Monergism vs Synergism

[BurnForChrist]

The purpose of this thread is to discuss and explain what your view is in regards to the fallen nature of man in salvation. Does man co-operate with the grace of God? Or must God first do a work? The two popular terms for these views are monergism and synergism.

Monergism - is the doctrine that the Holy Spirit is the only agent who effects regeneration of Christians (Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms).

Synergism - is the doctrine that the act of being born again is achieved through a combination of human will and divine grace. (Source)

Just in case these terms may seem confusing let me further explain both of them. Synergism, in other words, states that in order for a man to be saved, he must add faith in co-operation with the grace of God to contribute to his salvation. Synergists will explain that Gods grace will take us part way and so we must determine the outcome. In contrast to synergism, monergism teaches that salvation is entirely wrought and brought about by God alone and that man cannot contribute to the price of his own salvation. Furthermore, it teaches that faith itself is a gift of God which is not the cause but rather the result of a regenerating work of God the Spirit in the life of a person.

So where do you stand? And can you use scripture to show it? Does man have to co-operate with the grace of God or does God alone do a work in man which causes saving faith?

Burn

[Guest zabby]

The purpose of this thread is to discuss and explain what your view is in regards to the fallen nature of man in salvation. Does man co-operate with the grace of God? Or must God first do a work? The two popular terms for these views are monergism and synergism.

Monergism - is the doctrine that the Holy Spirit is the only agent who effects regeneration of Christians (Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms).

Synergism - is the doctrine that the act of being born again is achieved through a combination of human will and divine grace. (Source)

Just in case these terms may seem confusing let me further explain both of them. Synergism, in other words, states that in order for a man to be saved, he must add faith in co-operation with the grace of God to contribute to his salvation. Synergists will explain that Gods grace will take us part way and so we must determine the outcome. In contrast to synergism, monergism teaches that salvation is entirely wrought and brought about by God alone and that man cannot contribute to the price of his own salvation. Furthermore, it teaches that faith itself is a gift of God which is not the cause but rather the result of a regenerating work of God the Spirit in the life of a person.

So where do you stand? And can you use scripture to show it? Does man have to co-operate with the grace of God or does God alone do a work in man which causes saving faith?

Burn

In your poll you left no option for both. I believe in the balance system of God. First of all and ultimately God does it all however because God did not want a bunch of robots in His creating he gave us free will and a measure of faith then He presented us with a choice, the choice is up to us and I believe God will allow man to chose against Him and sad to say many do....

[Guest zabby]

The purpose of this thread is to discuss and explain what your view is in regards to the fallen nature of man in salvation. Does man co-operate with the grace of God? Or must God first do a work? The two popular terms for these views are monergism and synergism.

Monergism - is the doctrine that the Holy Spirit is the only agent who effects regeneration of Christians (Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms).

Synergism - is the doctrine that the act of being born again is achieved through a combination of human will and divine grace. (Source)

Just in case these terms may seem confusing let me further explain both of them. Synergism, in other words, states that in order for a man to be saved, he must add faith in co-operation with the grace of God to contribute to his salvation. Synergists will explain that Gods grace will take us part way and so we must determine the outcome. In contrast to synergism, monergism teaches that salvation is entirely wrought and brought about by God alone and that man cannot contribute to the price of his own salvation. Furthermore, it teaches that faith itself is a gift of God which is not the cause but rather the result of a regenerating work of God the Spirit in the life of a person.

So where do you stand? And can you use scripture to show it? Does man have to co-operate with the grace of God or does God alone do a work in man which causes saving faith?

Burn

In your poll you left no option for both. I believe in the balance system of God. First of all and ultimately God does it all however because God did not want a bunch of robots in His creating he gave us free will and a measure of faith then He presented us with a choice, the choice is up to us and I believe God will allow man to chose against Him and sad to say many do....

I can use scripture for my position the question here is can you? And why the question? I have peace about what I believe on this, do you?

[godrulz]

The issue is Calvinism (TULIP; determinism) vs Arminianism and other free will theisms like Open Theism (my inclination).

Regeneration is monergistic. God alone can regenerate man.

In Calvinism, regeneration precedes repentant faith. In free will theism, repentant faith precedes regeneration (virtually simultaneous).

The link is helpful, but not correct on some points (some begging question, false dichotomy, non sequitur, straw men).

