Universal Dependencies - English - GUM

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So Erasmus laid the the — laid the egg, which Luther hatched.

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And um, when you come then, to, uh, however this debate.

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This freedom of the will.

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Um, I think uh, let me read you a page from Brendler.

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Because it sets the sa- stage very nicely.

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This is in the Luther book some of you are reading, and um, if you, this evening when you go home, if you wanna meditate it on more, on – on it more, it's on page three eleven.

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It's on page three eleven.

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But, let me just read you the –, cause this gives us the setting very nicely, and then we can uh, Erasmus entitled his anti-Luther pamphlet, Diatribe Concerning Free Will.

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Once again, the first and fundamental questions, disputed in fifteen sixteen, and fifteen seventeen, and again in Heidelberg, in April of fifteen eighteen, with which Luther had opened the assault on scholastic theology, were debated.

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Luther was glad to take up the theme of this debate.

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And this is what Luther writes to Erasmus.

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You alone, among all the others, have recognized the key question.

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And you do not bore me, with the Papacy, purgatory, indulgences, and similar nonsense.

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You, and you alone, have identified that on which all else hinges.

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And you have put the razor to the throat.

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And for that I thank you heartily.

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Um, thus Luther evalu- uh evaluated the subject.

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And Erasmus commented on the significance of their engagement, in battle, in his own style.

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And he wrote to Luther.

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Perhaps an Erasmus who writes against you, will do more for the Gospel, than certain dunderheads who support you.

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And then, humanistic thinking, will never consent.

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This is Brendler now, obs- – uh on this uh, but this sets the stage for what we're gonna talk about.

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Humanistic thinking will never consent to the doctrine of original sin.

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Pico de la Mirandela would not have consented to the doctrine of original sin.

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The author of uh, what is it, Houseman I think, of Invictus.

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I am the master of my fate,

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I am the captain of my soul.

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I don't think that he would acknowledge original sin.

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Is based uh, alright, what is it, it's based, as it is, on the concept, that human nature is totally depraved, and of itself not capable of any good will.

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And that apart from grace alone, free will is nothing, can do nothing, does nothing, except depraved deeds.

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Even though these pronouncements are Biblically based, and may be acceptable within an exclusively theological system, they do not appear reconcilable with the dignity of man- – dignity of man.

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Catholic, and semi-pelagianism, with all of its emphasis on on the role of prevenient grace, finally views free will as the decisive factor in attaining salvation, thereby conceptualizing free will, as similar to a healthy man- – healthy human understanding.

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For how can a person, be responsible for his deeds, if he possesses no free will?

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This is what Erasmus asked.

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How can he decide between good and evil?

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So reasoned Erasmus.

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Such arguments, long known to Luther, and many times presented to him, impressed him not in the least.

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God alone is salvation.

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God alone measures guilt.

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He alone condemns.

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He alone grants grace.

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Justifies and saves.

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When he will, and whom he will.

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Man can do nothing against the divine prerogative.

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Man can only accept the divine judgment.

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This is in fact best.

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And if by — and — and it is by the divine prerogative, that man will — uh, that man is well provided for.

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For God alone is infallible, and his being is grace and mercy.

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This concept, that man is divinely elected to salvation, or to damnation, is the center of the predestination dogma, that later, the Geneva reformer Calvin, made the center of his teaching, and that subsequently, under other historical preconditions and circumstances, could be linked closely with a prosperous middle class, in the Netherlands, and in England.

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Um, uh, skip this paragraph.

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This is the paragraph though.

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Right here, the next one, p- on page three twelve, when you, when you read – if you wanna read it later.

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Therefore, Luther did not accept rational arguments against predestination doctrine.

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Such arguments, on the contrary, necessarily appeared to Luther, given his theological orientation, as suspicious, from the very start, because they originated from human nature, which exalted itself against God.

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The whore reason prefers to submit to the Devil, adjusts to all situations, and proves everything, that is demanded of her.

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Human nature, does not possess free will.

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It is like a horse, ridden by God or the Devil.

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The rider possesses the will.

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The horse obeys.

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Well that's as clear as you can get it.

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Human nature is like a horse, ridden by God or the Devil.

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The rider possesses free will.

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The horse obeys.

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Alright that, th- now the debate is joined you see.

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And as you come — as Erasmus comes to this, he's going to say, well let's look at the Scriptures.

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Now, number one, we have to admit first – v- first off, that there seem to be passages, there are passages in the Scriptures.

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Are there not?

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Many.

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Which seem to teach, that man is responsible for his deeds, and that he may act, and has a free will to respond to the invitation of God.

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Isn't that clear in the Scriptures?

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Whosoever will may come.

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Um, Jesus turned to his disciples, you remember, when some deserted him, and seemed, because they were disappointed in some of his sayings, and they were offended by some of the things he said, and they walked no longer with him it said.

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And then he turned to those who remained, and he said, will ye also go away?

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They had a choice.

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Didn't they?

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Will you go away?

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What do you will?

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And the will, apparently was, re- resided in in these disciples.

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And so Erasmus is going to say, so obviously, in Scripture we have paradox.

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We have clear passages of Scripture, which seem to indicate that man has a free will, and that he can exercise that will, to follow, or not to follow.

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To respond or not to respond.

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On the other hand, we have passages of Scripture, which seem to indicate, that the will is not free, and that the –, and that man i- th- is – man is predestined by a an omnipotent sovereign will of God.