Synergism

[ReverendRV]

Monergism versus Synergism ~ by ReverendRV * July 15

Ephesians 2:8 NASB; For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

Monergism is a Work which is said to be of God alone, and Synergism is said to be the cooperation of God and Man in a Work. Synergism is like pulling up to the gas station, looking at the pump and seeing “May contain %10 Ethanol”; two fuels working in an engine to reduce emissions. But engines like Lawn Mowers can’t use this Synergistic fuel, so you pull up to the next pump and see “Ethanol free”; and you fill your gas can. ~ It’s like this when it comes to God’s Covenants; a Covenant of Works is Synergistic but a Covenant of Grace is Monergistic. In the Bible we see the Edenic and Mosaic Covenants are Covenants of Works which require the participation of those who are in these Covenants. Other Covenants such as the Noahic, Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants are Covenants of Grace; these are promises made by God that don’t require any participation from those who are in those Covenants. ~ Which Pump do you use?

God is not the Author of Sin. ~ Have you ever told a Lie? What do you call people that Lie? “Of yourself”, you are now a Liar. Have you ever Stolen anything? What do you call people who Steal? You’ve made yourself out to be a Thief. Have you ever used God’s name as a vile cussword? This is Blasphemy and is not of God, but is ‘of’ yourself. These are only three of the Ten Commandments; if God judged you by his Moral Code, would you be innocent or Guilty? “No! My good outweighs my bad.” ~ Are you saying to me that you want to Synergistically mix your good with your bad?? Now your fuel is tainted because your good doesn’t lower the Bad’s emissions! Would you go to Heaven or to Hell? Doesn’t this bother you??

You don’t have to go, because there’s a Loophole; but it is not of yourself. ~ For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life! Jesus Christ is this Son and he lived a Life of Sinlessness. This means that he kept the requirements of the Mosaic Covenant and this became his Righteousness; it qualified him to be the sacrifice for the Sin of the world. He was Tried by a kangaroo court and sentenced to scourging by Roman Lictors. This would lead him to die quickly on the Cross because of the blood he had already spilled on our behalf. He died, was buried but in three days he arose from the dead, being seen alive by over five hundred people before he ascended to Heaven. We’re Monergistically Saved by Grace through Faith in the Resurrected Savior Jesus Christ, without Works so that it’s not of ourselves but is the gift of God. Repent of your Sins, Confess Jesus Christ as Lord; and seek an Evangelical Church. ~ Jesus is %100 God and %100 Man. As a man, Jesus Synergistically kept the Mosaic Covenant, and we Monergistically receive what he earned…

Romans 1:17 NIV; For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed--a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

 

[Eternally-Grateful]

Monergism versus Synergism ~ by ReverendRV * July 15

Ephesians 2:8 NASB; For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

Monergism is a Work which is said to be of God alone, and Synergism is said to be the cooperation of God and Man in a Work. Synergism is like pulling up to the gas station, looking at the pump and seeing “May contain %10 Ethanol”; two fuels working in an engine to reduce emissions. But engines like Lawn Mowers can’t use this Synergistic fuel, so you pull up to the next pump and see “Ethanol free”; and you fill your gas can. ~ It’s like this when it comes to God’s Covenants; a Covenant of Works is Synergistic but a Covenant of Grace is Monergistic. In the Bible we see the Edenic and Mosaic Covenants are Covenants of Works which require the participation of those who are in these Covenants. Other Covenants such as the Noahic, Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants are Covenants of Grace; these are promises made by God that don’t require any participation from those who are in those Covenants. ~ Which Pump do you use?

God is not the Author of Sin. ~ Have you ever told a Lie? What do you call people that Lie? “Of yourself”, you are now a Liar. Have you ever Stolen anything? What do you call people who Steal? You’ve made yourself out to be a Thief. Have you ever used God’s name as a vile cussword? This is Blasphemy and is not of God, but is ‘of’ yourself. These are only three of the Ten Commandments; if God judged you by his Moral Code, would you be innocent or Guilty? “No! My good outweighs my bad.” ~ Are you saying to me that you want to Synergistically mix your good with your bad?? Now your fuel is tainted because your good doesn’t lower the Bad’s emissions! Would you go to Heaven or to Hell? Doesn’t this bother you??

