Which Denominations are Christian? What test can we use?

[Alfred Persson]

We all heard Catholic Apologetic decry the 25,000 denominations. That number is grossly inflated. There are approximately 250 Christian denominations in the US according to the criteria used the "Handbook of Denominations in the United States." I asked ChatGPT to extrapolate from that to calculate a global estimate. It came up with 2,403 Christian denominations globally. The full text is below.

The question I have, What is the criteria used by Bible Believers today?

In the past it was belief in Jesus as God the Son, and the Orthodox doctrine of the Holy Trinity.

Doctrinally many churches pass that test. But so many have fallen away to sexual deviant behavior, is that a good "test" for who is a Christian now.

In the past apologists would affirm the body of Christ spans many different denominations and you can identify who are genuine Christians by their life style. What they do, rather than what they claim.

My criteria now: one must have repented, and put their faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God , believing in that name for their salvation. One must live a Christian life where Christ is LORD, owner and master of all we are and possess. Repentance for not fulfilling all we should do in Christ, will be manifest.

As Christ was accused of being a drunk and a glutton, I don't consider these disqualify a believer, who are free to follow their own conscience about such things.

All other doctrinal disputes don't identify who is a believer.

But that is me, what say you?


ChaptGPT

1. Number of Denominations in the United States: According to the "Handbook of Denominations in the United States," there are approximately 250 denominations in the U.S..
2. Christian Population in the United States: As of my last update, the Christian population in the United States was estimated to be about 70-75% of the total population. With a U.S. population of around 330 million, this suggests there are roughly 231-247.5 million Christians in the U.S.
3. Global Christian Population: The global Christian population is estimated to be around 2.3 billion.
4. Extrapolation:
   • The U.S. Christian population represents about 10-11% of the global Christian population (231-247.5 million out of 2.3 billion).
   • If we assume that the diversity of denominations globally is proportional to the diversity in the U.S., we can multiply the number of U.S. denominations by the ratio of the global Christian population to the U.S. Christian population.

Let's calculate this.
Based on this extrapolation method, there would be approximately 2,403 Christian denominations globally. This estimate is derived by assuming that the diversity of denominations in the United States is representative of global diversity, relative to the proportion of the Christian population. It's important to remember that this is a rough approximation and actual numbers could vary significantly due to various factors, such as cultural, historical, and theological differences across regions.

 

[reddogs]

We all heard Catholic Apologetic decry the 25,000 denominations. That number is grossly inflated. There are approximately 250 Christian denominations in the US according to the criteria used the "Handbook of Denominations in the United States." I asked ChatGPT to extrapolate from that to calculate a global estimate. It came up with 2,403 Christian denominations globally. The full text is below.

The question I have, What is the criteria used by Bible Believers today?

In the past it was belief in Jesus as God the Son, and the Orthodox doctrine of the Holy Trinity.

Doctrinally many churches pass that test. But so many have fallen away to sexual deviant behavior, is that a good "test" for who is a Christian now.

My criteria: one must have repented, and put their faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God , believing in that name for their salvation. Christ is LORD, owner and master of all we are and possess. All other doctrinal disputes don't identify who is a believer.

But that is me, what say you?





ChaptGPT

1. Number of Denominations in the United States: According to the "Handbook of Denominations in the United States," there are approximately 250 denominations in the U.S..
2. Christian Population in the United States: As of my last update, the Christian population in the United States was estimated to be about 70-75% of the total population. With a U.S. population of around 330 million, this suggests there are roughly 231-247.5 million Christians in the U.S.
3. Global Christian Population: The global Christian population is estimated to be around 2.3 billion.
4. Extrapolation:
   • The U.S. Christian population represents about 10-11% of the global Christian population (231-247.5 million out of 2.3 billion).
   • If we assume that the diversity of denominations globally is proportional to the diversity in the U.S., we can multiply the number of U.S. denominations by the ratio of the global Christian population to the U.S. Christian population.

