What is decisional regeneration? | GotQuestions.org

Today's question is, what is decisional regeneration?

In this video I'll answer that question from a biblical perspective.

Then afterwards, as always, I'll share some helpful resources, so stick around until the end.

Decisional regeneration, sometimes referred to as decision theology, is the belief that a

person must make a decision for Christ, consciously accepting Him as Savior in order to

be saved.

According to decision theology, the new birth occurs when someone first hears the gospel,

second is convicted of the truth of the gospel, third understands the need for salvation, and

fourth chooses to accept Christ rather than reject Him.

Often the decision to accept Christ is marked by an action, such as walking an aisle, praying a

sinner's prayer, signing a decision card, or similar activity.

Detractors of decision theology consider it a misleading and dangerous teaching because it gives man

too much control over his salvation.

Some see decisional regeneration, salvation depends on making a decision, akin to baptismal

regeneration, salvation depends on being baptized, and other work -based systems.

If salvation is by grace, then it is an internal work of the Holy Spirit occurring at the time of

His choosing.

Decisional regeneration, on the other hand, posits that the moment of salvation occurs when someone makes a

choice to accept Christ.

This, say opponents, is tantamount to salvation by works, because exercising the will is a

human work and therefore cannot be part of salvation.

Some are opposed to decision theology because it risks associating a spiritual event with a

physical action.

Telling someone to make a decision for Christ and to express that decision outwardly fosters the notion that

salvation is synonymous with walking an aisle or reciting a prayer, instead of being the work

of the Holy Spirit, John 3 .8.

This false association, in turn, can lead to false conversions because someone who walks an aisle

after a sermon may think he is saved on the basis of an emotional experience, when there has been no work of

God in his heart.

Also, the detractors of decision theology are quick to point out that nowhere in the Bible are decisions for

Christ mentioned, nor is anyone commanded to accept Christ or to ask Him into your heart.

Further, Scripture says that man in his natural state is incapable of choosing Christ, he is

dead in sin and cannot please God, and he is utterly helpless to come to God on his

own, John 6 .44 -45.

There is no one who seeks God, Romans 3 .11.

An unsafe person is unable to accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, 1 Corinthians 2

.14.

This being the case, asking a non -Christian to make a decision for Christ is like asking a corpse to dance.

Divine intervention is necessary.

Central to the debate over decision theology is the debate over monergism vs. synergism.

Is salvation God's work, or man's, or both?

Monergism closely allied with Calvinism and its tenet of irresistible grace teaches that God is

solely responsible for all aspects of our salvation.

God sovereignly saves without any cooperation from us whatsoever, even giving us the faith to believe,

Ephesians 2 .8 -9.

Synergism teaches that we cooperate in our salvation to some degree.

Decisional regeneration can be seen as synergistic in that we must decide to accept

Christ—a very limited cooperation, but cooperation nonetheless.

The Bible is clear that salvation is totally the work of God.

We can do nothing to secure salvation for ourselves.

The Lord chooses us, draws us to Himself, gives us life, and preserves us.

The new birth is not the result of human decision, John 1 .13.

Just as the Lord brought life to the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37, Jesus gives life to

whom He is pleased to give it, John 5 .21.

At the same time, the Bible commands everyone to repent, Acts 3 .19, and

to believe in Christ, Acts 16 .31.

While the words, make a decision for Christ, are not used in Scripture, the fact that we are commanded to

repent seems to imply an exercise of the will.

How is one saved?

By grace, through faith.

And even faith is a gift created through the hearing of God's Word, Romans 10 .17.

Salvation does not come by walking an aisle or raising a hand.

Saying a prayer does not save anyone.

Reading and agreeing with the salvation pages on GotQuestions .org cannot save.

Salvation is making a new spiritual creation—something only the Holy Spirit can accomplish.

Does this mean that it's wrong for an evangelist to hold an altar call after his message?

Not at all.

However, we must be careful never to attribute our spiritual peace with God to a physical.

Act of our own.

Coming to the front of a church is not the same thing as coming to Christ.

Also, we should remember that simply making a decision of some kind is not what saves.

Us.

It is the all -powerful, sovereign work of God in Christ that saves.

Rather than calling on people to invite Jesus to come in, it would perhaps be better to urge them to

repent of their sin and cast themselves on the mercy of God in Christ.

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