Luther gives Erasmus’ definition of ‘free-will” in the following quote: “‘Moreover, I conceive of “free-will” in this context as a power of the human will by which a man may apply himself to those things that lead to eternal salvation or turn away from the same.’” Luther then responds to that definition with words that applied to Erasmus but should also make people wake up today. The definition that Erasmus gave was what so many think is true today and is the root of so many so-called “gospel appeals.” Luther’s reply is a shot across the bow of practically every denomination today as well. Perhaps the creed of a particular church or denomination denies that, but what is the real belief in the depths of the heart? Even if the creed denies that, does the teaching of the church follow along the lines of Erasmus in the minds of the people? Do denominations and churches take the time to carefully explain that a person does not have the power to apply to self the things of eternal salvation? If we do not carefully explain to people that they cannot apply to themselves the things that lead to salvation, they will assume they can even if we teach through the creeds. The depraved heart is blind to spiritual things and it hates the idea that it cannot do for itself what needs to be done.
A church that claims to be Reformed can indeed proclaim the basic truths about Christ and what He has done and call people to believe or to trust in those. But is that anything different than a Pelagian could do? The Pelagian calls upon people to believe and assumes that people don’t need to be taught that they can believe if they want to. The Pelagian will call upon people to believe in the facts and assume that people know that they can make the choice if they please. But when professing Reformed people say the same words and do not tell people that it is not in their power to do so, they are doing nothing different and nothing better than the Pelagian. The Reformed person is at that point a practical Pelagian regardless of what his or her creed says. If you command a person to do something, that person will simply assume that s/he has the power to do it unless it is explained otherwise. So in the preaching and teaching of Reformed people across the land what we have is a practical Pelagianism. The Gospel of grace alone has been deeply hidden in and by the creeds of orthodoxy and Pelagianism is alive and “well” across our land and across the world. Anyone who stands up and says that we should teach these things is considered to be a hyper-Calvinist. While hyper-Calvinism is a problem, the fear of it as it is feared today actually drives people to being Pelagian in practice. Most of what people fear about hyper-Calvinism is really just the plain teachings of the doctrines of grace.
Luther responded to Erasmus with strong words, and in so doing indicted the modern generation as well. “I showed above that ‘free-will’ belongs to none but God only. You are no doubt right in assigning to man a will of some sort, but to credit him with a will that is free in the things of God is too much. For all who hear mention of ‘free-will’ take it to mean, in its proper sense, a will than can and does do, God-ward, all that it pleases, restrained by no law and no command; for you would not call a slave, who acts at the beck of his lord, free. But in that case how much less are we right to call men or angels free; for they live under the complete mastery of God (not to mention sin and death), and cannot continue by their own strength for a minute.”
If we would but spend a few hours on the previous paragraph it would change a lot about the way we view things. What do people think when we say that they have a ‘free-will” or even let them go on thinking that they are free in that sense? Can a will apply salvation to itself by its own choice and act when salvation is of grace from beginning to end? Can a person that clearly states that s/he has a free-will actually believe in the Gospel of grace alone? Can a person that believes that s/he has a free-will actually rest and trust in grace alone? Can a person that has never been taught the truth about the will rest in grace alone? The truth of the matter is that Luther was right. A belief about the nature of free-will is assumed by those who have not been taught what the Bible says about it. Salvation must be applied by someone. Either each person applies it to himself by an act of the will or the person is dead in sin and God applies it by grace. The Gospel of Scripture which is the Gospel of grace alone demands that we teach people that they cannot apply to themselves grace or we don’t truly teach the Gospel of grace alone. The will that chooses God and so God does something is a will that is choosing a gospel that is of works at the very heart of it. A will that is able to apply grace to itself is a will that can co what God alone can do. The Pelagian that teaches free-will is teaching that men can do what God alone can do and it is a gospel of works. The professing Reformed person that urges men to repent and believe and does not teach men about their deadness in sin and the truth of grace which alone can save men is doing nothing more than the Pelagian. What, then, is the real difference? This is one way that bridges are built between Pelagians and the professing Reformed in our day.
God Loves... Himself 
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