.
The "Synergism vs. Monergism" debate deals ONLY, EXCLUSIVELY with the issue of Justification (attaining salvation, spiritual life, a changed relationship with God, what some call initial justification or "born again"). It has NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with the philosophy of determinism or fate. Whether I eat an English muffin or oatmeal for breakfast this morning is a matter of free will, my free choice. But a spiritually DEAD person, cannot give himself life, God is the "Author and Giver of Life" (as we proclaim in the Nicene Creed), a dead person CANNOT (the Bible says) even say "Jesus is Lord" Synergists insist that Jesus saves no one.... but each dead, lifeless, godless person saves themselves by either giving themselves faith or doing enough faithless works or surrendering their will to the god they don't believe exists. Monergists believe that Jesus is the Savior and Jesus thus saves. BUT this ONLY concerns salvation (in a very narrow sense). NO ONE claims that God alone can choose whether I eat an English muffin or oatmeal this morning.... whether one buys a Toyota or a Subaru. Yes, God may GUIDE in some cases but this js a different issue that a dead person giving himself life - or not.
A spiritual dead person cannot give himself Life, but they can harden their own hearts. The soil does nothing when the sower comes, but it hasn't made itself hard. That is a choice. And also, when someone sees that God is real, they can chose to follow Him or not.
John 3
And this is the condemnation,
tthat the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For
ueveryone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been
vdone in God.”
Spiritually dead ppl can still do something. They're not all like the demoniac.
Romans 2
for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves
their thoughts accusing or else excusing
them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.
Resisting God is a choice.
Stephen the martyr:
You stiff-necked[
g] and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers
did, so
do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, 53 who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept
it.”