Let's calculate this.
Based on this extrapolation method, there would be approximately 2,403 Christian denominations globally. This estimate is derived by assuming that the diversity of denominations in the United States is representative of global diversity, relative to the proportion of the Christian population. It's important to remember that this is a rough approximation and actual numbers could vary significantly due to various factors, such as cultural, historical, and theological differences across regions.

Which one truly follows Gods Word, its as simple as that....

 

[Hopeful 2]

We all heard Catholic Apologetic decry the 25,000 denominations. That number is grossly inflated. There are approximately 250 Christian denominations in the US according to the criteria used the "Handbook of Denominations in the United States." I asked ChatGPT to extrapolate from that to calculate a global estimate. It came up with 2,403 Christian denominations globally. The full text is below.

The question I have, What is the criteria used by Bible Believers today?

In the past it was belief in Jesus as God the Son, and the Orthodox doctrine of the Holy Trinity.

Doctrinally many churches pass that test. But so many have fallen away to sexual deviant behavior, is that a good "test" for who is a Christian now.

My criteria: one must have repented, and put their faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God , believing in that name for their salvation. Christ is LORD, owner and master of all we are and possess. All other doctrinal disputes don't identify who is a believer.

But that is me, what say you?

I am glad you mentioned repentance, but half to add...repentance from sin.
Sinners are still serving the flesh, which true believers know was destroyed, crucified with Christ. (Rom 6:6, Gal 5:24)
The true denomination walks in the Spirit, and not in the flesh.
Rom 8:9..."But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."

 

[jasonc]

Which one truly follows Gods Word, its as simple as that....

That the jw argues as well.

 

[jasonc]

I am glad you mentioned repentance, but half to add...repentance from sin.
Sinners are still serving the flesh, which true believers know was destroyed, crucified with Christ. (Rom 6:6, Gal 5:24)
The true denomination walks in the Spirit, and not in the flesh.
Rom 8:9..."But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."

In other words ,sinless .

Ya see I would be rebuked if I taught that .holiness but not sinless in this life

 

[Hopeful 2]

In other words ,sinless .

Correct.
If God had ever been satisficed with sinful followers, He would not have instituted a new testimony.
We just could have all been sinful Jews, and been saved.

Ya see I would be rebuked if I taught that .holiness but not sinless in this life

Can you re-phrase that ?
How can a sinner be holy ?

 

[jasonc]

Correct.
If God had ever been satisficed with sinful followers, He would not have instituted a new testimony.
We just could have all been sinful Jews, and been saved.

Can you re-phrase that ?
How can a sinner be holy ?

Correct.
If God had ever been satisficed with sinful followers, He would not have instituted a new testimony.
We just could have all been sinful Jews, and been saved.

Can you re-phrase that ?
How can a sinner be holy ?

No.there would be no need to repent .

If you sin again and loose salvation you can't get it back .

Willful sinning .you can't be that Holy .Jesus could and did for us

My elders don't teach sinless perfection but that we will sin ,strive not to ,repent when you do .

 

[Alfred Persson]

Which one truly follows Gods Word, its as simple as that....

If it were simple, all the commentaries would say the same thing everywhere. But there is disagreement on major doctrines, also lesser ones in soteriology, eschatology etc.

Cessationism is a good example. Thousands of cessationists sold all they owned, and followed Christ into martyrdom, but some would deny they were Christian because they "don't follow God's Word" and speak in tongues etc.

Would God tell that martyr, who appeared before Him after death, "depart from me" if he was wrong about Cessationism. Or is the reverse true, if Cessationism is correct, would God reject the tongues speaker?

I think not.

Not if both are following their conscience, what they thought God's Word taught.

Its the person who isn't following the Word according to what their conscience says it means, that is a "tare" in my opinion.

I'm pivoting off a statement by Paul, that eating meat offered to an idol AGAINST conscience could cause "the weak brother perish":

7 However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
8 But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.
9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.
10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols?
11 And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? (1 Cor. 8:7-11 NKJ)

 

[Alfred Persson]

I am glad you mentioned repentance, but half to add...repentance from sin.
Sinners are still serving the flesh, which true believers know was destroyed, crucified with Christ. (Rom 6:6, Gal 5:24)
The true denomination walks in the Spirit, and not in the flesh.
Rom 8:9..."But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."

