It is a settled truth, then, even on the basis of your own testimony, that we do everything of necessity, and nothing by ‘free-will’; for the power of ‘free-will’ is nil, and it does no good, nor can do, without grace…It follows, therefore, that ‘free-will’ is obviously a term applicable only to the Divine Majesty; for only He can do, and does (as the Psalmist sings) “whatever he wills in heaven and earth’ (Ps. 135:6). If ‘free-will’ is ascribed to men, it is ascribed with no more propriety than divinity itself would be—and no blasphemy could exceed that! So it befits theologians to refrain from using the term when they want to speak of human ability, and leave it to be applied to God only. They would do well also to take the term out of men’s mouths and speech, and to claim it for their God, as if it were His own holy and awful Name. If they must at all hazards assign some power to men, let them teach that it must be denoted by some other term than ‘free-will’; especially since we know from our own observation that the mass of men are sadly deceived and misled by this phrase. The meaning which it conveys to their minds is far removed from anything that theologians believe and discuss. The term ‘free-will’ is too grandiose and comprehensive and fulsome. People think it means what the natural force of the phrase would require, namely, a power of freely turning in any direction, yielding to none and subject to none. Martin Luther, Bondage of the Will
It is an enlightening thought of Luther’s to say that theologians should refrain from using the term ‘free-will’ in reference to men and only claim it for God. What do people think they have when they are told that they have a ‘free-will’ or if it is just assumed that they have one? Does the natural man, even if some things are explained to him or her, assume that s/he has the power to do as s/he pleases? The natural man that is dead to spiritual things would assume that s/he has the power to do what is needed unless it was clearly explained to him or her. Much like the Ethiopian eunuch who was asked by Philip if he “understand what” he was “reading?” The reply to this was this: “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” How are people to understand their own nature and inability if no one explains it to them? How will people understand the sovereignty of true grace if no one explains it to them? But today in the flight from biblical teaching we want people to make a decision for Jesus and call it an act of faith. We want people to pray a prayer and call it faith. But we don’t explain to them from Scripture their sinful nature, their inability, and the truth of grace. Even among so-called Reformed circles these things are not considered to be essential or important.
What happens when we use the term “free-will” and don’t explain what it means? As Luther points out, people just assume that it means that they can turn any direction they please and that it all depends on them. What if someone tells them that they are dead in their sins without explaining it to them? They will come up with their own idea of what that means and so it is the same thing as teaching error. What happens if we don’t teach people that being dead in sin means that they are unable to repent and believe unless God gives them a new heart? They will just assume that they can repent and believe in their own strength and power and they will perform some acts that they believe is true repentance and faith from their own power and so they will be greatly deceived. There is a great deception going on in our day because people will not teach the truth. If we teach the truth the Arminians and Pelagians will not like it and people will not fill our buildings, or at least that is what we think. But if we don’t teach the truth at this essential point we will be filling our buildings with unbelievers and will have deceived them.
If, as Luther says, nothing good can really be done by using the term ‘free-will,’ then why is it still being used? If nothing beneficial can be done by using it, but really only cause harm, then great harm has been done and is still being done by those who use it. But even more, if we don’t declare the truth that the opposite of ‘free-will’ is true; we will also be doing great harm. Many people are being deceived today by those who have the name “Reformed” but who in fact are to some degree or another Pelagian in their hearts. When we don’t tell people the truth of the nature of their own hearts, they will remain deceived about who they really are and the power that they think they have. If they are never brought to an end of their own self-sufficiency and power they think they have, they will never repent of their pride and self and so will never truly see the need of a new heart and a real faith in Christ. It is that serious and Luther believed that. He really believed that.
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