Martin Luther's Discourse On Free Will
Why am I writing this reflection? Did God predestine that I would write this paper, or did I freely choose to write this paper? According to Martin Luther it is the former, however Desiderius Erasmus would argue for the latter. Although I tend to side more on Erasmus’s side of the debate, there are aspects of both authors writing that I agree with, and aspects of both that I disagree with in their “Discourse on Free Will.” Luther went into great detail to explain that human beings do not have free will. In fact, if Luther were alive today, a lot of his theology would line up with a four point Calvinist, as he would not agree with Limited Atonement. Luther believed that humans will always choose evil: total depravity. He wrote, “it is that the wicked man cannot always err and sin”
…show more content…
Erasmus believed Salvation comes through faith of man. He wrote, “By freedom of the will we understand in this connection of power of the human will whereby man can apply to or turn away from that which leads unto eternal salvation” (Erasmus 26). Erasmus also argued that with God’s grace, if accepted, humans are able to do good. He asserted, “Man is able to accomplish all things, if God’s grace aids him” (82). However, this grace can be resisted. Erasmus, stated, “it is within our own power to turn our will towards or away from grace” (35). This context was also his argument for free will. Once again, Erasmus wrote, “By freedom of the will we understand in this connection of power of the human will whereby man can apply to or turn away from that which leads unto eternal salvation” (26). Erasmus used Church history as one of his arguments. He stated referring to the reader, “let him decide for himself, whether to attribute more to the decisions of all the many scholars, orthodox faithful, saints, … or more to the private opinions of one or two men”
Erasmus believed Salvation comes through faith of man. He wrote, “By freedom of the will we understand in this connection of power of the human will whereby man can apply to or turn away from that which leads unto eternal salvation” (Erasmus 26). Erasmus also argued that with God’s grace, if accepted, humans are able to do good. He asserted, “Man is able to accomplish all things, if God’s grace aids him” (82). However, this grace can be resisted. Erasmus, stated, “it is within our own power to turn our will towards or away from grace” (35). This context was also his argument for free will. Once again, Erasmus wrote, “By freedom of the will we understand in this connection of power of the human will whereby man can apply to or turn away from that which leads unto eternal salvation” (26). Erasmus used Church history as one of his arguments. He stated referring to the reader, “let him decide for himself, whether to attribute more to the decisions of all the many scholars, orthodox faithful, saints, … or more to the private opinions of one or two men”