Monergism is the theological doctrine that salvation is affected by God alone. As Romans 8:30 says, it is God who predestines, calls, justifies, and glorifies. Humanity can do none of those things but is a beneficiary of God’s grace. Monergism is a doctrine that stands at the heart of the gospel, and therefore important for all Christians to understand.
What Does Monergism Mean?
Monergism is derived from combining two Greek words, mono, meaning one, and ergon, meaning “to work.” Together, they mean “the work of one.” In the context of Christian doctrine, this term is used to describe a belief set which claims that God does all of the work in salvation.
What Are Alternative Views to Monergism?
The primary alternative view is synergism, which denotes cooperative work in salvation. It is essentially the “faith-and” gospel—the belief that faith and good works are necessary for salvation. This view diminishes Christ’s work on the cross by rejecting the fullness of His ability to save. It denies what is taught in Romans 3:20, that “by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in [God’s] sight,” and claims that humanity can earn God’s favor through good works.
Does Monergism Imply that People Don’t Have Free Will?
How monergism is understood and applied will affect one’s view of free will. From a Calvinistic perspective, there are two general approaches to this question. For those who hold to a strict deterministic view of God’s sovereignty, the answer would be that, for monergism to be true, free will must be a facade. Divine determinism is the belief that God has predetermined all humanity’s actions. God has fixed everything a human believes and does from the beginning. Hard determinism is easily reconcilable with monergism, as it gives God all credit for humanity’s salvation. However, it is difficult to reconcile with Scripture, presenting a morally responsible humanity. If God forced humanity to do and think as he does, humans could not be held accountable for their actions.
The other Calvinistic approach is sometimes called soft determinism but is more commonly called compatibilism. It attempts to explain the compatibility of God’s predetermination and divine providence with man’s free will and moral responsibility. Compatibilism upholds both biblical realities by proposing that humans are free to do what they will as long as it is consistent with their nature. Meaning they could do something different if they want to, but since their nature is predetermined, they will not want anything else.
Calvinist John Hendrryx explains compatibilism as such: “human choices are exercised voluntarily, but the desires and circumstances that bring about these choices occur through divine determinism.” He continues, “We should be clear that NEITHER compatibilism nor hard determinism affirms that any man has a free will.”
While compatibilism upholds a monergistic viewpoint, it denies genuine free will. It does not allow humans to act in any other way than their nature—a product of God’s predetermination—wills.
Lastly, concerning the topic of free will and monergism, there is one more general view. While monergism is typically associated with Calvinism, many non-Calvinists will assert that they also hold to monergism. After all, they affirm that God does all the work in salvation. However, Dr. David Allen argues, “God has annexed a condition for salvation and regeneration to occur and that condition is faith.” Unlike those who espouse determinism or compatibilism, they assert that humanity has genuine freedom to accept or deny God’s grace. They believe—as is affirmed by biblical writers like Joshua (Joshua 24:15), Moses (Deuteronomy 30:19), James (James 1:13-16), and Jesus (John 7:17)—that the decision to obey or disobey God is a genuine one. Thus, it follows that the factor which separates the saved from the unsaved is faith. Those who choose to put their faith in God are saved, while those who choose not to are eternally separated from Him. Either way, the choice is theirs.
Some feel that this gives humanity too much credit for their salvation. Counting faith as a work, they accuse people in this camp of falling into a synergistic belief system. But Galatians 3 clarifies that faith and works are diametrically opposed forces. “So then,” Galatians 3:5 begins, “does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”
Ephesians 2:8-9, Philippians 3:9, and Romans 4:5 affirm with Galatians 3 that faith and work are very different things. Ephesians 2:9 says that no one can boast about their salvation, for it has been given to them through faith. Choosing faith is evidently not a meritorious act and is therefore not a work. Within this framework, God is still doing all the work in salvation and regeneration. Thus, belief in both monergism and genuine free will are upheld.
Do Christians Need to Embrace Monergism to be Saved?
The conversation surrounding monergism can often get heated because one’s belief in salvation by grace alone is foundational to the Christian life. The problem with making monergism a primary issue is one of semantics. Does the belief that a person freely chose to trust in God when they could have done otherwise make someone a synergist? That question lies at the heart of much of the debate surrounding monergism. If faith is a work, it makes some a synergist—meaning all non-Calvinists are either very confused or not actually saved. If, on the other hand, faith is not a work, then one can both be a monergist and can maintain a non-Calvinist understanding of free will. Either way, believing in the sufficiency of Christ’s death and resurrection and salvation by grace alone is essential. “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith,” says Ephesians 2:8, “and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
Romans 10:9 teaches that “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” A conviction that you are a sinner that is wholly incapable of earning a right standing before God, and a belief that Jesus was nailed to the cross for your sake, to bear the consequences of your sin and then was raised on the third day, earning your forgiveness, followed by a surrendered life unto Him is what you need to be saved. Not a fully fleshed out and perfectly conveyed doctrine of monergism.
It should be noted that you can both be saved and still struggle with legalism, the idea that, although Christ has won your forgiveness, you still need to earn His favor through good works. In fact, almost everyone will struggle with this at some point. In the book of Galatians, Paul had to address this very issue with believers in the church of Galatia. “Having begun by the spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” he asks them, prompting them to consider how they have not fully accepted the doctrine of salvation (as seen in their sanctification) through grace alone. To struggle with legalistic tendencies does not mean that you are not saved, but only that there is more freedom to be had as you go deeper into your understanding of the extent and application of the doctrine of monergism.
What Christian Traditions Embrace Monergism?
All orthodox Christian traditions agree that regeneration is a monergistic act. But given the difficulty in coming to a consensus in defining monergism and synergism, some orthodox Christians accept both titles while affirming humanity’s free will and deny both hard or soft determinism. The Christian traditions which fully espouse a synergistic belief system and thus deny monergism are the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches.
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