You don’t have to go, because there’s a Loophole; but it is not of yourself. ~ For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life! Jesus Christ is this Son and he lived a Life of Sinlessness. This means that he kept the requirements of the Mosaic Covenant and this became his Righteousness; it qualified him to be the sacrifice for the Sin of the world. He was Tried by a kangaroo court and sentenced to scourging by Roman Lictors. This would lead him to die quickly on the Cross because of the blood he had already spilled on our behalf. He died, was buried but in three days he arose from the dead, being seen alive by over five hundred people before he ascended to Heaven. We’re Monergistically Saved by Grace through Faith in the Resurrected Savior Jesus Christ, without Works so that it’s not of ourselves but is the gift of God. Repent of your Sins, Confess Jesus Christ as Lord; and seek an Evangelical Church. ~ Jesus is %100 God and %100 Man. As a man, Jesus Synergistically kept the Mosaic Covenant, and we Monergistically receive what he earned…

Romans 1:17 NIV; For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed--a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

what do you call a person who believes in salvation by the work of God alone. But your not a monergism.

And you believe you receive salvation by faith. but this is no cooperating with God. so your not a synergist? (i am using the definition I was given earlier) as you say here. we are saved (rescued) by grace (unmerited favor) through faith.

no faith. no salvation

I tend to agree with everything you said here..

 

[ReverendRV]

what do you call a person who believes in salvation by the work of God alone. But your not a monergism.

And you believe you receive salvation by faith. but this is no cooperating with God. so your not a synergist? (i am using the definition I was given earlier) as you say here. we are saved (rescued) by grace (unmerited favor) through faith.

no faith. no salvation

I tend to agree with everything you said here..

I've got to go to work, so I'll give you something to chew on; Unconditional Election is Monergistic, Justification through Faith is Synergistic...

 

[Eternally-Grateful]

I've got to go to work, so I'll give you something to chew on; Unconditional Election is Monergistic, Justification through Faith is Synergistic...

why is justification through faith synergistic?

It is not of you
It is not of the flesh
You did not earn your salvation

It is of God.

which would by your definition of monergism (by God) it monergistic.

but we know (in the context of the past week) that people do not believe this

Again. You are in a situation where you MUST be rescued. But have absolutely NO ability to save yourself. You are lost. without hope.

A rescuer is sent to rescue you. But you must trust them. and not try to help him or try to save yourself. So you basically allow the person to totally rescue you

1. it is all of the rescuer
2. It is not of you
3. You did not cooperate with your salvation (you had nothing to add)

I was in the US Coast Guard (retired) our rescue swimmers were taught to tell the person to not do anything, all him to rescue you. If you try to do anything, you risk taking us both out.

The person in distress was forced to trust the rescue swimmer completely. or he would perish.

it is no different with salvation. We can not help in any way. Not by works of righteousness which we have done (are doing or will do) he saved us by the washing and renewal.

Faith is not a work. nor is it cooperating. it is receiving (or better yet. It is not resisting or denying)

The person in the lost state in unbelief has earned his condemnation. But God so loved the world. he gave his only son, that whoever believes will not perish..

Also. as you gave, eph 2. For it is by GRACE (the rescuer paid the cost. and did all the work) we have been saved.. But he does nto end there THROUGH FAITH,

and he tells us
1. this faith is not of ourselves
2. This faith is not a work
Lest anyone should boast (take credit)

In my view (if anything) grace through faith would be monergistic - because it is all of God, A person who is trusting in God to save them is not trying to make themselves right with God. He has admitted there is nothing he can do to make himself right with God. thats why he trust God and not self.

Salvation by grace through faith plus works (Water baptism, a system of sacraments, tithing, being good or obedient, anything to try to make yourself right with God would be synergistic.

 

[Eternally-Grateful]

Here's my thing I guess, because I maybe say it wrong on the monergists language.

As we all know I went from the most synergistic religion on planet earth (Islam) to the most monergistic...

