# Monergism and Synergism - a pithy comparison



## panta dokimazete (Jun 27, 2008)

Monergism: God effectuates, Man participates

Synergism: God coordinates, Man cooperates

That is:

God fully *effectuates* salvation, man takes part in God's finished work through Christ - he does not cooperate.

vs

God *coordinates* all the right circumstances and Man, in and of himself, makes a choice. Some, through something special within them all their own, choose God.

Does if pass the "sniff test" or is there better verbiage?


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## toddpedlar (Jun 27, 2008)

panta dokimazete said:


> Monergism: God effectuates, Man participates
> 
> Synergism: God coordinates, Man cooperates
> 
> ...



What better verbiage than "sniff test" could there be? 

Seriously, I think the statements are fine. I (being me) might say "orchestrates" instead of "coordinates", but it's a reasonable statement of the difference. I might make the monergism statement even more stark than you have, because even "man takes part" might be misunderstood. It may be more clear (and more symmetric) to say "God *effectuates* every act in the process of salvation," or somesuch.


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## panta dokimazete (Jun 27, 2008)

Yeah, but that doesn't *rhyme*, brother!


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## panta dokimazete (Jun 27, 2008)

But I DO like orchestrates! (being me )


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## panta dokimazete (Jun 28, 2008)

Some substantiation:



> Augustus Hopkins Strong:
> 
> H. B. Smith, however, in his System of Christian Theology, is more clear in the putting of Union with Christ before Regeneration. On page 502, he begins his treatment of the Application of Redemption with the title: “The Union between Christ and the individual believer as effected by the Holy Spirit. This embraces the subjects of Justification, Regeneration, and Sanctification, with the underlying topic which comes first to be considered, Election.” He therefore treats Union with Christ (531–539) before Regeneration (553–569). He says Calvin defines regeneration as coming to us by *participation* in Christ, and apparently agrees with this view (559).
> “This union [with Christ] is at the ground of regeneration and justification” (534). “The great difference of theological systems comes out here. Since Christianity is redemption through Christ, our mode of conceiving that will determine the character of our whole theological system” (536). “The union with Christ is mediated by his Spirit, whence we are both renewed and justified. The great fact of objective Christianity is incarnation in order to atonement; the great fact of subjective Christianity is union with Christ, whereby we receive the atonement” (537). We may add that this union with Christ, in view of which God elects and to which God calls the sinner, is begun in regeneration, completed in conversion, declared in Justification, and proved in sanctification and perseverance.



from here on monergism.com
__________________


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## panta dokimazete (Jun 28, 2008)

Search on participate in Calvin's Institutes


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## toddpedlar (Jun 28, 2008)

Yes but when Calvin says 'participation' there, the meaning is "union with Christ" (as Strong even points out there in that quote) much more so than us taking some active role. The fact that today when we say 'participation' we imply an active role being taken means we ought to be VERY careful when using the word - especially when trying to come up with a slogan.


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## panta dokimazete (Jun 28, 2008)

I understand, Todd - the slogan is more for generating discussion and comparison than creating an exhaustive doctrinal statement.  I am thinking of this more as a tool to get to the "apex of the pyramid", then begin working deeper and broader.

Union with Christ is how our salvation is effectuated, right? So, the order is key: God 1. effectuates (that is completely works out the how and who), Man (the elect) participates vicariously.

Participation at it's root means "to take part in" and how one understands the way by which a person is engaged and enabled to "take part in" is at the core of the monergistic vs synergistic debate.



> We may add that this union with Christ, in view of which *God elects* and to which God calls the sinner...


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## panta dokimazete (Jun 28, 2008)

from monergism.com



> Salvation
> In essential agreement with the teachings of the Bible as understood by Protestant Reformers, the Westminster Confession of Faith, The Cannons of the Synod of Dort and in the evangelical tradition of men such as Paul, Augustine, Calvin, Luther, Knox, the Puritans, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, C.H. Spurgeon, and Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, I believe in a salvation that is given by the sovereign grace of God (monergistic). Our justification is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as revealed in the Scriptures alone, to the glory of God alone. Due to God's divine initiative in embracing fallen humanity through Christ (Eph. 2:8-10; Tit. 3:4-7) and no merits on the believer's part, salvation is the free and full *participation* in God's saving work in Christ, uniting us through His Spirit. It is knowing and being known by God through Christ (Gal. 4:9; 1 Cor. 13:12). A restoration to God's original intent for us, the end for which we were created.


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## toddpedlar (Jun 28, 2008)

That's fine again - but the word participation there is not an active verb, but a noun describing full membership in the family of God, whereas in your slogan you use participate as an active verb - one which connotes some degree of self-actualization. No slogan should ever undermine the truth - even potentially due to a misunderstanding, or even especially if the undermining would be due to a misunderstanding of the author's intent. This is perhaps one reason why I don't much like slogans used for teaching.


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## toddpedlar (Jun 28, 2008)

panta dokimazete said:


> I understand, Todd - the slogan is more for generating discussion and comparison than creating an exhaustive doctrinal statement.  I am thinking of this more as a tool to get to the "apex of the pyramid", then begin working deeper and broader.



To reiterate a point I made earlier - the "apex of the pyramid" can't be reached if the statement designed to get one there is misleading. 



> Union with Christ is how our salvation is effectuated, right? So, the order is key: God 1. effectuates (that is completely works out the how and who), Man (the elect) participates vicariously.



But here's the key problem. Your slogan doesn't say "vicariously" or even contain the idea. It simply says "man participates". That's not sufficiently clear for a sloganized version of the message, which ought to be summed up in "God accomplishes ALL that must be done for us to be saved." 



> Participation at it's root means "to take part in" and how one understands the way by which a person is engaged and enabled to "take part in" is at the core of the monergistic vs synergistic debate.




But the reformed folks that you've quoted would be using participation differently -that is, "to HAVE a part in". "Take" by its nature is active and self-actualized. Synergists, too, would be pleased to say "man takes part in salvation" or "man participates" because it can be understood to be a fully active and self-motivated verb - in fact, that's its normal connotation - which is why I would never use it as you have.


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## panta dokimazete (Jun 28, 2008)

"Participate" and "participation" can imply passive or active states, so it is largely a matter of semantics and intended use. We participate in the union of Christ not actively, but passively, that is, we invest nothing and take part in, or partake of, all the benefits.

And don't forget, the idea is to contrast the meaning behind effectuate vs coordinate as well as cooperate vs participate in terms of monergism vs synergism. Everything in context. Otherwise, we get to defining what "is" is.

Thanks for the dialogue


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