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The case of Calvinists shaming the Arminians as SYNergistic
Calvinist describes synergism as:
"God and man work together to produce the new birth."
Calvinist's synergism:
"God and man work together (in preaching) to produce the new birth."
Arminian's synergism:
"God and man work together (in believing) to produce the new birth."
They are like the two sides of the same SYNergistic coin!
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The exchange took place here:
https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/10209735540480736
Regeneration without eternal life - a belief of a Reformed Baptist.
"We both believe in regeneration, but you believe that eternal life is granted at regeneration, thus, the gospel is not essential to his salvation/eternal life; while I believe that eternal life is granted when the sinner comes to faith in Christ, thus the gospel is essential to his receiving of eternal life/salvation. Please let me know whether I have correctly understood your understanding."
Things New and Old: Regeneration without eternal life - a RB's belief!
Ante
Dumbest doctrine ever.
Bill
Elder Wilson Thompson, an Old Baptist minister in the early 1800s, often spoke of a "tincture" of Aminianism. I understand a "tincture" to be a diluted mixture, and that is exactly what the erroneous mixture of this doctrine does: waters down grace and waters down works for salvation. Be one or the other! Sadly, that doctrine that states regeneration is simply the first step in gaining eternal salvation is more widespread than most people think. If it is of works, then it is no more grace. So, go ahead Reformed folks - take credit for your works perfecting your eternal salvation. As for me, I praise God that the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit alone made me a new creature in Christ Jesus.
Brett
Sing
I ask Phil Johnson, a Calminian, "So why do you preach to those dead in trespasses and sins?"
Brett,
What Does the Phrase 'Dead in trespasses and Sin" Mean?
Sing
Brett, Calminians like Phil Johnson believe in gospel regeneration, that the Holy Spirit does the work of regeneration in conjunction with the preaching of the gospel.
Mr. Johnson is a first cousin of the Arminians; he is closer to them than you and he realizes.
Do you get the point?
You are a guest here.
Brett
The difference is whether this working of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the unbeliever prior to salvation is monergistic or synergistic.... whether it effectually accomplishes God's intended design or whether such grace can be resisted by man. That is really where we differ, not over the meaning of the phrase "dead in sin". At least the concept of total inability to respond is precisely the same apart from grace.
https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/sdg/deadsin.html
https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/sdg/deadsin.html
Dead in Sin
"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses" - Colossians 2:13
MONERGISM.COM
Sing
"The difference is whether this working of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the unbeliever prior to salvation is monergistic or synergistic.... whether it effectually accomplishes God's intended design or whether such grace can be resisted by man."
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This working of the Spirit in the heart of the unbeliever prior to salvation...
Tell me more about that unbeliever in your statement:
- Is he still in his native state of sin and death, i.e. dead in trespasses and sins, and need to be REGENERATED? Regeneration deals with the WHOLE man, not just the heart!
- OR, is he a child of God, already effectually called to grace and salvation, without and apart from the gospel preaching, who needed to be CONVERTED to the truth of his salvation by God's free grace in Jesus Christ?
Regeneration is MONergistic; God's act of bringing to dead MAN to spiritual life is entirely His work, ALONE, and sovereignly, without any human instrumentality.
Conversion is SYNergistic; God Himself has ordained the means to bring His children (produced by Himself MONergistically) to know the truth of their MONergistic salvation in Jesus Christ.
There is salvation in regeneration; it is eternal salvation FREELY and MONergistically bestowed to sinners in their native state of sin and death.
There is salvation in conversion to the gospel truth; the truth saves God children from lies, errors, superstitions, soundbytes; truth saves them to hope, assurance, confidence, fellowship with God and His children, etc, etc.
A biblical distinction is the essence of sound theology.
Soundbytism is just fury and confusion though it may impress the ignorant.
