Helpful References to Monergistic Regeneration from Church History - Martin Luther
Martin Luther
I say that man, before he is renewed into the new creation of the
Spirit's kingdom, does and endeavours nothing to prepare himself for
that new creation and kingdom, and when he is re-created has does and
endeavors nothing towards his perseverance in that kingdom; but the
Spirit alone works both blessings in us, regenerating us, and preserving
us when regenerate, without ourselves..."
Martin Luther fromThe Bondage of the Will (pg. 268)
"If any man doth ascribe of salvation, even the very least, to the
free will of man, he knoweth nothing of grace, and he hath not learnt
Jesus Christ aright."
-Martin Luther
When God works in us, the will, being changed and sweetly breathed
upon by the Spirit of God, desire and acts, not from compulsion, but
responsively.
-Martin Luther
"The will of man without grace is not free, but is enslaved, and that too with its own consent." - Martin Luther
"Let all the 'free-will' in the world do all it can with all its
strength; it will never give rise to a single instance of ability to
avoid being hardened if God does not give the Spirit, or of meriting
mercy if it is left to its own strength." - Martin Luther
"Free will without God's grace is not free will at all, but is the
permanent prisoner and bondslave of evil, since it cannot turn itself to
good." - Martin Luther
"All the passages in the Holy Scriptures that mention assistance are
they that do away with "free-will", and these are countless...For grace
is needed, and the help of grace is given, because "free-will" can do
nothing." - Martin Luther
"Does it follow from: 'turn ye' that therefore you can turn? Does it
follow from "'Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart' (Deut 6.5) that
therefore you can love with all your heart? What do arguments of this
kind prove, but the 'free-will' does not need the grace of God, but can
do all things by its own power....But it does not follow from this that
man is converted by his own power, nor do the words say so; they simply
say: "if thou wilt turn,telling man what he should do. When he knows it,
and sees that he cannot do it, he will ask whence he may find ability
to do it..." 164" - Martin Luther
"God has surely promised His grace to the humbled: that is, to those
who mourn over and despair of themselves. But a man cannot be thoroughly
humbled till he realizes that his salvation is utterly beyond his own
powers, counsels, efforts, will and works, and depends absolutely on the
will, counsel, pleasure and work of Another -- God alone. - Martin Luther
"A man who has no part in the grace of God, cannot keep the
commandments of God, or prepare himself, either wholly or in part, to
receive grace; but he rests of necessity under the power of sin."- Martin Luther
"It is false that the will, left to itself, can do good as well as
evil, for it is not free, but in bondage...On the side of man there is
nothing that goes before grace, unless it be impotency and even
rebellion."- Martin Luther
"As long as a man is persuaded that he can make even the smallest
contribution to his salvation, he remains self-confident and does not
utterly despair of himself, and so is not humbled before God. Such a man
plans out for himself a position, an occasion, a work, which shall
bring him final salvation, but which will not."- Martin Luther
"So these truths are published for the sake of the elect, that they
may be humbled and brought down to nothing, and so saved. The rest of
men resist this humiliation; indeed, they condemn the teaching of
self-despair; they want a little something left that they can do for
themselves ... and therefore enemies of the grace of God."- Martin Luther
"The saved are singled out not by their own merits, but by the grace of the Mediator."- Martin Luther
"He that will maintain that man's free will is able to do or work
anything in spiritual cases, be they never so small, denies Christ." - Martin Luther, Table Talk
"Even like as St. Paul was converted, just so are all others
converted; for we all resist God, but the Holy Ghost draws the will of
mankind, when he pleases, through preaching."- Martin Luther
"God foreknows nothing by contingency, but that He foresees,
purposes, and does all things according to His immutable, eternal, and
infallible will. By this thunderbolt, "Free-will" is thrown prostrate,
and utterly dashed to pieces."- Martin Luther
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