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Ok, I freely admit that I'm going to give you a horrible answer and I hope JonNC comes and saves me.
As I understand it, Lutherans usually say that it is God who finds us and saves us. For us, the idea that we have any part in our initial salvation seem far fetched - we say we should be gratified at that God has moved us in his direction.
In this matter the Lutheran communion has retained Catholic teaching.
But we believe that the Apostles taught we are born again of water and Spirit in baptism. I think that we all agree that an infant cannot do anything to help themselves be born again in baptism. We call this “initial justiication” because it is the point at which we initially enter a right relationship with God. This is also called a state of grace.
With regard to an adult, the Church teaches that we are called and moved by grace to turn to Him. This is called “prevenient” grace (that which comes before salvation). There is nothing we do to earn or merit such grace, but if we respond to it, we can be brought by it to enter a state of grace through baptism and the obedience of faith. Yes, we are grateful that God moves us in this direction.
The idea being that we have no free will for things that are above us (salvation), but we do have free will for things below us (choosing what pie to eat for dessert) - and if we have free will, we only have just enough free will to rebel against salvation.
We believe that the Apostles did teach that we have free will, and that we most certainly can rebel against salvation. We believe that God desires all to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the Truth, and that we are all called to repent from our sins and obey the Gospel. God gives everyone sufficient grace to come to this point.
As I understand it, the Catholic church teaches, in certain respect, that man cooperates with his salvation from the start - that it’s his joyous free will walks him into church to be freely baptized.
No, this is not consistent with Catholic doctrine. I think this issue is well addressed in the Joint Declaration.
No one can come to Christ unless the Father draws them.
2010 Since the initiative belongs to God in the order of grace, no one can merit the initial grace of forgiveness and justification at the beginning of conversion.
Now… I’m a prideful bugger from the start, so the Lutheran view goes against my nature. If left to my own wits, I would be in (what I think is) the Catholic camp.I don’t like the idea that I didn’t find God. I want to think that I presented myself to him for his love. But the Lutheran understanding also frees me from stressing about why I didn’t find God earlier, and oddly, it frees me from having to worry about why other people are not Christian and if God will save them - it is his will, and such a kind and loving will at that, that he chose to offer me salvation that I don’t fear for those that aren’t obviously Christian.
It seems that it is human nature to want to be somehow self suffiency.
1 Cor 4:7
What have you that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift?
Again, I crave your understanding in that I’m most likely I’m wrong in this.
We may have a different understanding of the consequences of original sin. We believe the Apostles taught that we were created in the Divine image, and that this image was wounded as a result of the Fall. Humanity was left seeking and longing for God, but unable to
return to a right relationship with Him without His grace.
