Friend to a Friend

"And who knows but that God may even condescend to visit you, my friend Erasmus, by me His poor weak vessel; and that I may (which from my heart I desire of the Father of mercies through Jesus Christ our Lord) come unto you by this Book in a happy hour, and gain over a dearest brother. For although you think and write wrong concerning "Free-will," yet no small thanks are due unto you from me, in that you have rendered my own sentiments far more strongly confirmed, from my seeing the cause of "Free-will" handled by all the powers of such and so great talents, and so far from being bettered, left worse than it was before which leaves an evident proof, that "Free- will" is a downright lie; and that, like the woman in the gospel, the more it is taken in hand by physicians, the worse it is made. Therefore the greater thanks will be rendered to you by me, if you by me gain more information, as I have gained by you more confirmation. But each is the gift of God, and not the work of our own endeavors. Wherefore, prayer must be made unto God, that He would open the mouth in me, and the heart in you and in all; that He would be the Teacher in the midst of us, who may in us speak and hear. " -Martin Luther (bondage of the Will)


I have many Catholic friends which constantly tell me that Martin Luther was just out to buck the system. Yet you look at this passage and we must remember most of these people he was up against were friends, colleges which he was taught by, or even went to school with.  Martin Luther just wanted the truth, the Gospel truth of Christ to be what the church  would reform back to and he could not stand idly by watching the papacy corrupt Christ free gift.