Moderated Synergism: The most biblical way to understand salvation

Faith is not an act or a merit, but an accepting response of the heart to God's grace. Image: Finnish Reform Pietist Church.

Throughout Christian history, believers have wrestled with one of the most profound questions of faith: How does a person come to salvation? Traditionally, two main schools of thought have framed the debate: Monergism teaches that salvation is entirely God’s work, without any human contribution. This view is especially strong in Reformed theology and aspects of classical Lutheranism. Synergism emphasizes a cooperation between God and the human person in the event of salvation. Here, salvation involves both divine grace and human participation, often expressed in free will, decision, or works. But is this binary framework sufficient?

The Finnish Reform Pietist Church (Suomen Pietistikirkko) presents a third, more biblically grounded perspective: moderated synergism.

Introducing the Term

For maltillinen synergismi, the appropriate theological term in English is: "Moderate Synergism." It captures the nuance of the position: not pure monergism, not classical synergism, but a balanced, biblically rooted view where God’s initiative is decisive and yet the human response is real and responsible.

Brief background

Reform Pietism is a theological movement developed within the Finnish Reform Pietist Church. While rooted in the pietist tradition, Reform Pietism seeks to articulate a renewed and biblically grounded understanding of salvation. Central to this vision is the doctrine of Moderated Synergism, which affirms God’s sovereign initiative in salvation while also acknowledging the human responsibility to either accept or reject the offered grace.

What Is Moderated Synergism?

Moderated Synergism acknowledges two truths Scripture holds in tension:

1. God’s universal saving will and decisive initiative

   • “God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4).

   • “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44).

2. Human responsibility to respond

   • “Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15).

   • “Blessed is the one who is not offended by me” (Matt. 11:6).

     
     

In Moderated Synergism, salvation begins and is sustained by God’s initiative and grace alone. Human beings do not contribute to salvation through works or merit. Yet Scripture also affirms that a person can resist, reject, or harden themselves against God’s grace. The only barrier to salvation is unbelief (John 16:9).

Thus, salvation is a gift offered freely. It cannot be earned, but it can be refused.

Comparison with Other Views

View	God’s Role	Human Role	Salvation Understood As…
Monergism	Complete initiative and completion	Passive	Entirely God’s work, irresistible
Synergism	God’s initiative and cooperation	Active co-operation	God and human working together
Moderate Synergism	God initiates, never forces	Accepts or rejects	A gift that can be refused

Moderated Synergism avoids two pitfalls:

• The negation of human responsibility is found in strict monergism.

• The overemphasis on human cooperation is found in classical synergism.

Instead, it insists that salvation remains God’s sovereign gift while also recognizing the genuine responsibility of each person not to reject that gift.

Moderated Synergism and Arminian Thought

This perspective is close to Arminian theology but distinct in emphasis.

• Arminian synergism often stresses the conscious human decision to respond to God’s call. Faith is enabled by grace but expressed through an act of will.

• Moderated Synergism highlights a more receptive stance: faith is not a meritorious act or decisive human work but the absence of rejection. The focus is less on making a choice and more on not hardening one’s heart.

In other words, while Arminianism emphasizes the human act of choosing faith, Moderated Synergism emphasizes receiving grace by not refusing it.

Why This Matters

Moderated Synergism offers a biblical and balanced framework for understanding salvation. It holds together:

• The primacy of God’s initiative and grace (Eph. 2:8–9).

• The reality of human responsibility and freedom (Luke 14:16–24).

• The seriousness of unbelief as the only barrier to salvation (John 16:9; John 3:18).

This teaching affirms God’s sovereignty without reducing people to puppets. It affirms human responsibility without making salvation dependent on works. It reflects the invitation of Christ Himself: “Repent and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15).

The Finnish Reform Pietist Church formally adopted this doctrine on April 2, 2025, as its official statement on conversion and salvation.

Conclusion

Moderated Synergism is not a compromise between two extremes but a distinct theological vision rooted in Scripture. It proclaims:

• Salvation is by grace alone.

• Faith is God’s gift.

• Yet each person must respond, not by earning, but by not rejecting.

In this way, Moderated Synergism preserves the beauty of the gospel: a salvation that is entirely God’s work, offered to all, yet never imposed.

September 12, 2025

Formulator of Moderate Synergism and Reform Pietism:

Founding Pastor Mikael, Finnish Reform Pietist Church

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