The Bondage of the Will

Definition and Meaning

The Bondage of the Will (Latin De servo arbitrio, "On the Bound Will") is the title of a book published by Martin Luther in 1525. The term also refers to the doctrine the book sets forth. It makes two central claims: the will of fallen humanity is bound by sin and cannot of itself turn to God, and salvation therefore depends not on human cooperation but entirely on the grace of God.

Luther did not deny every human capacity for choice. He acknowledged that people make choices in the ordinary matters of daily life, such as eating and working. He held, however, that in matters "before God" that pertain to salvation, the will is not free.

Biblical and Historical Background

The humanist scholar Erasmus published On Free Will in 1524. Drawing on passages such as Sirach 15 (which Protestants classify among the Apocrypha), he argued that human beings retain a small capacity to respond to and cooperate with grace. Luther replied with this book the following year. Citing Romans 9, Ephesians 2:1–3, John 6:44, and other passages, he emphasized the sinner's inability and the sovereignty of God. His position continues the doctrine of grace that Augustine developed against Pelagianism.

Luther credited Erasmus with having addressed the heart of the controversy rather than peripheral issues such as indulgences or papal authority. Erasmus responded in turn with the Hyperaspistes. Luther is reported to have later singled out this book, together with his catechisms, as the writings of his worth preserving.

The two traditions subsequently set out their positions in official documents. Lutheranism carried this position forward in the Formula of Concord (1577). The Catholic Church, in the Council of Trent's Decree on Justification (1547), declared that free will was not extinguished by the Fall.

Reception in Korean Churches

In Korean churches, The Bondage of the Will is treated chiefly in seminary courses on church history and systematic theology. It is presented as a central controversy of the Reformation and as the starting point of the debate over predestination and free will. Denominations receive it in different ways:

• Presbyterian (Reformed): Presbyterians generally agree with Luther's conclusions. Chapter 9 of the Westminster Confession of Faith confesses that fallen humanity has lost all ability of will to any spiritual good. This teaching is presented as a basis for "total depravity" and the doctrine of predestination.
• Lutheran: The Lutheran Church in Korea regards the book as a classic of its own tradition.
• Methodist and Holiness: Denominations that follow Wesleyan theology likewise agree that fallen humanity is powerless of itself. They hold, however, that the ability to respond is restored through the prevenient grace that God first extends to all people, and they place greater emphasis on a responsible human response.
• Baptist, Full Gospel, and others: Whether these churches lean more toward Calvinism or Arminianism varies by congregation and seminary.