“Since God‘s foreknowledge is not uncertain, “free-will” is non-existent” – Martin Luther “On the Bondage of the Will“”

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That is a disturbing statement from Martin Luther that is not found in scripture. If this is the basis for a false understanding of predestination then the whole discussion is moot. G-d clearly says “choose this day,” and “search for me with all your heart and I will be found by you.” These are not the statements of a G-d who abrogates the freewill he created. Sin in the world is proof that G-d doesn’t predestine everything under the sun, a murder, rapist or child molester is not predestined to do evil. G-d didn’t create Lucifer the cover Cherub to sin. No! With his freewill he chose to rebel against G-d wanting for himself what G-d had. And in the same manner men seek to claim the knowledge of G-d to the abrogation of freewill. This is not so.

“He foresees, purposes, and does all things according to His own immutable, eternal and infallible will. This bombshell knocks “free-will” flat, and utterly shatters it;”– Martin Luther “On the Bondage of the Will””

Luther argues that sin incapacitates human beings from working out their own salvation which is directly contrary to the scripture instruction to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Luther makes the argument that men are completely unable to come to G-d despite all of the scripture we have with G-d calling us to come to Him. Luther was discussing the fall of man and whether we are free to choose good or evil. The debate is a bit mundane especially since scripture clearly tells us to choose and repent, which are acts of volition and the activity of the free will. Luther was debating with Erasmus about the free will and predestination. Luther discusses the power and total sovereignty of God, which is true. However Martin Luther leaves out and seems to neglect all together the covenantal nature of G-d’s dealing with mankind. He concludes that unredeemed man is ruled by Satan, who never lets go of what he is believed to be the stronger power and that man can do nothing despite all the scripture to the contrary. He states that when G-d redeems a person, he redeems the person, including the will, which then is liberated to serve G-d. In a letter on the topic of his work “On The Bondage Of The Will” to Wolfgang Capito which was written 9 July 1537, Martin Luther said:

“Regarding [the plan] to collect my writings in volumes, I am quite cool and not at all eager about it because, roused by a Saturnian hunger, I would rather see them all devoured. For I acknowledge none of them to be really a book of mine, except perhaps the one On the Bound Will and the Catechism.”

What does he mean by Saturnian hunger? Could this be reference to the Universal religion of Catholicism that he was apart of and seeking to reform? And why is he concerned with the Catechism? Why was Luther so concerned with Latin? Oh wait he was only seeking to reform the Catholic Church. Despite all the debate as stated before not everything under the sun is predestined by G-d since G-d has created man with freewill and constricted Himself to keep His covenants with us. Such things as murder, rape, sin, lust, the original sin (fall of man), the fall of Lucifer, all theses things are not predestined by G-d. So therefore this point is utterly moot and baseless. G-d can turn what the Adversary meant for harm and turn it around for our good, this doesn’t negate the evil, non-predestined will, this rectifies a wrong, just like the covenant Yeshua made with us as the second Adam abrogates the harm caused by the first Adam. Yeshua did away with the sin of the world in one foul swoop, yet required faith and repentance to cleanse us, it’s a choice, a covenant, and a partnership. It requires faith and freewill to come to G-d, confess you’re a sinner and ask for Him to cleanse you of unrighteousness. Man is not opposed to G-d’s laws, man can choose no to sin the sins of his father (or the sins of Adam) and we must each chose this day whom we shall serve. It is given once to live and then the judgment. How we live now determines our end state, by the choices we make now.

“For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness , and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another,” (Romans 2:14-15, 17).

“Yet say you, Why does not the son bear the iniquity of the father? when the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he shall surely live. The soul who sins, he shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.” (Ezekiel 18:19-20)

“If it seem evil to you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amori, in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)

Choose this day whom you shall serve. Simply put those he “foreknow” those He “ predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29).

“If you do well, will it not be lifted up? If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7)

Calvinist teach that some were made to be vessels of dishonor and some vessels of honor, some to be sheep and some to be goats. However the bible clearly states that a vessel of dishonor can become a vessel of honor. So that even if one is a goat or a vessel of dishonor they can become a vessel of honor.

“If a man therefore purges himself from these, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, and suitable for the master’s use, prepared for every good work.” (2 Timothy 2:21)

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