Monergism & Synergism

Questions for Calvinist's....
http://forum.divinesoteriology.com/index.php?tid=35#p859

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Calvinism
• monergism
• synergism
• faith
• regeneration

[WIzDum82]

If we are to believe the scriptures to be true, they tell us that faith is a work. 1Thess.1:3 "Remembering without ceasing YOUR WORK OF FAITH.." Gal.5:6 "For in Jesus Christ ...but FAITH WHICH WORKETH by love." 2Thess.1:11 "Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the WORK OF FAITH with power"

[MODERATECALVINISM]

@WIzDum82

Faith naturally produces the fruit of the Spirit. True faith does work. However faith is not a work of the law. We are in the dispensation of grace. There are no works needed. Just faith alone.

[ondotambaro]

As a Lutheran, I'd say that faith isn't a work. It's a gift of God, it's passive. That's why salvific faith isn't monergistic = working together. But the life generated by faith is active and working together = synergistic. It's an important distinction. By the way, might I ask what your frame of reference is as a Christian?

[MODERATECALVINISM]

@ondotambaro

I dont understand what is being asked when you say "what is your frame of reference".

[ondotambaro]

What is your denomination?

[MODERATECALVINISM]

@ondotambaro

Calvary Chapel non denomination

[Surfxeo]

I cannot understand why the speaker cannot understand why monergists see that faith proceeds generation as it is "All of God and none of man". As Ephesians 2:8 says you cannot have faith without grace which is the work of the Holy Spirit in the elect

And the works which we do God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. God the Father chose the redeemed before the foundation of the world and not because of anything than sinful man is capable of doing.

God is no respector of persons.

[WorshipInTruth]

@ondotambaro  Even Jesus said, "yet not my will but yours be done". How then is it that the Christian goes about doing God's will? Does the Christian know God's will that he goes about and does it of his own will and if he does how could he unless God reveals it to him and works it upon his conscience?? At the end of the day we end up in an argument over semantics, God's will be done, not our own. The arminian essentially asserts that God's will can only be done through human effort.

[WorshipInTruth]

@ondotambaro Yeah but if that faith which leads to works is monergistic then how can the works [you call life generated by faith] themselves be truely called synergistic if the faith which causes and precedes them is essentially monergistic. After we are regenerated and born again (as a Lutheran you will not deny that this is of the Lord and not of our own) the Holy Ghost works within us and it is the Ghost which is ultimately responsible for all true Christian charity and understanding.

[WIzDum82]

@aydyar08 - I believe that we R saved by the FAITH of Christ & the WORKS that Christ has done 4 us. He took on our sins, he suffered 4 our sins, & he died 2 pay the price 4 our sins. His FAITH w/o those works we can not be saved. If we believe that it is our faith which he is the author & finisher of & our works which he worketh in us to do saves us w/o giving him the glory 4 then it's a false faith.

[aydyar08]

@MODERATECALVINISM Yes, I agree ... and no, I don't. Both, at the same time. I believe that we often over-simplify here. We need to include all scripture regarding faith when discussing what is "needed", as in our part of the "deal". If I do not act on my faith my faith is dead "being alone", as I said earlier. So faith "alone" will definitely work, but not faith if it is "left alone".

[aydyar08]

@WIzDum82 I do believe that scripture distinctly refers to the works that spring up from you BECAUSE of, due to, your faith. "Faith without works is dead, being alone". We must mix our faith with other things for it to be fruitful and to grow into the great mustard tree.

[aydyar08]

@ondotambaro Yes, the Bible clearly states that faith is the/a gift of God. And yet ... could there be different forms and different levels of faith?

[aydyar08]

Doesn't the Bible say that "all men" are given a "measure" of faith? I am assuming this means right up front, and that we must do something with that measure ... bury it, use it, or throw it away.

[BT3701]

@KyriakosDoulos Since salvation and regeneration are two different theological terms both containing two different meanings, that tells me that salvation and regeneration can't possibly be synonymous but rather are referring to two separate events in the process of conversion.

[BT3701]

@olympicstyles

In an attempt to simplify, I would merely state that in my understanding the will is made free upon the God's act of regenerating a person. "Regeneration is a change wrought by the Spirit in order that the person may SAVINGLY RESPOND to the summons, or demand of the call, embodied in the gospel call." (John Murray, Collected Writings of John Murray (Edinburgh: Banner, 1977), Volume 2, pp. 171-172).