Mankind Is Not A Motionless Stone Or Block; It Is Much Worse

Several month ago I had a conversation with an individual who was trying to convince me that mankind's will was free and that mankind was not merely a motionless stone or block of wood that needed to be acted upon. So, was this individual right?  Yes, he was.  Mankind is not a motionless stone or block of wood, mankind is actually much worse.  The Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord comments on this subject saying, 

"And in this respect it may well be said that man is not a stone or block. For a stone or block does not resist the person who moves it, nor does it understand and is sensible of what is being done with it, as man with his will so long resists God the Lord until he is [has been] converted. And it is nevertheless true that man before his conversion is still a rational creature, having an understanding and will, however, not an understanding with respect to divine things, or a will to will something good and salutary. Yet he can do nothing whatever towards his conversion (as has also been said [frequently] above), and is in this respect much worse than a stone and block; for he resists the Word and will of God, until God awakens him from the death of sin, enlightens and renews him."

Mankind is not merely dead in sin but is actively rebelling, thus the need for the radical and redeeming Gospel to awaken us from our death to sin.


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