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Question 6

The chapter says Luther taught humans are totally unable to do anything good or even to have faith, and that God “arbitrarily chose” some for salvation and others for damnation; how does that shape the way a person would pray, evangelize, repent, or pursue holiness—and where does it collide with common evangelical language about a loving God and a genuine gospel invitation?

Another way to ask: If people can’t do any good or even believe, and God chooses some for salvation and others for damnation, how would that change how someone prays, shares the gospel, repents, or seeks holiness? Where does it clash with common evangelical talk about a loving God and a real invitation to everyone?

Direct Answer If taken seriously, this teaching would push a person to see prayer, repentance, holiness, and even faith as things God must unilaterally produce, while human choice becomes secondary or irrelevant. It collides with common evangelical language about a sincere invitation because Bercot presents Luther as teaching that God “arbitrarily chose” some for salvation and others for damnation.

Support from Transcript:

Bercot summarizes Luther: humans are “totally unable to do anything good or even to have faith in God.”
He says Luther taught God “gives faith and good works” only to those “arbitrarily chosen before the creation of the world.”
He adds: “Others He arbitrarily chose to be eternally damned.”
Luther asserted someone “could not be saved if he did not believe” absolute predestination.
The transcript does not detail Luther’s practical advice on evangelism or prayer here, but the logic of “God gives faith” strongly shapes how those practices would be viewed.

Discussion Follow-ups How would you speak to a sinner if you believed God may have already chosen them for damnation? How does that compare with how you currently describe God’s love and invitation?

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