Monergism Vs. Synergism

MP3 Messages: Dr. Arturo Azurdia III
Monergistic Regeneration (part 1).mp3
Monergistic Regeneration (part 2).mp3

Synergism Vs. Monerism Chart (graphic organizer)

Monergism and synergism describe two very distinct views of God's saving grace - the process wherein God changes a person from "dead in sin" to "alive in Christ."

To introduce you to this Scriptural doctrine let me begin by asking some questions that should help us begin to think about this issue:

1. What is man's part and God's part in the work of the new birth?
2. Why is it that one unregenerate person believes the gospel and not another? Does one make better use of God's grace?
3. Apart from the grace of God, is there any fallen person who is naturally willing to submit in faith to the humbling terms of the gospel of Christ?
4. In light of God's word, is our new birth in Christ an unconditional work of God's mercy alone or does man cooperate in some way with God in the work of regeneration (making it conditional)?

Your answer to these questions will reveal where you stand on this issue.

Synergism: A Belief That Faith Arises Out of An Inherent Capacity of the Natural Man. In other words, synergists believe that faith itself, a principle standing independent and autonomous of God's action of grace, is something the natural man must add or contribute toward the price of his salvation. Unregenerate man, in this scheme, is left to his freewill and natural ability to believe or reject God. Synergists teach that God's grace takes man part of the way to salvation but that the [fallen, rebellious] human will must determine the final outcome.

Augustine and the Reformers, would reject synergism and honor the more biblical position of monergism. This position teaches that salvation is entirely a work of God; That man can contribute nothing toward the price of his salvation and that one is saved wholly and unconditionally by grace through faith. That faith itself is a gift of God (Eph 2:8, John 1:13, 2 Tim 2:25, Phil 1:29, Hebrews 12:2, 1 John 5:1, Rom 3:24, Ezekiel 11:19-20; Ezekiel 36:26-27) which is not the cause, but the witness of God's regenerative grace having worked faith in the inner man. This gracious act of God was based on nothing meritorious in the individual, but rather, entirely on God's sovereign good pleasure (Eph 1:5). It was not because God knew which persons would believe of their own free will, for there are no persons which fit that description. This is because apart from grace their is no delight or inclination to seek God (in man's unregenerate nature). And since those dead in sin will not seek God (Rom 3:11), regenerative grace precedes justifying faith. God must, in effect, raise them from the dead- (see Eph 2:5, Col 2:13).

John Piper, in his exegesis of 1 John 5:1 says this:

"In the New Testament God is clearly active, creating a people for himself by calling them out of darkness and enabling them to believe the gospel and walk in the light. John teaches most clearly that regeneration precedes and enables faith. "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God" ...The verb tense make's john's intention unmistakable: Every one who goes on believing [present, continuous action] that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God [perfect, completed action with abiding effects]. " Faith is the evidence of new birth, not the cause of it."

The following verses written by the Apostle Paul further drives home the point that we are saved because of God's internal purpose, not because of anything He has seen in us:

"...who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time..." 2 Timothy 1:9
"It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy." Romans 9:16 1:13)

By listening to the sermons listed below on Monergism, by Arturo Azurdia, I hope to share the deep importance of a profound biblical truth as taught throughout the Gospels. For various reasons, a majority of modern evangelicals have abandoned the biblical position and thus thrown out the most important Scriptural truth that was recovered in the Reformation of the sixteenth century, grace is given by God to those whom are called so that those whom God calls will believe.

Synergism Vs. Monerism Chart (graphic organizer)

MP3 Messages: Dr. Arturo Azurdia III
Monergistic Regeneration (part 1).mp3
Monergistic Regeneration (part 2).mp3