Bondage Of The Will: Word Of The Week

Bondage of the Will

The Augustinian (and thus Lutheran and Calvinist) doctrine that man’s will – or desire – is in bondage to sin. Man still has the freedom to choose according to his greatest desire – the problem is that his desire is enslaved so that unregenerate man only desires sin. Man on his own does not desire God, but is rather set against God and hates God. This disposition can only be changed by the power of God changing the desire of man. This is what happens in regeneration – man’s desire is set free from sin and changed so that he desires God.

Source:  The Lutheran Wiktionary