Since, therefore, we have lost the meaning and the real reference of this glorious term, or, rather, have never grasped them (as was claimed by the Pelagians, who themselves mistook the phrase) why do we cling so tenaciously to an empty word, and endanger and delude faithful people in consequence? There is no more wisdom in so doing than there is in the modern foible of kings and potentates, who retain, or lay claim to, empty titles of kingdoms and countries, and flaunt them, while all the time they are really paupers, and anything but the possessors of those kingdoms and countries. We can tolerate their antics, for they fool nobody, but just feed themselves up—unprofitably enough—on their own vainglory. But this false idea of ‘free-will’ is a real threat to salvation, and a delusion fraught with the most perilous consequences. (Martin Luther, The Bondage of the Will)
Luther, quite clearly, was against even the use of ‘free-will’ in preaching and theology. He was not just against the phrase, but was against using the idea itself. This is a loud exclamation to his teaching on the subject. No only did Luther believe that the teaching of the bondage of the will was necessary to the Gospel, but he saw that even the words ‘free-will’ were dangerous. As he demonstrated earlier, the term is really an empty word which conveys no truth and reality. So why do people continue to use it?
So many wish to think of themselves as Reformed in the modern day and still hold to the phrase ‘free-will’ and not be ashamed to join together with those who hate the teaching of the bound will. Luther is held up as one who “re-discovered” justification by faith alone, yet so few realize what he really meant by it. They show this when they refuse to hold with Luther his fear and utter disdain of the concept and words ‘free-will.” To Luther, who was ready to lose his life over justification by faith alone, the denial of ‘free-will’ and adherence to bondage of the will was necessary to believe in justification by faith alone. One the one hand he said that it endangered and deluded faithful people. On the other, and perhaps more strongly, he said that “this false idea of ‘free-will’ is a real threat to salvation, and a delusion fraught with the most perilous consequences.” One again, he wrote this book to show what justification by faith alone really meant. To put it simply and bluntly, Luther would deny in clear terms anyone who said that s/he believed in justification by faith alone if they denied the bondage of the will. He would ask how a person can deny the heart of the gospel and yet hold to the outside of it.
Why is it that people in the modern day refuse to denounce ‘free-will’ as something which threatens the Gospel? On a theological level it is because they don’t understand what Luther taught that the Bible taught about justification by faith alone. On a personal level, they don’t want to deal with the loss of positions, honor, and the esteem of others. This is nothing different than the Pharisees who loved the approval of men more than the approval of God. While the Pharisees prayed, fasted, and gave alms for the approval of men, modern day folks preach, teach, and hold denominational positions for the approval of men. They hold to the thought of being Reformed or biblical on one side of the issue but their hearts are still in the grips of the approval of others. Yes, it is hard for people to come out of the Reformed closet and state the clear truth about justification by faith alone. But when they don’t, perhaps they are demonstrating the bondage of the will even though they will not teach it.
Jesus said that “whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:26). Well, some will say, “I certainly believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ and in salvation in His name alone. But if I denounce free-will and hold to the bondage of the will and its importance to the gospel, then I will lose my position, my church, and respect of all I know.” Jesus also said that “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44). Those are His words as well. There is no following Christ and being unashamed to follow Him apart from teaching what He taught. He did not teach the ‘free-will’ of man, but instead taught the bondage of the will over and over. There is no Gospel but a Gospel of grace alone. Unless we teach the bondage of the will and apply it to our own souls and the souls of others, we do not teach the Gospel of grace alone which means we cannot teach justification by faith alone as well. Why do people continue to use the term ‘free-will’ in our day? It is because they will not follow Jesus Christ in proclaiming the Gospel regardless of what men said about Him or did to Him. John Owen said that ‘free-will’ was an idol. We must repent of our idols.
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