The grounds (reason for/by which saved) of salvation are grace and the person and work of Christ. God alone provides and initiates salvation. He gets all the glory. We cannot save ourselves.

The conditions of salvation (not without which) are repentant faith and continuance in the faith. Faith is not a work nor self-salvation (straw man). This response from man is consistent with the nature of love, relationship, and freedom. TULIP leads to arbitrariness in God and a limitation of His love (partial vs impartial).

TULIP is deductive, problematic, and not biblical. Monergism-monothetism-determinism ultimately makes God arbitrary and responsible for evil.

Compatibilism is the proposed Calvinistic loophole, but compromises self-evident libertarian free will. Determinism, exhaustive definite foreknowledge, etc. is not compatible with genuine free will (necessary for personal responsibility and love).

A wrong understanding of sovereignty (omnicausality; meticulous control; micromanaging vs omnicompetent, providential control, macromanaging) and free will (comp. vs incompatibilistic/libertarian) is the root issue. Wrong assumptions lead to wrong conclusions and eisegesis vs exegesis.

[Smalcald]

I voted God alone, but that does not mean we must not repent. I believe even my response to the call is from Christ and the Holy Spirit. According to scripture there is nothing good in me, I am dead, dead men can't do anything.

However scripture also says that God desires that all men be saved, yet we know scripture says that all men won't be saved, thus we have the power to not be saved to refuse to repent to refuse to listen to refuse to believe, that is ours alone to own if we choose to do those things.

But that is as far as I think we can go, we cannot understand some of these things particularly when it comes to predestination and free will, both are biblical concepts and very very hard to reconcile. On the one hand we have God weeping over His lost children who will not come to Him, who He has wanted to gather like little birds to Him, an on the other hand Paul says, God rose Pharaoh up for one reason to show God's power through Pharos challenge to God.

[godrulz]

A proper understanding of predestination, sovereignty, free will does remove mystery and antinomy. The confusion comes when we have wrong views on these concepts.

[godrulz]

In Eph. 2:8-10 (grammatically), salvation, not faith, is the gift of God. Grace is Godward, but faith is manward.

Wesleyans (Arminians) talke about prevenient grace apart from which no man believes.

The issue is that reciprocal, reconciled love relationships cannot be coerced or caused, so there is a synergistic element.

Most monergistic Calvinists (e.g. Sproul) recognize that sanctification has a synergistic element.

[Smalcald]

A proper understanding of predestination, sovereignty, free will does remove mystery and antinomy. The confusion comes when we have wrong views on these concepts.

No, I think the confusion comes when men venture into areas that God did not intend for us to know. There is nothing wrong with mystery, nobody can actually totally understand the Trinity for example.

[Xan]

The purpose of this thread is to discuss and explain what your view is in regards to the fallen nature of man in salvation. Does man co-operate with the grace of God? Or must God first do a work? The two popular terms for these views are monergism and synergism.

Monergism - is the doctrine that the Holy Spirit is the only agent who effects regeneration of Christians (Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms).

Synergism - is the doctrine that the act of being born again is achieved through a combination of human will and divine grace. (Source)

Just in case these terms may seem confusing let me further explain both of them. Synergism, in other words, states that in order for a man to be saved, he must add faith in co-operation with the grace of God to contribute to his salvation. Synergists will explain that Gods grace will take us part way and so we must determine the outcome. In contrast to synergism, monergism teaches that salvation is entirely wrought and brought about by God alone and that man cannot contribute to the price of his own salvation. Furthermore, it teaches that faith itself is a gift of God which is not the cause but rather the result of a regenerating work of God the Spirit in the life of a person.

So where do you stand? And can you use scripture to show it? Does man have to co-operate with the grace of God or does God alone do a work in man which causes saving faith?

Burn

In your poll you left no option for both. I believe in the balance system of God. First of all and ultimately God does it all however because God did not want a bunch of robots in His creating he gave us free will and a measure of faith then He presented us with a choice, the choice is up to us and I believe God will allow man to chose against Him and sad to say many do....

What you just described is synergism.

[Xan]

A proper understanding of predestination, sovereignty, free will does remove mystery and antinomy. The confusion comes when we have wrong views on these concepts.

"TULIP is deductive, problematic, and not biblical. Monergism-monothetism-determinism ultimately makes God arbitrary and responsible for evil."

Indeed. Would you like help in understanding the correct view of monergism?