Lol... I'm very certain DH felt like he was banging his head against the wall more than once. We had to go through an actual which god is God because I was coming from the actual antithesis of our Christian faith here. Exactly opposing 'god's'

My husband was always saying "my God doesn't need men to do anything" (as opposed to my god of human force of will imposed on all). hahaha

But we do have law, it's just like, innate in us now in a different way... And there is just an obedience seen.

So how do we best express that to others who need to incorporate a little obedience, or at least need to see the fruit of obedience is both good and godly?

(Sidenote: my husband and I were not married until after I was saved... He is just the person who shared the Gospel with me. I was saved, married and moved all fairly quickly together).

Am I off topic?

I did not think this was off topic. It was a great testimony - Amen!!

 

[Josheb]

what do you call a person who believes in salvation by the work of God alone. But your not a monergism[?] And you believe you receive salvation by faith. but this is no cooperating with God. so your not a synergist?

They are called "inconsistent."

(i am using the definition I was given earlier) as you say here. we are saved (rescued) by grace (unmerited favor) through faith.

no faith. no salvation

I tend to agree with everything you said here..

The easy solution to your inquiry is to ask, "From whence does that faith come?" because if the answer is, "From God," then that is a salvation of grace by God through faith from God of God, and not a faith of the sinful flesh. That is monergism. if, alternatively, the answer is something like, "It did come from anywhere. I have always had an ability to believe, to trust, to have faith because it is the way God made humans. The faith through which I was saved is my own," then that is synergism. It is inconsistent with monergism; the position that God alone is the casual agent of salvation. It has also been deemed a heresy going back before Augustine.

 

[Josheb]

Monergism versus Synergism ~ by ReverendRV * July 15

Ephesians 2:8 NASB; For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

Monergism is a Work which is said to be of God alone, and Synergism is said to be the cooperation of God and Man in a Work. Synergism is like pulling up to the gas station, looking at the pump and seeing “May contain %10 Ethanol”; two fuels working in an engine to reduce emissions. But engines like Lawn Mowers can’t use this Synergistic fuel, so you pull up to the next pump and see “Ethanol free”; and you fill your gas can. ~ It’s like this when it comes to God’s Covenants; a Covenant of Works is Synergistic but a Covenant of Grace is Monergistic. In the Bible we see the Edenic and Mosaic Covenants are Covenants of Works which require the participation of those who are in these Covenants. Other Covenants such as the Noahic, Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants are Covenants of Grace; these are promises made by God that don’t require any participation from those who are in those Covenants. ~ Which Pump do you use?

God is not the Author of Sin. ~ Have you ever told a Lie? What do you call people that Lie? “Of yourself”, you are now a Liar. Have you ever Stolen anything? What do you call people who Steal? You’ve made yourself out to be a Thief. Have you ever used God’s name as a vile cussword? This is Blasphemy and is not of God, but is ‘of’ yourself. These are only three of the Ten Commandments; if God judged you by his Moral Code, would you be innocent or Guilty? “No! My good outweighs my bad.” ~ Are you saying to me that you want to Synergistically mix your good with your bad?? Now your fuel is tainted because your good doesn’t lower the Bad’s emissions! Would you go to Heaven or to Hell? Doesn’t this bother you??

You don’t have to go, because there’s a Loophole; but it is not of yourself. ~ For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life! Jesus Christ is this Son and he lived a Life of Sinlessness. This means that he kept the requirements of the Mosaic Covenant and this became his Righteousness; it qualified him to be the sacrifice for the Sin of the world. He was Tried by a kangaroo court and sentenced to scourging by Roman Lictors. This would lead him to die quickly on the Cross because of the blood he had already spilled on our behalf. He died, was buried but in three days he arose from the dead, being seen alive by over five hundred people before he ascended to Heaven. We’re Monergistically Saved by Grace through Faith in the Resurrected Savior Jesus Christ, without Works so that it’s not of ourselves but is the gift of God. Repent of your Sins, Confess Jesus Christ as Lord; and seek an Evangelical Church. ~ Jesus is %100 God and %100 Man. As a man, Jesus Synergistically kept the Mosaic Covenant, and we Monergistically receive what he earned…

Romans 1:17 NIV; For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed--a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

Interesting analogy.

