1. Should we consider the human will in one aspect only?

No. For its consideration comprehends a treatment of four states: the first, before the fall; the second, since the fall; the third, after regeneration; the fourth, after the resurrection of the body. (Form of Concord, Epitome, Art. ii, 1.)

2. In what condition did the free will exist prior to the fall?

This is stated in Article VI, which treats of the image of God. Not the least part of this image was man’s ability to sin, or refrain from sin, according to his pleasure.

3. Since the fall is there any liberty remaining to the human will?

Some. For it has the ability to perform that which, according to civil law, is right, and to choose those things which are subject to reason. In a certain way, it can speak of God, can present an external worship of him, can obey magistrates and parents, and can refrain from murder, adultery, theft, etc. For, as human nature retains reason and judgment concerning things subject to sense, there remains also, to some extent, a choice among these objects, and the liberty and power to perform what, according to civil law, is right. (Augsburg Confession and Apology, Art. xviii.)

4. Why do you say only “to some extent”?

Because the power of wicked desire is so great, that men obey these evil affections more frequently than a correct judgment; and the devil, who works in the wicked, does not cease to incite this weak nature to various sins. These are the reasons on account of which righteousness, judged even by civil law, is so rare among men.

5. Since the fall has man any liberty in spiritual things?

He has not. For since the fall man has lost all power, without the aid of the Holy Ghost, to fulfil the righteousness of God, or spiritual righteousness. Because “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God;” but this righteousness is fulfilled when the Holy Ghost, through the word, is begotten in the heart. (Augsburg Confession, Art. xviii.)

6. But cannot man prior to conversion to some extent, even though feebly, prepare himself for grace, and receive the word of God, or assent to it?

He cannot. For Scripture declares that the mind, heart and will of the unregenerate man, in spiritual and divine things, cannot in any manner, from their own natural strength, understand, believe, embrace, think, will, begin, accomplish, perform, work, or co-operate.

In the Smaller Catechism of Dr. Luther, it is thus written:

“I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him; but the Holy Ghost hath called me through the Gospel, enlightened me by his gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the true faith; in like manner as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and preserves it in union with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.”

Likewise in the explanation of the second petition of the Lord’s Prayer we find these words:

“When is this effected” (namely, that the kingdom of God should come to us), the reply is: “When our Heavenly Father gives us his Holy Spirit, so that by his grace, we believe his holy Word, and live a godly life,” etc.

These passages affirm that we cannot by our own strength come to Christ, but that God gives us his Holy Spirit, by whom we are enlightened, sanctified, and thus through faith led to Christ, and preserved in him. Here neither our will nor our co-operation is mentioned.

To these words we add those in which Dr. Luther declared his design to remain steadfast in this doctrine to the end. They occur in his Larger Confession concerning the Lord’s Supper, and are as follows:

“I reject and condemn as pure errors all doctrines which extol our free will; inasmuch as they directly conflict with the aid and grace of the Holy Spirit. For since without Christ, death and sin reign over us, and the devil is our God and prince, there cannot be any power or virtue, wisdom or understanding, by which we can prepare ourselves for righteousness or life, or seek after it; but it is clearly evident that we are blinded captives and slaves of sin and the devil, and that we perform and think only such things as are pleasing to them, and contrary to God and his commandments.”

In these words, Dr. Luther, of sainted memory, declares that our free will possesses no power whatever in virtue of which man can prepare himself for righteousness or seek after it. But on the other hand he teaches that man is blinded, and as a captive only can obey the will of Satan, and do those things which displease God. Hence we should not imagine any co-operation of our will in conversion. For it is necessary that man should be divinely drawn, and be born again of God: otherwise there is no thought in our hearts which inclines itself to embrace the Gospel.

Hence that doctrine is incorrect which teaches that the unregenerate man has power sufficient to desire to embrace the Gospel, and be consoled thereby, and that in this manner the human will in its natural condition can to a certain extent co-operate in conversion. (Form of Concord, Sol. Dec., Art. ii, 40.)

7. Can you prove this from Scripture?

Yes. For it testifies that in reference to good, man is entirely corrupt and dead, so that since the fall, in his unregenerate nature there is not the least particle of strength left, by which he of his own accord can prepare himself for the grace of God, or can apprehend that grace as offered him, or from and through himself become capable of this grace, or apply himself to it. Nor can he, either entirely or in the least degree by his own strength, confer, act, work or co-operate in anything towards his conversion. But he is the servant of sin, and slave of Satan, by whom he is led about.

8. By what passages is this declared?

Concerning the mind or intellect of man, we have the following clear testimonies:

1 Cor. 2:14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Eph. 4:17, 18. They walk (i.e., unregenerate men) in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.

Matt. 13:13. They seeing, see not; and hearing, they hear not; neither do they understand.

Rom. 3:12. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Eph. 5:8. Ye were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord.

Acts 26:18. To turn them from darkness to light.

John 1:5. The light shineth in darkness.

Eph. 2:1. “Who were” (not weak, not feeble, not sick, but) “dead in sins.”

2 Cor. 3:5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.

Rom. 8:7. The carnal mind is enmity against God.

(Form of Concord, Sol. Dec., Art. ii, 9-11.)

9. Prove the same concerning the human heart or will.

First. This is evident from the passages already adduced. For how can the unregenerate man will anything in spiritual matters, when he cannot understand what these spiritual matters are.

Secondly. Scripture distinctly declares that the will of the unregenerate man, in divine things, is deeply depraved, and is turned not only from God, but also against God, and toward every evil thing.

Gen. 6:5. God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of his thoughts was only evil continually.

Gen. 8:22. The imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth.

