Grace vs. Works in Sanctification: Understanding Synergism and Yieldedness in Our Christian Walk
"Sanctification is found not in striving, but in resting fully in Christ’s finished work."
Introduction
A vital and often debated theological issue among Christians concerns the nature of sanctification—the process by which believers are progressively conformed to Christ’s image. Specifically, believers wrestle with how sanctification is achieved. Is it through a cooperative effort between God and believers (synergism), as held by traditions like Eastern Orthodox Christianity, or is it fully a work of God’s grace, to which believers respond by yielding moment by moment to Christ’s indwelling life (monergism through yieldedness)? As someone deeply rooted in the exchanged life theology, which emphasizes Christ living His life in and through believers, I find this distinction critical for understanding and experiencing genuine transformation in Christ.
Understanding Synergism: Orthodox Christianity’s View
The Greek Orthodox tradition approaches sanctification from a distinctly synergistic perspective. The term "synergism" derives from the Greek word synergeia, meaning "cooperation" or "working together." Orthodox theology teaches that sanctification involves a cooperative relationship between God and the believer. God initiates grace, provides the Holy Spirit, and offers divine assistance through sacraments, but believers must actively cooperate through prayer, fasting, repentance, obedience, and good works.
How Orthodox Christianity Expresses Synergism
Orthodox theologians explain synergism through concepts such as:
Theosis (Deification):
The Orthodox view of salvation and sanctification is heavily oriented toward theosis—becoming more and more like God through cooperation with divine grace. Theosis emphasizes active participation through ascetic practices, regular participation in sacraments, and disciplined spiritual efforts.Sacraments as Means of Grace:
Orthodox Christianity teaches that believers receive sanctifying grace through participating in sacraments, including the Eucharist, confession, baptism, and chrismation. While God initiates and offers grace through these sacraments, believers are responsible for faithfully receiving and acting upon this grace to ensure sanctification progresses.Moral and Ascetic Efforts:
Believers are expected to engage in spiritual disciplines and moral practices to purify their souls and cooperate fully with God’s sanctifying presence. This includes rigorous fasting, regular confession, prayer, almsgiving, and obedience to moral commandments.
Strengths and Limitations of Synergism
The synergistic view affirms human responsibility and active participation, reminding believers they have a role in their own spiritual growth. Yet, there is a potential weakness: it can lead believers into performance-oriented living, causing them to view their spiritual maturity as directly proportional to their personal effort. This risks fostering either pride (when one succeeds) or despair (when one fails). Sanctification, thus, becomes transactional rather than relational, diminishing the sufficiency of Christ’s finished work.
Grace-Oriented Sanctification: The Exchanged Life Perspective
In sharp contrast, the exchanged life perspective, rooted deeply in New Covenant teachings and espoused by theologians like Watchman Nee, Bill Gillham, and others, teaches that sanctification is fully initiated, sustained, and completed by God. Rather than being a cooperative partnership, sanctification is an inward transformation accomplished entirely by the indwelling Christ through the Holy Spirit. The believer’s role is primarily one of yielding—surrendering moment by moment to Christ’s life within.
Core Aspects of the Exchanged Life View
Union with Christ as the Starting Point: Believers are not striving toward union with Christ; they are already fully united with Him from the moment of salvation (Romans 6:3-6; Galatians 2:20). Sanctification is simply the experiential outworking of this preexisting union.
Yielding Rather than Striving: Believers do not actively strive to achieve holiness through disciplined effort. Instead, they yield daily, moment by moment, allowing Christ’s life to manifest naturally through them. Sanctification, therefore, becomes a restful response rather than stressful striving.
Grace as Fully Sufficient: Sanctification is solely empowered by God’s abundant and sufficient grace. Paul writes, “It is God who works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Our responsibility is to yield—to allow God full freedom to work out what He has already worked into us.
Non-Transactional Relationship: In contrast to synergism’s transactional nature, the exchanged life approach emphasizes a relational dynamic—resting fully in the finished work of Christ and relying entirely upon the sufficiency of His indwelling Spirit. Sanctification flows naturally from fellowship and intimacy with Christ, not from disciplined moral exertion or ritualistic practices.
Biblical Foundations of Yielded Sanctification
Galatians 2:20:
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”Romans 6:4:
“Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”Colossians 1:27-29:
“Christ in you, the hope of glory…striving according to His working which works in me mightily.”Hebrews 4:10:
“For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.”
Grace-Oriented Sanctification in Practice: How Does It Look?
The exchanged life approach does not promote passive living, as critics may suggest. Rather, it involves active yielding and dependent trust. Believers intentionally and continually choose to trust Christ’s indwelling presence to express His life through them. Good works and obedience are the natural fruits flowing from this yielded life, not the means to achieve sanctification.
The exchanged life believer prays differently, not begging for strength, but confidently thanking God for Christ’s sufficiency within. Instead of self-effort or self-improvement, the focus remains entirely Christ-centered—trusting Jesus alone to manifest His holiness, patience, love, and kindness through them.
Conclusion: Why the Grace-Oriented View Matters
Understanding the profound difference between a synergistic (works-oriented) view and a yielded (grace-oriented) view of sanctification is critical. The former subtly fosters a self-reliant spirituality, burdening believers with continual striving and insecurity. The latter invites believers into a joyful, restful dependence upon Christ’s life within, bringing genuine freedom, lasting spiritual maturity, and deep intimacy with God.
The exchanged life approach does not diminish human responsibility; it redefines it—shifting from striving to yielding, from performing to resting, from transactional obedience to relational abiding. Believers are set free to enjoy the fullness of Christ’s completed work, living daily from a place of victory, confidence, and joyful trust in Him.
Reflection for You Today:
If you’ve found yourself worn down by constant striving, consider shifting your focus from working for sanctification to resting in Christ’s indwelling life. Your growth in Christ does not depend on your strength, effort, or discipline—but on His faithful presence and power living and working through you.
As Paul said, “Not I, but Christ!” (Galatians 2:20). This is true sanctification: Christ Himself, living His life through yielded vessels who trust entirely in His finished work.
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