Synergism is the view that God and man cooperate in the work of salvation. It stands in contrast to monergism, which sees God as the sole agent in salvation, and denies that man contributes anything to his redemption. Synergism affirms that while salvation is entirely a work of God’s grace, the human will cooperates with that grace, rather than remaining passive or resistant to it.
The synergistic view recognizes that Scripture ascribes salvation to God’s sovereign election and predestination on the one hand, and also calls individuals to respond in repentance, faith and obedience on the other. Rather than seeing these as contradictory, synergists argue that both divine sovereignty and human responsibility are involved in salvation. God initiates salvation and enables the necessary human response, but the individual must choose to cooperate with God’s work of redemption.
Key biblical passages support the synergistic perspective. In John 6:44, Jesus declares “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” This affirms God’s initiation and action are necessary for someone to come to Christ. Yet in verse John 6:37, Jesus says “whoever comes to me I will never cast out,” implying the human act of “coming” is also involved. Other verses like Revelation 3:20 picture God standing at the door and knocking, waiting for any who “hear his voice and open the door.” Salvation requires the human response, not just the divine offer.
Synergists interpret such verses to mean God’s sovereign, enabling grace and the human will each have a distinct role in salvation. God draws, calls, invites, woos, but individuals must choose to cooperate – no one is saved against their will. As one theologian explains it: “The Holy Spirit can only draw to Christ those who allow him to have access to their hearts” (Grudem, p. 702). The Spirit opens hearts to heed the gospel call, but does not force acceptance.
This cooperative perspective helps explain different aspects of conversion. The decision to repent and believe is the human’s responsibility, but the ability comes from God who gives grace to respond (Acts 18:27). Faith is our act, but we only believe through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us (Ephesians 2:8-9). From the divine side, God foreknows, predestines and calls us, but from the human side, we hear, believe, and freely choose to follow Christ.
Synergism also helps make sense of biblical warnings against resisting the Spirit (Acts 7:51) and falling away (Hebrews 6:4-6). If God’s grace were irresistible, as some affirm, it’s unclear why Scripture would warn against rejecting it. But the synergist emphasizes God does not force Himself on anyone – salvation involves the individual “working out” their redemption in cooperation with God “working in” them (Philippians 2:12-13).
Opponents of synergism claim it improperly gives man some credit or merit in salvation. They contend this compromises grace and Christ’s finished work. But most synergists strongly affirm salvation is completely undeserved and unmerited. Humans contribute nothing meritorious, they simply receive God’s grace through repentant faith. As one theologian explains, the human will is “wholly passive” until the Holy Spirit initiates and empowers it, so even our response is graciously enabled by God (Berkhof, Systematic Theology, p. 472).
So in summary, the synergistic view sees salvation as a profoundly cooperative work between God and man. The Father initiates salvation, the Son accomplishes it, while the Spirit enables and empowers the necessary human response of faith and repentance. When understood correctly, this perspective upholds God’s sovereignty in salvation along with human responsibility. The individual must freely choose to accept God’s gracious gift, but even our ability and willingness to receive His grace is itself a work of the Spirit within us.
Synergism affirms Philippians 2:12-13 – God works in us to will and to do, but we must work out our salvation in reverent obedience and wholehearted reliance on the Spirit. It celebrates God’s prevenient grace which makes salvation possible, convincing grace which frees our wills to cooperate, and converting grace which enables our response. While a mysterious paradox, both divine sovereignty and human responsibility play integral roles in this glorious work of redemption.
Key Bible passages concerning synergism:
– John 6:44 – “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” God’s drawing is necessary for anyone to come to Christ.
– Revelation 3:20 – “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” The human response of opening the door is necessary, in addition to God’s knocking.
– Acts 16:14 – “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” Salvation involves God opening hearts to heed the gospel.
– Romans 10:17 – “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Hearing the gospel message leads to faith.
– 2 Corinthians 3:5 – “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God.” All our sufficiency is from God, yet we are still called to act.
– Philippians 2:12-13 “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” We work, yet God works in us to empower our working.
– Acts 7:51 – “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit.” Resisting the Spirit’s work is possible.
In conclusion, the synergistic perspective sees salvation as a cooperation between God’s sovereign grace and the human response it enables. God acts first, empowering the necessary repentance, faith and obedience, yet individuals are responsible for choosing to work out this salvation through reliance on the Spirit. While some objections are raised, synergism provides a balanced view that upholds the entirety of Scripture’s teaching on this profound mystery.