Is Sanctification Monergistic or Synergistic? A Reformed Survey – Kevin DeYoung

. . . that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-- 19  to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16-19 NKJ)

This is a hot issue with those who follow the Scripturalism of Gordon H. Clark. Although Clark did say that sanctification is synergistic in a lecture at the Trinity Foundation, it is most certain that he did not mean it in the same way that Arminians mean it. For one thing synergism by Arminian definition means "libertarian free will." For that reason I think it is a mistake to use the term if you are a Calvinist. The Reformed understanding of sanctification is that we do cooperate with the grace of God. As Clark said, sanctification is not like election or regeneration, since both precede any willful choices we make toward the Christian life. Both of those are monergistic. My own view is that sanctification is monergistic with the result that we cooperate with God's grace. In that sense, God causes us to to be willing to cooperate. That's why I deny that sanctification is a result of libertarian free will. See Philippians 2:12-13.

I highly recommend the following article, although I would tend to say that sanctification is monergistic with the qualification that God works both monergistically and through secondary causes to bring about the choices He has already foreordained:  Is Sanctification Monergistic or Synergistic? A Reformed Survey – Kevin DeYoung

Whatsoever comes to pass was and is foreordained by God through His decrees made before the foundation of the world:

Question 12

What are the decrees of God?

God’ s decrees are the wise, free, and holy acts of the counsel of his will, (Eph. 1:11, Rom. 11:33, Rom. 9:14–15,18) whereby, from all eternity, he hath, for his own glory, unchangeably foreordained whatsoever comes to pass in time, (Eph. 1:4,11, Rom. 9:22–23, Ps. 33:11) especially concerning angels and men.


Question 13

What hath God especially decreed concerning angels and men?
God, by an eternal and immutable decree, out of his mere love, for the praise of his glorious grace, to be manifested in due time, hath elected some angels to glory; (1 Tim. 5:21) and in Christ hath chosen some men to eternal life, and the means thereof: (Eph. 1:4–6, 2 Thess. 2:13–14) and also, according to his sovereign power, and the unsearchable counsel of his own will, (whereby he extendeth or withholdeth favor as he pleaseth,) hath passed by and foreordained the rest to dishonor and wrath, to be for their sin inflicted, to the praise of the glory of his justice. (Rom. 9:17–18,21–22, Matt. 11:25–26, 2 Tim. 2:20, Jude 4, 1 Pet. 2:8)


Question 14

How doth God execute his decrees?
God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will. (Eph. 1:11)

The Westminster Larger Catechism: With Scripture Proofs. (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1996).

. . . and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces, (Col. 1:11, Eph. 3:16–19) to the practice of true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. (2 Cor. 7:1, Heb. 12:14)  Westminster Confession:  Chapter XIII, Of Sanctification.  Paragraph 1.

The Westminster Confession of Faith (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1996).

Is Sanctification Synergistic? John Calvin's Answer

The entire quote from Calvin's Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says:

23. Now the God of peace himself. Having given various injunctions, he now proceeds to prayer. And unquestionably doctrine is disseminated in vain, unless God implant it in our minds. From this we see how preposterously those act who measure the strength of men by the precepts of God. Paul, accordingly, knowing that all doctrine is useless until God engraves it, as it were, with his own finger upon our hearts, beseeches God that he would sanctify the Thessalonians. Why he calls him here the God of peace, I do not altogether apprehend, unless you choose to refer it to what goes before, where he makes mention of brotherly agreement, and patience, and equanimity.

We know, however, that under the term sanctification is included the entire renovation of the man. The Thessalonians, it is true, had been in part renewed, but Paul desires that God would perfect what is remaining. From this we infer, that we must, during our whole life, make progress in the pursuit of holiness.   But if it is the part of God to renew the whole man, there is nothing left for free will. For if it had been our part to co-operate with God, Paul would have spoken thus—"May God aid or promote your sanctification." But when he says, sanctify you wholly, he makes him the sole Author of the entire work.

And your entire spirit. This is added by way of exposition, that we may know what the sanctification of the whole man is, when he is kept entire, or pure, and unpolluted, in spirit, soul, and body, until the day of Christ. As, however, so complete an entireness is never to be met with in this life, it is befitting that some progress be daily made in purity, and something be cleansed away from our pollutions, so long as we live in the world.

We must notice, however, this division of the constituent parts of a man; for in some instances a man is said to consist simply of body and soul, and in that case the term soul denotes the immortal spirit, which resides in the body as in a dwelling. As the soul, however, has two principal faculties—the understanding and the will—the Scripture is accustomed in some cases to mention these two things separately, when designing to express the power and nature of the soul; but in that case the term soul is employed to mean the seat of the affections, so that it is the part that is opposed to the spirit. Hence, when we find mention made here of the term spirit, let us understand it as denoting reason or intelligence, as on the other hand by the term soul, is meant the will and all the affections.

I am aware that many explain Paul’s words otherwise, for they are of opinion that by the term soul is meant vital motion, and by the spirit is meant that part of man which has been renewed; but in that case Paul’s prayer were absurd. Besides, it is in another way, as I have said, that the term is wont to be made use of in Scripture. When Isaiah says,

"My soul hath desired thee in the night,

my spirit hath thought of thee," (Isa 26:9)

no one doubts that he speaks of his understanding and affection, and thus enumerates two departments of the soul. These two terms are conjoined in the Psalms in the same sense. This, also, corresponds better with Paul’s statement. For how is the whole man entire, except when his thoughts are pure and holy, when all his affections are right and properly regulated, when, in fine, the body itself lays out its endeavors and services only in good works? For the faculty of understanding is held by philosophers to be, as it were, a mistress: the affections occupy a middle place for commanding; the body renders obedience. We see now how well everything corresponds. For then is the man pure and entire, when he thinks nothing in his mind, desires nothing in his heart, does nothing with his body, except what is approved by God. As, however, Paul in this manner commits to God the keeping of the whole man, and all its parts, we must infer from this that we are exposed to innumerable dangers, unless we are protected by his guardianship.  [Calvin's Commentary:  1 Thessalonians 5:23]

Obviously, Gordon H. Clark was correct when he said that sanctification includes knowledge.  (See John 17:17).  Calvin himself says that sanctification is a doctrinal matter of the MIND, not simply a matter of subjective holiness and progress in moral purity.  This quote from the above passage proves this well enough:

And unquestionably doctrine is disseminated in vain, unless God implant it in our minds. From this we see how preposterously those act who measure the strength of men by the precepts of God. Paul, accordingly, knowing that all doctrine is useless until God engraves it, as it were, with his own finger upon our hearts, beseeches God that he would sanctify the Thessalonians.   --John Calvin

In so many words Calvin is basically saying that if God does not keep us holy by His monergistic work in our hearts, minds, souls as a whole man then we are of all men most miserable.  God Himself works in us His sanctification and He does so through sound doctrine implanted in the mind!  Again, Calvin speaks solidly against the neo-Calvinists:

As, however, Paul in this manner commits to God the keeping of the whole man, and all its parts, we must infer from this that we are exposed to innumerable dangers, unless we are protected by his guardianship.  --John Calvin

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