LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL REVIEW - Brock University

30 LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL REVIEW XV
This does not mean that double predestination is thereby affirmed. Luther
does refer to election in a few places in Bondage, but always and only in the
context of the Gospel. For example, in the conclusion he says,
I will not here elaborate the very strong arguments that can be drawn from
the purpose of grace, the promise of God, the meaning of the law, original
sin, or divine election, any one of which would be sufficient by itself to do
away completely with free choice. For if grace comes from the purpose or
predestination of God, it comes by necessity and not by our effort or
endeavor, as we have shown above. Moreover, if God promised grace before
the law was given, as Paul argues here and in Galatians, then grace does not
come from works or through the law; otherwise the promise means nothing. 49
Luther’s point is that when Scripture says in one place that we are saved by
grace and in another that we are predestined unto salvation, it is saying the
same thing.
Philip Melanchthon (1497-1560) takes up predestination in Locus 14 of
his Loci Communes of 1543. 50 He notes the abuses that this poor doctrine has
been subject to, especially by what he calls “Sententiarians”. 51 But he
quickly moves on to an exposition of the correct teaching under three
propositions:
The first is that we must judge regarding our election not on the basis of the
Law but on the basis of the Gospel. The second is that the entire number of
those who are to be saved is chosen (electus) for the sake of Christ (propter
Christum). For unless we hold to the knowledge of Christ, we cannot speak
of election. The third is that we must seek no other cause for our justification
or election. 52
Here we see the author of the Confessio Augustana sweeping away the error
of Augustine and Aquinas with one hand: the hand of the Gospel. He centres
the doctrine of election in Christ, and Christ alone. He does not seek to probe
into the mind of God in eternity. He does not speculate or find a cause in
man for election. For Melanchthon, predestination is solo Christo. He also
notes the essential connection between predestination and justification: “Just
as when we speak about justification, we are governed by the Gospel or by
our knowledge of the voice of the Gospel, so when we are going to speak
about election, we must include the voice of the Gospel.” 53 We note also
that Melanchthon’s argument is enriched by plentiful references to Holy
Scripture, much more so than that of the more rationalistic Calvinist and
49 AE 33:272.
50 Philip Melanchthon, Loci Communes (1543) trans. J. A. O. Preus (St. Louis: Concordia,
1992): 172-75.
51 Melanchthon, 172.
52 Melanchthon, 172.
53 Melanchthon, 172.