Jer. 17:9. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Gal. 5:17. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit.

Rom. 8:7. The carnal mind is enmity against God.

Rom. 7:14. We know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. Ver. 22, 23. I delight in the law of God, after the inward man; but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

(Form of Concord, ii, 17.)

10. If this be the condition of the unregenerate man, does it not seem as if he could do no more towards his own conversion than a stone or a block?

The Holy Scriptures in fact compare the heart of the unregenerate to a hard stone, which does not yield to the touch, but resists; likewise to a rough block; and even sometimes to a fierce wild beast: but comparisons of this kind must be understood in their orthodox sense. (Form of Concord, ib., ii, 19. From Luther.)

11. What is the orthodox sense?

This sense is not,—that since the fall man has ceased to be a rational creature; or, that he is converted to God, without hearing or meditating upon the divine word; or, that in external and civil matters he cannot understand or freely do, or omit to do, that which is right or wrong; but, that in spiritual and divine things, of his own strength, he cannot accomplish anything more toward his conversion than a block or a stone; yea, that on account of his resistance he has less power than these objects. (Form of Concord, ib., ii, 24.)

12. Is there therefore no aptitude whatever for conversion to be ascribed to man in his unregenerate state?

With Luther we make a distinction between aptitude, or active capacity, and passive capacity. The former we declare that the unregenerate and unconverted man does not possess; but the latter (passive) we grant to him. (Form of Concord, ib., ii, 23.)

13. What reason have you for such a distinction?

Because God, by a most severe, but, at the same time, by a most just judgment, utterly cast away for all eternity the wicked fallen spirits; yet, in his unparalleled pity, he wished that the deeply miserable nature of fallen man might become capable of conversion, the grace of God, and eternal life, and might obtain the same; not, indeed, by any natural, active or effective fitness, aptitude or capacity of its own, but from pure grace, through the merciful and effectual working of the Holy Ghost. Therefore passive capacity is very correctly ascribed to unregenerate man.

14. If man in his own strength does nothing towards his own conversion, who therefore accomplishes it?

The Holy Scriptures ascribe the conversion of unregenerate man, faith in Christ, regeneration, renewal, and all those things which belong to the effectual beginning and completion of the same, in no manner to the human powers of the natural free will; but they refer it alone, entirely, and wholly, to the divine operation of the Holy Ghost. (Form of Concord, ib., ii, 25.)

15. Establish this from Scripture?

Phil. 2:13. It is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do.

Acts 5:31. A Prince and Saviour for to give repentance to Israel.

2 Tim. 2:25. If God, peradventure, will give them repentance.

Phil. 1:29. For unto you it is given in behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him.

Eph. 2:8. By grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.

John 6:29. This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Matt. 13:11. It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.

Deut. 29:4. The Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.

The Holy Ghost is a spirit of regeneration and renewal:

Titus 3:5, 6. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

Ezek. 11:19. I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh.

Ezek. 36:26. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.

Deut. 30:6. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of all thy seed, to love the Lord thy God.

Ps. 51:10. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Eph. 2:10. We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.

James 1:17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.

John 6:44. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.

Matt. 11:27. Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son shall reveal him.

1 Cor. 12:3. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost.

John 15:5. Without me ye can do nothing.

2 Cor. 3:5. Our sufficiency is of God.

1 Cor. 4:7. What hast thou, which thou didst not receive? Now, if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

16. Does the Holy Ghost accomplish the work of conversion, by the use of means, or without them?

By the use of means. For it has seemed good to God to call to eternal salvation, to draw to himself, to convert, regenerate and sanctify men in no other way than through his word, whether preached or read, and through the proper use of the sacraments. (Form of Concord, ib., ii, 50.)

17. Show this from Scripture.

1 Cor. 1:21. For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

Rom. 10:17. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word.

John 17:20. Neither pray I for these alone; but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.

Acts 10:6. He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

Matt. 17:5. The eternal Father said concerning his Son, “Hear ye him.”

18. Please to describe the entire mode or process by which God converts men.

Since the natural strength of man cannot confer any aid, nor bring any assistance whatever, for conversion, God, in his unspeakable goodness and mercy, goes before us, and provides for the proclamation of the Gospel, through which the Holy Ghost designs to accomplish in us the work of conversion and regeneration; and, through the preaching of this word, and meditation upon it, he enkindles faith; so that all these are gifts and operations of the Holy Ghost alone. (Form of Concord, ib., ii, 71.)

19. How therefore does the human will concur in the work of conversion?

It certainly does not concur, either as an efficient or as a co-operating cause, or as a cause without which the work would not be accomplished. For which reason the doctrine concerning the three efficient causes is rejected. (Form of Concord, ib., ii, 90.)

20. How then does it concur?

It concurs only as the subject to be converted, in which the Holy Ghost works conversion and regeneration; towards which work the will of man does nothing, but only suffers God to work in it, until it is regenerated. (Form of Concord, ib., ii, 90.)

21. To conclude, state how many causes of conversion there are.

Not more than two: one, the efficient principal cause, the Holy Ghost; the other, the word of God, which is the instrument employed by the Holy Ghost in the work of conversion. The intellect and will of the unregenerate man, constitute only the subject of conversion. (Form of Concord, ib., ii, 90.)

22. In conversion is the will therefore entirely passive?

With Luther, we state that in conversion man’s will is entirely passive, if those new notions be considered which the Holy Ghost without the will of man begins in the heart, and through which he effects conversion. But, after conversion, the renewed will is the instrument and organ of the Holy Ghost, so that it not only apprehends grace, but also co-operates in the succeeding acts of faith. (Form of Concord, ib., ii, 89.)