A Brief Outline Of Luther’s Bondage Of The Will

© R. S. Clark, 2000; 2014. I Luther’s Critique of Erasmus (2/3) II Luther’s Positive Development of the Doctrine of Predestination from SS (1/3) Major propositions: 1 A fallen sinner is totally unable to cooperate with divine grace. 2 Salvation is exclusively . . . Continue reading →

How Did We Come To Faith?

Why should we study what the Bible says about how we came to faith in Jesus? Isn’t it enough to simply believe and let it go? After all, do not such discussions only cause hurt feelings and doctrinal arguments among believers? These are good questions. Here are two answers. First, Jesus himself calls us to pay attention to His hard words. Continue reading →

Luther On Bound Choice: Celebrating The Recovery Of The Doctrine Of Sola Gratia (Part 1)

In 1580, when the Lutherans and the Reformed met at Montbeilard, when the topic turned to predestination, Theodore Beza (1519–1605) rose, lifted his copy of Luther’s Concerning Bound Choice (De servo arbitrio), and said, “We stand with Luther.”1 The Lutheran representatives suggested . . . Continue reading →

Luther On Bound Choice: Celebrating The Recovery Of The Doctrine Of Sola Gratia (Part 2)—Erasmus Of Rotterdam

When Desiderius Erasmus (1466–1536) was born, the printing press was about fifteen years old. Paul II was Pope. Frederick III was Holy Roman Emperor. What we think of today as the Netherlands was ruled by the House of Burgundy. Luther would not . . . Continue reading →