Monergism only relates to regeneration, in which the person is passive given that the person is spiritually dead. By spiritually dead is meant the person possesses no moral ability to choose to rightly. These persons are only able to sin more or sin less. Hence, they will never choose rightly unless God reaches down and does something to them (Eze. 36:26) so they are now able to choose to sin or not to sin. All are just as passionate as the other. All belive their interpretation of Scripture are set in stone, correct?
But, once regenerated the man becomes active...spiritually alive. At this instant of regeneration the inevitable exercise of faith in receiving the righteousness of Christ for justification is the person's own act. Strictly speaking, therefore, not even justification is monergistic. It is best to restrict the terms
monergism and
synergism to the controversy over regeneration and nothing else.
So, yes, most will remember a moment at which they were born anew and made the only choice possible at that moment. It is really no different than the non-Calvinist. The quibbling that is going on relates to the understanding of what is actually going on "under the hood" as it were.
The Arminian will say that "aha!" moment of regeneration was something that came from within them via persuasiveness (wooing) by the Holy Spirit, and they made the right choice.
The Calvinist will say that "aha!" moment of regeneration came from without, in that the Holy Spirit enlightens the mind and renews the will, and thus they made the only choice possible.
God does not give a new mind or new will in regeneration. The man has the same human powers of mind and will; but as regenerate the man is endued with spiritual life and is thereby able to think, will, feel, and act
spiritually. The faculty of the will cannot be removed and substituted. The same old will (which was enslaved) is renewed and liberated. A freed person who was once a slave does not need to be made an entirely new person; he merely needs to be freed.
Our new life—our love for and trust of the Savior—flows from the new birth, not vice versa. This is clearly taught in
John 3:3 where Jesus tells us we cannot even see the kingdom of God unless we are first born again. If we cannot see the kingdom, we certainly cannot enter it; thus, regeneration precedes faith. In regenerating our hearts, the Holy Spirit opens our eyes, making us able to obey in faith.
AMR