Monergistic Regeneration are two words that are occasionally used to communicate God’s work in saving man. Now I realize those are ten dollar words and need some explanation; furthermore I believe it is important that Christians understand words like sanctification, justification, regeneration, propitiation and other similar doctrinal words.
But this note will focus exclusively on monergistic regeneration. What do these words mean and what do they have to do with me you may ask. (Well, at least I hope you ask?)
Now I am quite sure you have heard the word synergistic. Synergy is when two or more agents work together to achieve a desired or greater result. Some people may think of man’s salvation as man and God working together to achieve a greater result. To some degree this could be described as correct if by salvation one is referring to the continual process of becoming more like Christ, which is often more specifically referred to as sanctification.
But if by salvation you are talking about the initial work of God in which man moves from a state of being (spiritually) dead to (spiritually) alive which is more specifically referred to as regeneration then I would say that the Bible teaches that it is NOT synergistic. Thus man uses the term monergistic to describe regeneration in contrast to synergistic.
In terms, monergistic regeneration communicates and acknowledges that it is God and God alone that moves men and women from a state of being spiritually dead to alive. Monergistic regeneration gives God all the honor, glory and praise for mono clearly describes that it is God and God alone that saves man.
I praise God that he did not require me to have, to produce, to decide, think or do anything ALONE to save my soul. If I believed that I had to think, say or do anything, then I would be continually left with the possibility that what I did was not sufficient. This is often the case when you meet someone who doubts their salvation because they believe regeneration is synergistic. My prayer plus God’s grace combine to save my soul. More often than not, the person will express doubt because they have been told that they must be sincere when they pray. This leaves us with the question of how sincere must I be? How then do you measure sincerity? And who would make the assessment, God or man? Synergistic regeneration relies on man and God to work together to move someone from dead to alive.
Monergistic regeneration describes God’s sole work in giving me a new heart and imparting His Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, in my being so that I can believe, repent, trust, have faith and depend upon Christ’s redemptive atoning work.
Now what I am describing is linear: regeneration, repentance toward God, faith in Jesus Christ, which results in justification and thus salvation. I describe it as linear because I think in a linear manner, but God is a NOT man nor does He think or operate like man. The time between regeneration and justification by faith cannot be measured by human instruments of time.
So then you may now ask, Sean, what in the world is your point? My point is that with monergistic regeneration God gets ALL the glory. Man cannot say I believed and therefore God saved me. Many want to contribute something to his or her salvation, even if it is as insignificant as a choice. But the Bible teaches that with man salvation is impossible but with God it is possible (mono). It does not say with God and man all things are possible.
I praise God that my salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone to His glory alone.
