To what extent does Synergy apply?

[Android_Rewster]

 I understand the concept of synergy for the most part, though it's still a little hard for me after being a Calvinist for so long. But I'm curious, since God leaves the decision up to us, to what extent does that decision apply?

 How much does the choice to accept God influence our lives and the world?

 If there is some writings in the canons that might help explain, that would be great. Still, this thread is mostly just going to be filled with theological conjecture, because God hasn't really revealed this aspect of himself to us.

[IoanC]

I can only offer you some personal thoughts. Free will is a complex thing. After all it's not a matter of a "yes" or "no" to God, but a process of personal growth that ends with a genuine inclination that a person may have (either towards his own self, or towards God and all creation). Synergy is the perfect co-operation between man's will and God's will. Man supplies the desire to unite with God and God supplies the power and guidance. Our current state is not of perfect synergy and we are called to obtain the Grace of The Holy Spirit in order to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

[Nephi]

I should point out that while we are to cooperate with God, it is only by his grace that we are able to do so. We could not "earn" God's grace on our own, but neither are we irresistably overcome by it.

So we are capable of cooperating, by his grace, with God or rejecting him and his grace.

[orthonorm]

I should point out that while we are to cooperate with God, it is only by his grace that we are able to do so. We could not "earn" God's grace on our own, but neither are we irresistably overcome by it.

So we are capable of cooperating, by his grace, with God or rejecting him and his grace.

You cannot completely reject God's grace, thus to some degree it is irresistible. Even Satan is and acts in virtue of God's grace not merely in lack of it.

Many of the problems with theology come down to oddly extreme notions of God and language in general.

[Nephi]

You cannot completely reject God's grace, thus to some degree it is irresistible. Even Satan is and acts in virtue of God's grace not merely in lack of it.

Many of the problems with theology come down to oddly extreme notions of God and language in general.

You're right. I should've phrased it as "rejecting him and refusing to cooperate."

To completely reject God's grace would be to cease to exist, no?

[Ashman618]

You cannot completely reject God's grace, thus to some degree it is irresistible. Even Satan is and acts in virtue of God's grace not merely in lack of it.

Many of the problems with theology come down to oddly extreme notions of God and language in general.

You're right. I should've phrased it as "rejecting him and refusing to cooperate."

To completely reject God's grace would be to cease to exist, no?

Why is it that God won't allow me not to exist if I would prefer it? Why can't I resist his power to make me be? This is the mystery that always gets under my skin I never got a choice.

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