Role of Human Response in Election Theology

Election theology divides Christian traditions along a fundamental question: Does God's choice of individuals for salvation depend in any way on human response, or does divine election precede and determine that response? The disagreement centers not on whether God elects, but on the relationship between divine sovereignty and human agency in salvation.

The Monergistic Position: Election as Unconditional

Reformed and Augustinian traditions maintain that election is entirely God's work, grounded in his sovereign will rather than any foreseen human response. Augustine argued that "whosoever, then, are made to differ from that original condemnation by such bounty of divine grace" receive not only salvation but the very capacity to believe, with God providing "that they should hear the gospel, and when they hear they believe" ^[7]. Election precedes faith rather than following from it.

Calvin developed this framework systematically, insisting that "a knowledge of our election must be sought from this source"—namely, God's calling—while warning against those who "under pretext of faith and calling, darken this first grace, from which faith itself flows" ^[8]. The Westminster tradition similarly teaches that spiritual death requires divine omnipotence to overcome: "If man is as really spiritually dead, in his natural state since the fall, as Lazarus was corporeally dead, then is the spiritual resurrection of the one as really a work of divine omnipotence as the bodily resurrection of the other" ^[6]. On this view, human response is itself a gift of election, not a condition for it.

Paul's language of "a remnant according to the election of grace" in Romans 11:5 is read as emphasizing that the remnant exists "not however of persons naturally better than the unbelieving" ^[2], but solely by God's gracious choice. John Gill's commentary on 1 Thessalonians 1:4 identifies election as "the eternal choice" that precedes and produces the effectual calling, not the reverse ^[3].

The Synergistic Position: Election and Human Cooperation

Wesleyan and Arminian traditions, along with much of Eastern Orthodoxy, affirm that while election originates in God's grace, human response plays a genuine role in its actualization. Adam Clarke's commentary on Hosea 14:1 articulates this clearly: "the very exhortation to this repentance shows that they still had power to repent, and that God was ready to save them and avert all these evils" ^[4]. Divine warnings and invitations presuppose real human agency.

This tradition distinguishes between God's universal salvific will and the particular election that results when individuals respond in faith. The emphasis falls on prevenient grace—grace that precedes human action and enables response without determining it. Election is thus conditional in the sense that God elects those whom he foresees will respond to his grace, though the capacity to respond is itself graciously given.

Chrysostom's reading of Romans 11 emphasizes that "some branches were cut off because of unbelief and Gentile branches inserted in their place" ^[5], suggesting that unbelief—a human response—plays a causal role in the rejection, just as faith does in inclusion. The contingency of events means that prophetic warnings can be averted through repentance ^[4].

Shared Ground and Divergent Hermeneutics

Both positions affirm that election is "of grace" rather than human merit. Scripture speaks of election "of individuals to eternal life" in passages like 2 Thessalonians 2:13 and Ephesians 1:4 ^[1], and no major tradition claims salvation is earned. The disagreement concerns whether grace operates irresistibly or resistibly, and whether God's foreknowledge of human response constitutes a basis for election.

The divergence stems from different readings of spiritual death and different understandings of divine sovereignty. Monergists read total depravity as requiring monergistic regeneration; synergists read divine appeals to "return" as evidence that some responsive capacity remains. Monergists fear that conditioning election on foreseen faith makes human will decisive; synergists fear that unconditional election makes divine appeals disingenuous. Each tradition sees its position as honoring both Scripture's emphasis on grace and its repeated calls to human response.

Sources

Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Election of Grace — The Scripture speaks (1) of the election of individuals to office or to honour and privilege, e.g., Abraham, Jacob, Saul, David, Solomon, were all chosen by God for the positions they held; so also were the apostles. (2) There is also an election of nations to special privileges, e.g., the Hebrews (Deut. 7:6; Rom. 9:4). (3) But in addition there is an election of individuals to eternal life (2 Thess. 2:13; Eph. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:2; John 13:18). The ground of this election to salvation is the good pleasure of God (Eph. 1:5, 11; Matt. 11:25, 26; John 15”
Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 11:5: Even so at this present time--"in this present season"; this period of Israel's rejection. (See Act 1:7, Greek). there is--"there obtains," or "hath remained" a remnant according to the election of grace--"As in Elijah's time the apostasy of Israel was not so universal as it seemed to be, and as he in his despondency concluded it to be, so now, the rejection of Christ by Israel is not so appalling in extent as one would be apt to think: There is now, as there was then, a faithful remnant; not however of persons naturally better than the unbelieving”
1 Thessalonians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Thessalonians 1:4: Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. Which intends not an election to an office, for this epistle is written not to the officers of the church only, but to the whole church; nor to the Gospel, the outward means of grace, since this was common to them with others, and might be known without the evidence after given; nor does it design the effectual calling, sometimes so called for this is expressed in the following verse as a fruit, effect, and evidence of the election here spoken of, which is no other than the eternal choice of, them to everlasting”
Hosea (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Hosea 14:1: O Israel, return unto the Lord - These words may be considered as addressed to the people now in captivity; suffering much, but having still much more to suffer if they did not repent. But it seems all these evils might yet be prevented, though so positively predicted, if the people would repent and return; and the very exhortation to this repentance shows that they still had power to repent, and that God was ready to save them and avert all these evils. All this is easily accounted for on the doctrine of the contingency of events, i.e., the poising a multitude of ev”
CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Acts & Romans: Israel’s rejection is not forever; the nation is to be restored. The order of thought is as follows: (1) The rejection is partial. The Scriptures furnish analogous examples of partial falls and rejections of the nation, 1–10 . (2) The fall of Israel is temporary. Some branches were cut off because of unbelief and Gentile branches inserted in their place, but the natural branches shall yet be restored, 11–24 . (3) Reflections upon the wise and gracious purposes of God in all these dispensations, 25–36 .—G.B.S. 1502 Field with one ms . reads “What then”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 140: renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it.” 531 531 Ibid. x. § 2. If man is as really spiritually dead, in his natural state since the fall, as Lazarus was corporeally dead, then is the spiritual resurrection of the one as really a work of divine omnipotence as the bodily resurrection of the other. These doctrines, therefore, thus logically connected, have never in fact been dissociated. All who hold that original sin involves spiritual death and consequent ”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 13.--ELECTION IS OF GRACE, NOT OF MERIT.: Whosoever, then, are made to differ from that original condemnation by such bounty of divine 477 grace, there is no doubt but that for such it is provided that they should hear the gospel, and when they hear they believe, and in the faith which worketh by love they persevere unto the end; and if, perchance, they deviate from the way, when they are rebuked they are amended and some of them, although they may not be rebuked by men, return into the path which they had left; and some who have received grace in”
CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, section 48.6: lost sheep and joins them to his flock, and holds out his hand to those that were wandering and estranged from him. Hence a knowledge of our election must be sought from this source. As, however, the secret counsel of God is a labyrinth to those who disregard his calling, so those act perversely who, under pretext of faith and calling , darken this first grace, from which faith itself flows. “By faith,” say they, “we obtain salvation: there is, therefore, no eternal predestination of God that distinguishes between ”

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