📖 Biblical Definition
From Latin praevenire (to come before, go before); the Arminian and Wesleyan doctrine of a universal preceding grace given to all people, restoring to fallen humanity sufficient free will to enable the sinner to cooperate with or resist God's saving grace. The doctrine is central to the Arminian-Wesleyan soteriological system and is the principal point of contest with the Reformed doctrine of grace. The Arminian-Wesleyan position: fallen humanity is in bondage to sin and cannot of its own natural ability turn to God (the Arminians affirm a real depravity); but God grants to all people a universal prevenient grace that counteracts the effects of the fall sufficiently to restore the freedom of the will, enabling every person to cooperate with or resist the saving grace subsequently offered; salvation is then contingent on the sinner's free decision to cooperate with (not resist) the grace given, making the human will the decisive factor (synergism — salvation is a cooperation of divine grace and human free will). John Wesley developed the doctrine extensively, holding that prevenient grace is given to all, restoring sufficient freedom for the universal offer of salvation to be genuine. The Reformed position rejects prevenient grace in the Arminian sense, holding instead the doctrine of effectual (efficacious) grace: the saving grace of God, given only to the elect, is not a universal enabling grace that the sinner may cooperate with or resist, but an efficacious, irresistible grace that infallibly accomplishes the salvation of those to whom it is given (the Spirit sovereignly regenerates the elect, raising the dead sinner to life and infallibly bringing him to faith; monergism — salvation is the work of God alone). The substantive divide: Arminian prevenient grace makes saving grace universal and resistible, with the human will decisive (synergism); Reformed effectual grace makes saving grace particular and efficacious, with God decisive (monergism). The patriarchal-Reformed reader holds the substantive Reformed doctrine against Arminian prevenient grace: fallen man is dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), unable of his own will to turn to God; saving grace is not a universal enabling grace dependent on the sinner's cooperation but the efficacious, regenerating, irresistible grace of God given to the elect, which infallibly accomplishes their salvation; salvation is monergistic, the work of God alone, from first to last.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
From Latin praevenire (to come before); the Arminian-Wesleyan doctrine of a universal preceding grace restoring sufficient free will to all, enabling cooperation with or resistance of saving grace (synergism); contested by the Reformed doctrine of effectual/irresistible grace (monergism); the substantive divide between Arminian and Reformed soteriology.
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PREVENIENT GRACE (DEBATE), n. (soteriology debate; Latin praevenire, to come before) The Arminian-Wesleyan doctrine of a universal preceding grace given to all, restoring sufficient free will to enable the sinner to cooperate with or resist saving grace. Arminian-Wesleyan position: fallen humanity cannot of natural ability turn to God, but universal prevenient grace restores sufficient freedom, making salvation contingent on the sinner's free cooperation (synergism). John Wesley developed it extensively. Reformed position: rejects prevenient grace in this sense, holding effectual (efficacious, irresistible) grace given only to the elect, which infallibly accomplishes salvation (monergism). The divide: Arminian (universal, resistible grace, human will decisive) vs. Reformed (particular, efficacious grace, God decisive).
📖 Key Scripture
Ephesians 2:1 — "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins."
John 6:44 — "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."
John 6:37 — "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."
Romans 9:16 — "So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Arminian prevenient grace makes saving grace universal and resistible, with the human will decisive (synergism); the Reformed doctrine of effectual/irresistible grace makes saving grace particular and efficacious, with God decisive (monergism).
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The doctrine of prevenient grace marks the substantive divide between Arminian synergism and Reformed monergism. The Arminian-Wesleyan position holds that God grants a universal prevenient grace to all people, counteracting the fall sufficiently to restore the freedom of the will, so that every person is enabled to cooperate with or resist the saving grace offered; salvation is then contingent on the sinner's free decision to cooperate with the grace given (the human will is the decisive factor — synergism). The Reformed position rejects this, holding that fallen man is dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), unable of his own will to come to Christ (John 6:44, no man can come except the Father draw him); saving grace is not a universal enabling grace that the sinner may cooperate with or resist, but the efficacious, regenerating, irresistible grace of God given to the elect, which infallibly accomplishes their salvation (the Father gives a people to the Son, and all that the Father gives will come, John 6:37; salvation is not of him that wills or runs, but of God that shows mercy, Romans 9:16 — monergism). The patriarchal-Reformed reader holds the substantive Reformed doctrine against Arminian prevenient grace. The substantive issues at stake: the extent of the fall (the Reformed total inability vs. the Arminian partial-ability-restored-by-prevenient-grace); the nature of saving grace (the Reformed efficacious/irresistible vs. the Arminian universal/resistible); the decisive factor in salvation (the Reformed God-decisive monergism vs. the Arminian will-decisive synergism); and ultimately the ground of salvation and of boasting (the Reformed: salvation wholly of God's grace, no ground for boasting; the Arminian: salvation contingent on the sinner's decision, giving the sinner a ground of distinction). The Reformed reader holds that salvation is monergistic, the work of God alone, from first to last, to the praise of the glory of His grace.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Latin praevenire; the Arminian-Wesleyan universal preceding grace restoring free will (synergism); contested by the Reformed effectual/irresistible grace (monergism); the substantive Arminian-Reformed divide.
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['Latin', '—', 'gratia praeveniens', 'prevenient (preceding) grace']
['Latin', '—', 'synergismus', 'synergism (cooperation of grace and will)']
['Latin', '—', 'monergismus', 'monergism (the work of God alone)']
Usage
"Prevenient grace: the Arminian-Wesleyan universal preceding grace restoring free will (synergism)."
"Contested by the Reformed doctrine of effectual/irresistible grace (monergism)."
"The substantive divide between Arminian and Reformed soteriology."