Birth?

Monergism; Synergism; These are words that have great implications for the Christian and yet many Christians wouldn’t have the slightest clue as to what they mean. The difference between these words is, life eternal with Christ, and an eternity spent in the pits of hell. So critical are these terms and their meanings that without the truth associated with one, no one who be rescued from their sins and mankind as a whole would be lost without hope. Do I have your attention yet?

Monergism references the work of salvation as a divine act of God without input or help from the one receiving salvation. Synergism places the work of salvation on God with the sinner’s cooperation and assistance. Synergistic salvation is an offer from God wisely received and accepted by man. Monergistic salvation is purely and wholly an act of God rescuing a sinner from their lost and helpless condition. Arguments persist over the roll of man in his salvation which sound like this; Men must repent and believe, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling…” and therefore we have a roll in our salvation, synergism cries. Monergism retorts by agreeing and teaches that is is “…God who works in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” One must be right and the other must be wrong. Salvation is either totally God’s grace granted to dead sinners, or salvation is not grace and is simply awarded to those who respond properly.

We could spend months even years discussing all the various issues facing this argument and quote back and forth chapter and verse from both sides. However, I believe there is an unsung hero in this fight. A simple, well known, statement that should put this battle to rest. Something that A.W. Pink wrote clued me into this subtle argument that I believe too many have overlooked.

The new birth is solely the work of God the Spirit and man has NO part or lot in causing it . . . birth altogether excludes the idea of any effort or work on the part of the one who is born.
~ AW Pink

Is God in the habit of wasting His infinitely valuable breath?

The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.
(Psalm 12:6)

Is it not His breath that caused the heaven’s to come into existence?

“By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host.”
(Psalm 33:6 ESV)

So if God is not in the habit of wasting His words and they are all purposeful and carry exactly the meaning He intends why would Jesus say that you must be “born” again?

Almost four years ago my son was born. I had the most amazing privilege of being in the room and coaching my wife on while it happened. I remember quite profoundly the events of the moments leading up to his birth, the event itself, and the moments afterwards. My wife was AMAZING, as I’m sure any husband must admit of his wife for going through that. The midwife and the nurses we’re wonderful and did everything so precisely. There were, however, two people in the room who did absolutely nothing––myself and my son. All I was qualified for in that moment was to stand there, out of the way, holding my wife’s hand and that was the extent of my involvement. My son, however was thoroughly involved but incapable of helping.

Little AJ, from the moment of conception, could do absolutely nothing to cooperate with us in his birth. Synergism must say then, that this analogy is a wrong one. The idea of a person becoming a Christian by way of “birth” cannot be the way that one is saved if we are to cooperate with God in it. Yet we hear Jesus explain to a notorious synergistic individual, Nicodemus a pharisee, that salvation is just that––a new birth.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”
(John 3:1-7 ESV)

Let us not marvel at the idea that we should be monergistically, “born” again. God gave us physical life without our cooperation, so why should eternal life somehow be based upon anything other than His grace alone?