope is that if God seeks us out and turns us around and brings us to Himself. [00:15:21]

He says, “I suppose then, that this power of the human will means the power or faculty or disposition or aptitude to will or not to will, to choose or reject, to approve or disapprove, and to perform all the other actions of the will. Now, what it means for this same power to apply itself or to turn away, I do not see, unless it refers to the actual willing or not willing, choosing or rejecting, approving or disapproving – that is, the very action of the will itself. [00:16:08]

If this person says, “Yes,” to grace, it can only be because this person wants to say “Yes,” to grace, and if this person says, “No,” to grace, it can only be because this person wants to say, “No,” to grace. What could be more simple than that? Well that’s simple – to state the problem, or to state the question is simple, but again, the difficulty is in determining why one person would say “Yes,” and another person would say, “No.” [00:18:15]

He says that according to Luther, if God knows everything in advance and what is going to take place, then all things that happen in this world happen by necessity, and if all things happen by necessity, then we can’t possibly be free at all. For Erasmus, necessity means coercion. If my actions are necessary with respect to God’s foreknowledge, according to Erasmus, than they must take place through some kind of coercion. [00:21:47]

Luther said, “No, no, no, no, no, no.” He said, “God does not force me to make the decisions that I make in my normal daily living, but they are necessary with respect to His knowledge, because if God knows today what I am going to do freely tomorrow, without His coercion, will I do that tomorrow? Is it certain that I will do it tomorrow? It is of necessity of certainty insofar as it most certainly will come to pass because God doesn’t make mistakes in His knowledge, but that doesn’t mean that God is forcing me to do it, or that I’m forced by chance or anything else. [00:22:04]

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Transcript
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