But this word ‘without’ does away with morally good works, and moral righteousness, and preparation for grace. Imagine any power you can think of as belonging to ‘free-will’, and Paul will still stand firm and say: ‘the righteousness of God exists without it!’ And though I should grant that ‘free-will by its endeavours can advance in some direction, namely, in the direction of good works, or the righteousness of the civil or moral law, yet it does not advance towards God’s righteousness, nor does God deem its efforts in any respect worthy to gain His righteousness; for He says that His righteousness stands without the law. And if ‘free-will’ does not advance towards God’s righteousness, what will it gain even it by its works and endeavours it advances towards angelic holiness?—if that were possible. I do not think there are any obscure and ambiguous words here, nor that room is left here for any figures of speech. Paul clearly distinguishes the two righteousnesses, assigning the one to the law and the other to grace; and he declares that the latter is given without the former and without its works, and that the former without the latter does not justify or avail anything. I should like to see how ‘free-will’ can stand and be defended against these texts! (Luther, Bondage of the Will)
What can ‘free-will’ actually do in the context of salvation? What can ‘free-will’ actually accomplish that is impossible for grace to accomplish? Luther’s point here is on target and reveals something that he did not state in this context. What is it that the soul is trusting in? The soul will either trust in grace alone or it will trust in some degree of self to obtain grace. This is the great danger of those who either believe in ‘free-will’ or see no real difference between a little ‘free-will’ and grace alone in the Gospel. This shows the great danger of simply assuming that Arminians are wrong in certain precise ways but can still believe in justification by faith alone. While Arminians may believe in some form of justification by faith alone, they cannot be an Arminian and believe in justification by faith alone as Luther taught it. The justification that Luther taught and defended as the biblical teaching was by faith alone in order that it may be by grace alone. If the will is not dead in sin and beyond any assistance in salvation, then salvation is not by grace alone.
Every single person that has ever heard of justification by faith alone in some way and believes in it in some way is trusting in something to be saved. Every single person that has ever heard and believed in some way that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation is trusting in Christ in some way. The question, however, has to do with what is really being trusted in. Does the person trust in his own faith to trust in Christ? If so, the person is not trusting in Christ alone and is not trusting in grace alone. The person is truly looking to and trusting in self to some degree for salvation. This is not just some side issue, it is utterly vital. When God looks upon a saved sinner, is He looking to Himself in order to save the sinner by grace alone or is He looking for the sinner to do something? Once again, is God waiting upon the will of the human to do something so that He can save it? Surely this shows that ‘free-will’ is nothing but an idol and those who trust in it are trusting in themselves rather than God.
The unregenerate person loves self and trusts in self in an ultimate way. The unregenerate person has a high opinion of himself and of his own ability to do something that pleases God. Some try to keep the Law to great degrees, while others try to come up with faith and trust on their own. It is idolatry or a trusting in the idol of self to trust in self to keep the Law for righteousness, but it is also idolatry and trusting in the idol of self to trust in self for faith so that God will move and give salvation. Both are works for righteousness. Scripture is quite clear that the righteousness of God is apart from works. The righteousness of God is apart from the works of the Law for righteousness and the righteousness of God is apart from the works of the will for righteousness. No matter how far the unregenerate soul can pursue some form of righteousness or meet some standard for righteousness, it can never make one step toward the righteousness of God.
The human soul (and that includes the will) has no ability and no power to obtain the righteousness of God or do anything to move God to obtain it. The will, while it is not forced to do what it does by the power of God, is also dead in sins and trespasses. The will is the slave of sin and of Satan. The will has no power or ability to free itself from its slavery and it has no power or ability to take one step toward obtaining the righteousness of God. The will has no power to do one thing toward moving God to show grace because that would no longer be grace. The will has no power and no ability to do anything but sin, and that is as opposite of obtaining grace as can be. Sin cannot earn or merit grace in the slightest. That is why grace is always sovereign and never in the hands of human wills.
God Loves... Himself 
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