My recently married son asked me about a lawn mower purchase for his and his wife's new home and I explained to him why I buy bottled gas for my mower. A more accurate analogy would say, "50%," not ten (50/50 = grace/faith or 50/50 grace/dirt - or manure) not ethanol. One of the subtle silences, what we don't usually read in synergist apologetics is the fact that the faith of the synergist is the faith of a sinful person's sinful flesh that is completely void of anything of the Spirit. God made the gasoline. God made the ethanol, too. What God did not make is the refuse synergists like to imagine goes into the fuel mixture. Even after coming to Christ and realizing at least a little of the depth of one's own sinfulness, it is somehow thought the (sinful) flesh is valuable and necessary..... as if God depended on the sinner's flesh to be able to save the sinner.

 

[ReverendRV]

why is justification through faith synergistic?

It is not of you
It is not of the flesh
You did not earn your salvation

It is of God.

which would by your definition of monergism (by God) it monergistic.

but we know (in the context of the past week) that people do not believe this

Again. You are in a situation where you MUST be rescued. But have absolutely NO ability to save yourself. You are lost. without hope.

A rescuer is sent to rescue you. But you must trust them. and not try to help him or try to save yourself. So you basically allow the person to totally rescue you

1. it is all of the rescuer
2. It is not of you
3. You did not cooperate with your salvation (you had nothing to add)

I was in the US Coast Guard (retired) our rescue swimmers were taught to tell the person to not do anything, all him to rescue you. If you try to do anything, you risk taking us both out.

The person in distress was forced to trust the rescue swimmer completely. or he would perish.

it is no different with salvation. We can not help in any way. Not by works of righteousness which we have done (are doing or will do) he saved us by the washing and renewal.

Faith is not a work. nor is it cooperating. it is receiving (or better yet. It is not resisting or denying)

The person in the lost state in unbelief has earned his condemnation. But God so loved the world. he gave his only son, that whoever believes will not perish..

Also. as you gave, eph 2. For it is by GRACE (the rescuer paid the cost. and did all the work) we have been saved.. But he does nto end there THROUGH FAITH,

and he tells us
1. this faith is not of ourselves
2. This faith is not a work
Lest anyone should boast (take credit)

In my view (if anything) grace through faith would be monergistic - because it is all of God, A person who is trusting in God to save them is not trying to make themselves right with God. He has admitted there is nothing he can do to make himself right with God. thats why he trust God and not self.

Salvation by grace through faith plus works (Water baptism, a system of sacraments, tithing, being good or obedient, anything to try to make yourself right with God would be synergistic.

RC Sproul said Sanctification is Synergistic. If it's Synergistic, then the Perseverance of the Saints is Synergistic. Justification through Faith Alone is Synergistic too then. The only things which are Monergistic are Unconditional Election and Regeneration...

Calvinists; if the Liberty of the Will is established as a Secondary Causation, then Faith is Synergistic...

 

[Arial]

RC Sproul said Sanctification is Synergistic. If it's Synergistic, then the Perseverance of the Saints is Synergistic. Justification through Faith Alone is Synergistic too then. The only things which are Monergistic are Unconditional Election and Regeneration...

Calvinists; if the Liberty of the Will is established as a Secondary Causation, then Faith is Synergistic...

Could we have that quote please and the source so the full context can be viewed?

 

[ReverendRV]

Could we have that quote please and the source so the full context can be viewed?

"Sanctification, however, includes our efforts. We say it is synergistic because both God and we are doing something." - RC Sproul

No Shortcuts to Growth by R.C. Sproul

I’m still amazed whenever I see the bumper sticker that reads, “Visualize world peace.” The idea is that if I, and enough other people, create the right mental

learn.ligonier.org

 

[Carbon]

RC Sproul said Sanctification is Synergistic. If it's Synergistic, then the Perseverance of the Saints is Synergistic. Justification through Faith Alone is Synergistic too then. The only things which are Monergistic are Unconditional Election and Regeneration...

