Provisionism is a modern theological system within Southern Baptist circles, particularly promoted by Leighton Flowers, which seeks to offer an alternative to both Calvinism and Arminianism. While not identical to Semi-Pelagianism, Provisionism shares striking theological similarities, especially in its denial of the necessity for a prior work of the Holy Spirit to effect any inner grace—whether regenerative or prevenient—to enable faith. Provisionism teaches, rather, that the Holy Spirit operates solely through an external influence, illuminating the truth of the gospel (externally), convicting of sin (externally), and drawing all people who hear (externally), making the gospel clearly understood without altering the individual’s inner nature or will, thereby leaving the response entirely to unregenerate human volition.
History:
Provisionism arose in the early 21st century as a reaction against the rise of Calvinism within the Southern Baptist Convention. In contrast to both Reformed and Arminian soteriology, Provisionists argue that all people are born with the natural capacity to respond to the gospel without needing any prior special grace or inner work of the Holy Spirit. They hold that God has universally provided the means of salvation to all individuals through the preaching of the gospel, and human beings retain the free will to accept or reject this offer.
Theology:
Denial of Prevenient and Regenerating Grace:
Unlike Arminianism, which affirms prevenient grace (a grace that enables people to respond to the gospel) and Calvinism, which teaches effectual grace (where God irresistibly draws the elect), Provisionism denies the necessity of any prior inner work of the Holy Spirit to initiate faith. Instead, Provisionists believe that the gospel proclamation itself is sufficient to enable anyone to respond freely.
Human Free Will and Response:
Provisionism places a strong emphasis on libertarian free will, teaching that humans are naturally capable of responding to God’s offer of salvation. They believe that the human will, though affected by sin, is not so corrupted as to require any divine intervention within the individual’s nature before responding to the gospel.
Original Sin and Human Ability:
Provisionists downplay the effects of original sin, teaching that while humans are affected by the fall, they retain the inherent ability to believe in Christ when presented with the gospel. This stands in contrast to the Reformed doctrine of Total Depravity, which teaches that humans are spiritually dead and incapable of turning to God apart from a transformative work of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:1-5).
Relation to Semi-Pelagianism:
Provisionism bears resemblance to Semi-Pelagianism, which was condemned at the Council of Orange in 529 AD. The council declared that salvation begins with the grace of God and that the human will is utterly dependent on the Holy Spirit’s prior work for the initiation of faith. Provisionism similarly asserts that humans have the ability to believe without the prior, inward work of the Holy Spirit to change them, which echoes the Semi-Pelagian error that was rejected by the early church.
The Council of Orange condemned the notion that humans can willfully respond to God or choose salvation apart from the infusion of grace by the Holy Spirit (Canons 4, 6, and 7)., or assent to the preaching of the gospel through our natural powers apart from that same grace. The council upheld the orthodox Christian view that God’s grace is necessary at every stage of salvation, including the initial work of faith.
CANON 4: If anyone maintains that God awaits our will to be cleansed from sin, but does not confess that even our will to be cleansed comes to us through the infusion and working of the Holy Spirit, he resists the Holy Spirit himself who says through Solomon, "The will is prepared by the Lord" (Prov. 8:35, LXX), and the salutary word of the Apostle, "For God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13).
CANON 6: If anyone says that God has mercy upon us when, apart from his grace, we believe, will, desire, strive, labor, pray, watch, study, seek, ask, or knock, but does not confess that it is by the infusion and inspiration of the Holy Spirit within us that we have the faith, the will, or the strength to do all these things as we ought; or if anyone makes the assistance of grace depend on the humility or obedience of man and does not agree that it is a gift of grace itself that we are obedient and humble, he contradicts the Apostle who says, "What have you that you did not receive?" (1 Cor. 4:7), and, "But by the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Cor. 15:10).
CANON 7: If anyone affirms that we can form any right opinion or make any right choice which relates to the salvation of eternal life, as is expedient for us, or that we can be saved, that is, assent to the preaching of the gospel through our natural powers without the illumination and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who makes all men gladly assent to and believe in the truth, he is led astray by a heretical spirit, and does not understand the voice of God who says in the Gospel, "For apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5), and the word of the Apostle, "Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God" (2 Cor. 3:5).
Criticism and Historic Christian Orthodoxy:
Reformed theology and historic Christian orthodoxy affirm that humanity, in its fallen state, is completely incapable of turning to God apart from the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit (John 6:44; Romans 8:7-8). The doctrine of Total Depravity teaches that humans are spiritually dead in their sins and cannot exercise saving faith without a sovereign, inward work of grace. In contrast, Provisionism’s emphasis on human free will and its denial of the necessity of prevenient or regenerating grace places it in conflict with both Reformed and Arminian views, and more closely aligns it with Semi-Pelagianism.
The key theological concern with Provisionism is that it effectively denies the biblical teaching of human inability and the need for the Holy Spirit’s inner work prior to faith, which the early church recognized as heretical. In the Reformed tradition, salvation is seen as entirely a work of God's grace, from beginning to end, where regeneration enables faith, and faith itself is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Conclusion:
Provisionism teaches that individuals have the natural ability to respond to the gospel without the need for any inner work of the Holy Spirit, placing it in theological alignment with Semi-Pelagianism, a heresy condemned at the Council of Orange. While it affirms the importance of God’s grace, Provisionism denies the necessity of a supernatural work of grace within the heart for initial faith, emphasizing instead the free will of human beings and their capacity to respond independently of the Holy Spirit’s regenerating work. Historic Christian orthodoxy, by contrast, affirms the necessity of divine grace at every stage of salvation, with the Holy Spirit initiating and sustaining faith through an inward work from start to finish.
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