Is it really that simple? The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Suppose a sin proves very difficult to end, or after a time of being free of it, one "backslides":

If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1 Jn. 1:10 NKJ)

If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? (Ps. 130:3 NKJ)

Suppose someone really tries to stop a particular sin, and found it impossible. Will power often fails against desire [see footnote], like a chimpanzee trying to fight a gorilla. So, this person lives a life in sorrow over his sin, always repenting asking God's forgiveness:

Jesus revealed the Father, perfectly. As God expects we forgive, should we not realize that is because He forgives?

3 "Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
4 "And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying,`I repent,' you shall forgive him." (Lk. 17:3-4 NKJ)


FOOTNOTE

My "will power" is woefully weak. I found it helpless against many of the wrong desires of the flesh. BUT have found a solution that so far has worked 100%. Pit good desire against the evil desire, and its "an even match". Then your choice of what you will do, is made by you and not your desire.

To illustrate, a grandfather told me how he quit smoking, after failing many times. He failed so often he decided he couldn't quit, was totally addicted. But his son made him go outside to smoke. And while there looking in at his son and his family, the grandchildren he wanted to be with, the desire to be with them was greater than the desire to smoke. He quit that day, and every time the urge to smoke rises up, he recalls his desire to be on the inside, with his family.

 

[Free]

We all heard Catholic Apologetic decry the 25,000 denominations. That number is grossly inflated. There are approximately 250 Christian denominations in the US according to the criteria used the "Handbook of Denominations in the United States." I asked ChatGPT to extrapolate from that to calculate a global estimate. It came up with 2,403 Christian denominations globally. The full text is below.

The question I have, What is the criteria used by Bible Believers today?

In the past it was belief in Jesus as God the Son, and the Orthodox doctrine of the Holy Trinity.

Doctrinally many churches pass that test. But so many have fallen away to sexual deviant behavior, is that a good "test" for who is a Christian now.

In the past apologists would affirm the body of Christ spans many different denominations and you can identify who are genuine Christians by their life style. What they do, rather than what they claim.

My criteria now: one must have repented, and put their faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God , believing in that name for their salvation. One must live a Christian life where Christ is LORD, owner and master of all we are and possess. Repentance for not fulfilling all we should do in Christ, will be manifest.

As Christ was accused of being a drunk and a glutton, I don't consider these disqualify a believer, who are free to follow their own conscience about such things.

All other doctrinal disputes don't identify who is a believer.

They sure do. At a minimum, one must believe that there is only one God, that Jesus is God, that he physically died and physically rose again, that salvation is by grace alone, that salvation is through Christ alone, believe the gospel as given in 1 Cor 15:1-11, and that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead.

It is evidenced by things such as love for one another, obeying Jesus by doing what he commands believers to do, and a desire to grow in holiness, which includes sorrow for and continual confession of our sins.

I will also add that I think only about 5-10% of those who claim to be Christian actually are.

 

[Christ_empowered]

The barna group does various studies on USA Christianity. I don’t know about data for other nations. A lot of the barna data is depressing but perhaps to be expected? The USA is something of an outlier in terms of developed affluent countries. More people claim religious beliefs and there’s more church going than in say Canada or the uk.
Thing about it is…secularization still applies to the USA . So even active church goers often hold views more in line with the surrounding culture than with traditional Christian teachings. And…


I skimmed an article about charismatic groups in South America and it’s true there too. They have high numbers and at first glance it looks like a massive miracle but dig deeper and…
Lots of people who convert aren’t believers 5 years later. Even if they hold the politically conservative views on things their individual worldview is often marked more by cultural and key demographics…age sex marital status education and social class…


Than anything else. I think what makes Christianity unique is what a social scientist termed true believers..,
Even as more and more of the established church turns anti intellectual and feelings driven or heavily involved in politics etc…


There’s a core of believers in traditional Christianity. That’s encouraging and lines up with the Bible…

 

[Alfred Persson]

They sure do. At a minimum, one must believe that there is only one God, that Jesus is God, that he physically died and physically rose again, that salvation is by grace alone, that salvation is through Christ alone, believe the gospel as given in 1 Cor 15:1-11, and that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead.