Calvinists; if the Liberty of the Will is established as a Secondary Causation, then Faith is Synergistic...

Here is the part of you that is not Calvinistic. No offense to you; I just noticed it and thought I would mention it.

But I am finding it difficult to understand how you would say perseverance of the Saints is synergistic?

 

[Hazelelponi]

RC Sproul said Sanctification is Synergistic. If it's Synergistic, then the Perseverance of the Saints is Synergistic. Justification through Faith Alone is Synergistic too then. The only things which are Monergistic are Unconditional Election and Regeneration...

Calvinists; if the Liberty of the Will is established as a Secondary Causation, then Faith is Synergistic...

I disagree.

 

[ReverendRV]

Here is the part of you that is not Calvinistic. No offense to you; I just noticed it and thought I would mention it.

But I am finding it difficult to understand how you would say perseverance of the Saints is synergistic?

I'd say it is synergistic because both God and we are doing something. I just mean it in the same sense Sproul meant it about Sanctification. I mean it as far as our Will is Confessed to be a Secondary Causation in all we do. Like my analogy of God's Will being an expressway, and our Will being a Frontage Road; our Perseverance is where we go on the Frontage Road. It's not a denial that God is the First Cause of All things; no more than the WCF is a denial of God's Primary Will, simply because our Secondary Will is Confessed to exist...

I'm a 5-Pointer; but probably more a New Calvinist or a Fullerite. The Reformed Baptist Tom Nettles calls Fuller a 5-Pointer; maybe he was the first Reformed Baptist? Maybe it's a Baptist thing...

 

[Hazelelponi]

I'd say it is synergistic because both God and we are doing something. I just mean it in the same sense Sproul meant it about Sanctification. I mean it as far as our Will is Confessed to be a Secondary Causation in all we do. Like my analogy of God's Will being an expressway, and our Will being a Frontage Road; our Perseverance is where we go on the Frontage Road. It's not a denial that God is the First Cause of All things; no more than the WCF is a denial of God's Primary Will, simply because our Secondary Will is Confessed to exist...

I'm a 5-Pointer; but probably more a New Calvinist or a Fullerite. The Reformed Baptist Tom Nettles calls Fuller a 5-Pointer; maybe he was the first Reformed Baptist? Maybe it's a Baptist thing...

Your assuming what we do in response to His saving work in us adds even one thing.

We are not doing anything to save ourselves. That's not why we work at all.

We work because He saved us, passed tense. So the saving is His, as is the glorifying. He is the yeast and the dough. We are only the vessel, and it's a vessel He created and re-created.

We aren't offering anything to our salvation.... All is gratitude and love, because He first loved us.

No one can take us out of His kingdom once we are in, not even ourselves.

He placed us in His Covenant and in Him, so we love Him and we love one another and because we love Him and one another we love His law...

Nothing we do is anything. It's just love, it's not salvific in any form or fashion, it's not a reaction for salvation, it's a reaction TO salvation.

100% God and only God and we should add some more God.

 

[ReverendRV]

Your assuming what we do in response to His saving work in us adds even one thing.

We are not doing anything to save ourselves. That's not why we work at all.

We work because He saved us, passed tense. So the saving is His, as is the glorifying. He is the yeast and the dough. We are only the vessel, and it's a vessel He created and re-created.

We aren't offering anything to our salvation.... All is gratitude and love, because He first loved us.

No one can take us out of His kingdom once we are in, not even ourselves.

He placed us in His Covenant and in Him, so we love Him and we love one another and because we love Him and one another we love His law...

Nothing we do is anything. It's just love, it's not salvific in any form or fashion, it's not a reaction for salvation, it's a reaction TO salvation.

100% God and only God and we should add some more God.

I mean it the way i think Sproul meant it; we the branch are in Christ the Vine. Sproul simply meant both are doing something. If I sought agreement, it would be agreeing with Sproul that both God and Man are doing something...

Gotta go to work..

 

[Josheb]

RC Sproul said Sanctification is Synergistic. If it's Synergistic, then the Perseverance of the Saints is Synergistic. Justification through Faith Alone is Synergistic too then. The only things which are Monergistic are Unconditional Election and Regeneration...