Brett
"To summarize, those dead in sin (Eph 2:1,5,8), play no part in their own new birth (Rom 3:11, 12; 8:7) and are just as passive as a new born physical baby in the regenerative act. However, once restored with a new sense and given spiritual understanding through Word and Spirit, the soul's new disposition immediately plays an active roll in conversion (repentance and faith). Thus, man does not cooperate in his regeneration but rather, infallibly responds in faith to the gospel as the Holy Spirit changes our hearts' disposition (John 3:6-8; 19-21). Faith is, therefore, not something produced by our unregenerated human nature. The fallen sinner has no moral ability or inclination to believe prior to the new birth. Instead, the Holy Spirit must open one's ears to the preaching of the gospel if one would desire to hear and believe."
https://www.monergism.com/.../onsite/monergism_simple.html
"To summarize, those dead in sin (Eph 2:1,5,8), play no part in their own new birth (Rom 3:11, 12; 8:7) and are just as passive as a new born physical baby in the regenerative act. However, once restored with a new sense and given spiritual understanding through Word and Spirit, the soul's new disposition immediately plays an active roll in conversion (repentance and faith). Thus, man does not cooperate in his regeneration but rather, infallibly responds in faith to the gospel as the Holy Spirit changes our hearts' disposition (John 3:6-8; 19-21). Faith is, therefore, not something produced by our unregenerated human nature. The fallen sinner has no moral ability or inclination to believe prior to the new birth. Instead, the Holy Spirit must open one's ears to the preaching of the gospel if one would desire to hear and believe."
https://www.monergism.com/.../onsite/monergism_simple.html
A Simple Explanation of Monergism John Hendryx
Monergism simply means that it is God who gives ears to hear and eyes to see. It is God alone who gives illumination and understanding of His word that we might believe; It is God who raises us from the dead, who circumcises the heart; unplugs our ears; It is God alone who can give us a new sense…
MONERGISM.COM
Sing
"... the Holy Spirit must open one's ears to the preaching of the gospel if one would desire to hear and believe..."
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Brett, explain what those words mean.
Is it about monergism or synergism? Is it about the sovereign monergistic act in regeneration or synergistic act in conversion?
Don't just regurgitate other people's words. If you something to say, say it in your own words.
I fear the author is all confused - He can't properly distinguish between monergistic regeneration WITHOUT any human means (including man's act of preaching the gospel, or hearing and believing the gospel), and synergism in conversion through the ministry of the word.
There is no need to REGURGITATE errors that you aren't even aware of.
Quoting blindly is no virtue.
Brett
God, the Holy Spirit, alone produces regeneration with no CONTRIBUTION from the sinner. The new birth is never spoke of in the imperative , rather man must be born again by God.--monergism--
God and man work together to produce the new birth. Gods grace takes us part of the way to salvation, man's unregenerate will must determine the final outcome. Belief in Christ gives rise to the new birth--synergism..
According to syngerism-- faith is the cause that triggers regeneration.
Sing
No, according to synergism, the preaching of the gospel is the instrumental cause for regeneration. That's the "monergistic" heresy of the Calvinists. They parade themselves as monergistic but are really as synergistic as the Arminians, just in different form.
"According to syngerism-- faith is the cause that regeneration" - this is Arminians' synergism.
According to FAKE monergism -- preaching is the instrumental cause of regeneration; this is Calvinistic synergism, a synergy of man's activity of preaching and the Spirit's activity of regenerating the dead in trespasses and sins.
According to FAKE monergism -- preaching is the instrumental cause of regeneration; this is Calvinistic synergism, a synergy of man's activity of preaching and the Spirit's activity of regenerating the dead in trespasses and sins.
You are ignorant of the no less evil synergism of the Calvinists.
Sing
"...God and man work together to produce the new birth. --synergism."
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That's exactly what Calvinists believe: gospel preaching (man) is the instrumental cause of regeneration (God), God AND man work together to produce the new birth!
Betsy calls Porky swine; the cattle call the pork black. Hilarious.
Calvinists and Arminians are first cousins in term of their synergistic error.
Brett
Romans 10:17 " So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ."
Sing
What is that passage saying? Tell us. Monergism or synergism?
Are preaching and believing - both human activities - related to the regeneration of sinners in their native state or the conversion of God's children?
Make up your mind... then we can continue. Thanks.
