The Bondage Of The Will

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

This is a cool statement. Can you support this scripturally?

I know it's been said that God witnesses to people through Word and Sacrament, but I've never seen that tied to the idea of election before.

The more people say here, the more palatable the idea of single predestination is becoming, so keep it coming.

I think any of the many verses on baptism tend to support that idea: Rom 6:3-4, Gal 3:27-28, Mark 16:16, Eph 5:26. In all those cases God is the sovereign actor who is unilaterally taking the damned and making them saved through the immediate act of baptism. It is a sovereign election that happens right here in the present, of which predestination is simply (for a God outside of time) a logical corollary.

 

[Resha Caner]

I think any of the many verses on baptism tend to support that idea: Rom 6:3-4, Gal 3:27-28, Mark 16:16, Eph 5:26. In all those cases God is the sovereign actor who is unilaterally taking the damned and making them saved through the immediate act of baptism. It is a sovereign election that happens right here in the present, of which predestination is simply (for a God outside of time) a logical corollary.

A good point.

 

[FireDragon76]

Luther was not a systematic theologian, unlike Calvin. So Luther's and Calvin's views of predestination do not necessarily have to be the same.

 

[Edward65]

Preacherswife gave you the link to your answer:
Refuting Calvinist Claims...

In that link is the very last writing from Luther (found in Luther's Works) on the topic.

I fail to see how the passage that McCain quotes from Luther's Commentary on Genesis 29 refutes that Luther held predestination to hell. To me the passage confirmed that Luther held double predestination because he (Luther) affirmed in it that "everything is absolute and unavoidable"

 

[Tertiumquid]

If Luther and Calvin disagreed on double predestination...can you show me where? After I read Luther's work I see a lot of Luther in Calvin's doctrine. It's just systematized much better.

Luther taught double predestination...others agree with me.

Double Or Nothing: Martin Luther's Doctrine of Predestination by Brian G. Mattson

Martin Luther Clearly Taught Double Predestination, Yet Prominent (LCMS) Lutheran Pastor Paul T. McCain Remarkably Denies This

Martin Luther and Is Luther’s Doctrine of Predestination Reformed?

If I'm not mistake Zwingli did as well.

Yours in the Lord,

jm

If I recall correctly from a private correspondence I had with Brian Mattson, he stated that his paper was for a seminary class, and in some particular instances I pointed out he was in error, and he graciously affirmed the errors. As to the author of the second link, well, I think one could do much better in terms of research.

As to the third link, I wrote that. I argue Luther does not adhere to the Reformed paradigm of "TULIP."

Of special note to this discussion here is Luther's distinction between the hidden and revealed God, and the two wills of God. For Luther, the hidden God desires the death of certain sinners. The revealed God desires that all sinners live. This is called... paradox. I go into detail in my paper on this. By all means though, people should do their own research.

Regards,

James Swan