Calvinists; if the Liberty of the Will is established as a Secondary Causation, then Faith is Synergistic...

That is true only if salvation is dependent upon post-salvation sanctification. Sproul is not alone among the Reformed with this point of view. The explanation is that after God monergistically cleans us up at conversion He then empowers the now-freed-from-sin, now-indwelt-with-the-Spirit individual to be obedient and to do the good works for which God saved him/her and created him in Christ in the first place. Calvinist Sinclair Ferguson expounds upon this in the comparative theology of "Christian Spirituality: Five Views on Sanctification."

 

[Carbon]

That is true only if salvation is dependent upon post-salvation sanctification. Sproul is not alone among the Reformed with this point of view. The explanation is that after God monergistically cleans us up at conversion He then empowers the now-freed-from-sin, now-indwelt-with-the-Spirit individual to be obedient and to do the good works for which God saved him/her and created him in Christ in the first place. Calvinist Sinclair Ferguson expounds upon this in the comparative theology of "Christian Spirituality: Five Views on Sanctification."

A really good book, worth reading.

 

[Arial]

"Sanctification, however, includes our efforts. We say it is synergistic because both God and we are doing something." - RC Sproul

No Shortcuts to Growth by R.C. Sproul

I’m still amazed whenever I see the bumper sticker that reads, “Visualize world peace.” The idea is that if I, and enough other people, create the right mental

learn.ligonier.org

I suppose by a strict definition of "synergism" that could said to be true. But if we go back to "synergism" being applied to all of our salvation, not just the beginning, I think it becomes untrue by distinction. Possibly that is what Sproul was saying and why I wanted the full context. I cannot speak to his intentions, the thought processes in his mind, but when I read this in the article:
"No technique of the devil’s can stop the process of Christ making us into His image. Those whom He calls He sanctifies." I wonder if he and I are on the same page, just different wording, or not.

To me, the distinction is not between synergism and monergism at this point. It is between God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. The ongoing sanctification is a work of God in us that only comes as the fruit of the monergism in being saved. It is God who finishes the work he began. Our responsibility is to attend to the word in our knowledge and actions, as he works in us to bring us to a place of obedience. It was all about obedience in the Garden of Eden and it still is. Returning us to an uncorrupted condition and one of have nothing to corrupt us. Through the redeemed and their redemption, he destroys evil once and for all. I like to keep the big picture in mind. The end result of all of this that he gives us.

If some particular areas of sanctification take a long time, and we come back to the same "old man" over and over again, that too is God working all things for our good and for his good purposes. If some things are never fully dealt with in this life, that too is for our good. As he said to Paul, 2 Cor 12:9 "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'" It keeps us returning as poor and needy to his throne, the fountain of grace, to receive grace and mercy. And in the process is sanctifying in another area---killing pride. And to remind us that it is not our natural man who has to produce by works this sanctification, but that he is the one we lean on. (That too is a fine line to recognize when we are doing one or the other.)

 

[Josheb]

A really good book, worth reading.

I agree, but I also found reading it troubling because there was not a single agreed upon definition of sanctification. Each contributor defined the term differently and, as a consequence, ended up asserting a different explanation of a term completely different from all others. The result is a limited comparison, or a comparison of completely different viewpoints on completely different terms. It is still beneficial to know just how differently the various theological perspectives view sanctification. In some cases, the difference is so significant that they aren't comparable. It was also nice to read men of God holding differing views ably discuss their differences with manners and respect. That's one of my favorite things about comparative works.

 

[Carbon]

God does not expect, nor does He ask us, anywhere to help Him or to work with Him. We continue to carry the old man with us throughout this life. And he is always causing us to do things we do not want to do, and the things we want to do, we just do not do, and all he ever brings to anything is what he initially brought, which is sin. God does the work of sanctification Himself, as He prepares us and builds us up, there is no failure there, it's us now living in the increase that we find rough at times to live. The ground is already taken by God, all we need to do is live it.
So, sanctification is just getting used to our justification.