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BONDAGE OF THE WILLS COMPARED

PutsLuther (1525),Jonathan Edwards (1754), andOld School Baptists—Absoluter winginto one frame to compare “free will,” predestination, and lapsarian order.Moves fromdefinitions → doctrine → exegesis → pastoral use, then closes with a source-based Beebe section.Big thesesLuther:After the Fall the will isin bondage; conversion ismonergistic(God alone). Scripture’srevealed willguides preaching; thehidden willis adored, not dissected. Emphasis:Law/Gospeland assurance.Edwards:Compatibilism—we always choose according to thestrongest present motive; sinners havenatural abilitybutmoral inabilityto love God. Regeneration changes dispositions; God’s decree makes eventscertainwithoutcoercion.OSB (Absoluter):Absolute predestination of all things;immediate(non-means) regeneration; reject “duty-faith.” Tone issupralapsarian-leaning; “permission” language is viewed as too soft—preferdecree/governmentwhile denying God is theauthor of sin.Lapsarian placements (logical order of decrees)Luther:Doesn’t play the lapsarian game; functionallyinfralapsarianif forced (elect consideredas fallen), but officially sidesteps the schema.Edwards:Infrain order (fall then election) withend-firstteleology (God’s glory) that sounds supra-ish.OSB—Absoluter:Frequentlysupralapsarian in tone(election/reprobation ordered to God’s prior purpose; the fall serves the plan).Double predestination & “permission”Lutheran confessions:Single predestination(deny “double”); teach election forcomfortand refuse a decree to damnation.Edwards:Asymmetrical double predestination—active election;certain permission/preterition for the rest, withjust condemnationfor their sins (never equal ultimacy).Absoluter OSB:Push beyond “mere permission” toabsolute decreeof all events (still not authoring sin). Salvation isPlan A, not a patch.Luther’s book—chapter-by-chapter spineStakes: “free will” is thehinge.Scripture is clearon sin and grace.Revealed vs. hiddenwill distinction.“Free will” toward God is aname without a thingpost-Fall.Necessity ≠ coercion.God ordains all; not author

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