It is evidenced by things such as love for one another, obeying Jesus by doing what he commands believers to do, and a desire to grow in holiness, which includes sorrow for and continual confession of our sins.

I will also add that I think only about 5-10% of those who claim to be Christian actually are.

I pray your 15% is too low. I agree belief in those doctrines are essential Christianity. I believe them totally, without reservation.

But a good illustration of a doctrinal dissimilarity (which some insist proves the "other" is not Christian"), is "by grace alone."

Prevenient Grace is grace that "goes before" or precedes human decision. This grace enables humans to freely respond to the Gospel. John Wesley taught prevenient grace is extended to all people, enabling anyone to choose salvation.

Irresistible Grace (Calvinism): Calvinists, particularly those who adhere to the traditional five points of Calvinism (TULIP), believe in irresistible grace. This doctrine is God chooses to extend grace to an individual (the elect), it is effective and cannot be resisted, and the rest are Reprobate by God's Sovereign Choice.

Many, including me, believe in Prevenient Grace being the implied teaching of scripture because in both Testaments, God commands us to choose life or death, implying we have the capacity to do so.

Do you think the arguments for both sides are "so good" the "other side" could be forgiven by God for "getting it wrong?"

While this sounds harsh, I do recall apologists insisting "prevenient grace" is a denial of "grace alone." To me that is logically unsound, "an expansion of grace to everyone" is "unlimited grace", whereas restricting it to the elect is "limited grace".

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Eph. 2:8-9 NKJ)

God makes it possible we can choose life, its His gift; He overcomes our fallen nature, so we can make that decision. It is the definition of grace it is "a gift, unmerited." Therefore, it is extended to all and not a select few.

But we must choose life, walk through the door of Christ believing in His Name, that He is the Christ, the Eternal Son of God.

To illustrate my thought on this: 100 people are drowning in the sea, but its pitch dark. Rescuers cannot see them although they are in lifeboats looking for them. Only some cry out to be saved, and the Rescuers can find them from the sound of their voice. Only those who cried for help survived, but all could have been had all of them cried out.

Crying out isn't a "work" because it accomplishes only one thing, to alert the rescuers where they are. It otherwise merits nothing, which makes it unlike a work where wages are owed.

Grace stands ready to save all who cry out. Crying out by itself is worthless, but God accepts it and grants true saving faith. While the sinner is yet far off, God runs to him to save:

18 `I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,
19 "and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."'
20 "And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
21 "And the son said to him,`Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
22 "But the father said to his servants,`Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
(Lk. 15:18-22 NKJ)

 

[Hopeful 2]

No.there would be no need to repent .

If you turn from sin once, you won't sin again.

If you sin again and loose salvation you can't get it back .

If your repentance from sin is true, you won't sin anymore.

Willful sinning .you can't be that Holy .Jesus could and did for us

Did not Paul write..."Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe:..." (Rom 3:22) ?
And..."For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Cor 5:21)

My elders don't teach sinless perfection but that we will sin ,strive not to ,repent when you do .

That is a pity.
Why strive for the impossible?
The religion of the repeat repentances is Judaism.
Because they didn't walk in the Spirit they could never be free from sin.
It is written..."But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." (Rom 8:9)

 

[Hopeful 2]

Is it really that simple?

Yes, Jesus made it simple.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Spoken to Peter who still walked in the flesh and and didn't have the gift of the Holy Ghost yet.

Suppose a sin proves very difficult to end, or after a time of being free of it, one "backslides":

God is more powerful than anything you can suppose.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1 Jn. 1:10 NKJ)

Written of those who walk in darkness-sin.
Christians walk in the light-God, in whom is no sin.

If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? (Ps. 130:3 NKJ)

Written of a man walking in the flesh.
NT believers don't walk in the flesh.

Suppose someone really tries to stop a particular sin, and found it impossible. Will power often fails against desire [see footnote], like a chimpanzee trying to fight a gorilla. So, this person lives a life in sorrow over his sin, always repenting asking God's forgiveness:

There is no impossible with God.

Jesus revealed the Father, perfectly. As God expects we forgive, should we not realize that is because He forgives?

Jesus provided His blood for our forgiveness.

3 "Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
4 "And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying,`I repent,' you shall forgive him." (Lk. 17:3-4 NKJ)

Jesus was speaking to men from before His suffering and death.
They all walked in the flesh, had not been reborn of God's seed, and did not have the gift of the Holy Ghost.

FOOTNOTE
My "will power" is woefully weak. I found it helpless against many of the wrong desires of the flesh. BUT have found a solution that so far has worked 100%. Pit good desire against the evil desire, and its "an even match". Then your choice of what you will do, is made by you and not your desire.

Key word..."flesh".
In believers, the flesh has been destroyed so we can walk in the Spirit. (Rom 6:6, Gal 5:24)

To illustrate, a grandfather told me how he quit smoking, after failing many times. He failed so often he decided he couldn't quit, was totally addicted. But his son made him go outside to smoke. And while there looking in at his son and his family, the grandchildren he wanted to be with, the desire to be with them was greater than the desire to smoke. He quit that day, and every time the urge to smoke rises up, he recalls his desire to be on the inside, with his family.

Is your desire to maintain a life of sin ?
Or is it to end up with Jesus in heaven ?
Which do you want ?

 

[evenifigoalone]

Nicene Creed

 

[Fastfredy0]

t a minimum, one must believe that there is only one God, that Jesus is God, that he physically died and physically rose again, that salvation is by grace alone, that salvation is through Christ alone, believe the gospel as given in 1 Cor 15:1-11, and that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead.

Interesting list.
If one is saved by Grace Alone and Christ alone then anyone who believes they are saved by Free Will would not be saved as they believe in salvation by Christ plus their freedom to choose Christ or not choose Christ (not save by Christ Alone).

believe the gospel as given in 1 Cor 15:1-11

This would eliminate all those who do not know Christ was "raised on the third day" per verse 4. In other words, if someone had no clue how long Christ was in the grave he would go to hell.

I will also add that I think only about 5-10% of those who claim to be Christian actually are.

Agreed (of course, I am guessing)

Aside: You ask 10 Christians what they must believe/do to be saved and you will probably get 9 different answers.

Hence we conclude that the knowledge of faith consists more of certainty than discernment. John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion , 3.2.14, 1:482.

There is a danger in reducing the faith to quantitative measurement. Such an arithmetic of belief obscures the qualitative, gracious, person, organic relation to Christ. Faith is trust in the grace of God and not calculable. The content of faith is not reducible to an arithmetic addition of articles. All believers, in principle, share the same knowledge and trust in the grace of God to save. Herman Bavinck – Reformed Dogmatics

"We mean that in justifying faith, Christ and His grace is the object immediately before the believer's mind; and that if he have a saving knowledge of this, but be ignorant of all the rest of the gospel, he may still be saved by believing this." "Systematic Theology" by Robert L. Dabney

 

[Alfred Persson]

There is a danger in reducing the faith to quantitative measurement. Such an arithmetic of belief obscures the qualitative, gracious, person, organic relation to Christ. Faith is trust in the grace of God and not calculable. The content of faith is not reducible to an arithmetic addition of articles. All believers, in principle, share the same knowledge and trust in the grace of God to save. Herman Bavinck – Reformed Dogmatics

"We mean that in justifying faith, Christ and His grace is the object immediately before the believer's mind; and that if he have a saving knowledge of this, but be ignorant of all the rest of the gospel, he may still be saved by believing this." "Systematic Theology" by Robert L. Dabney

I agree 100%.

 

[Hopeful 2]

They sure do. At a minimum, one must believe that there is only one God, that Jesus is God, that he physically died and physically rose again, that salvation is by grace alone, that salvation is through Christ alone, believe the gospel as given in 1 Cor 15:1-11, and that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead.

It is evidenced by things such as love for one another, obeying Jesus by doing what he commands believers to do, and a desire to grow in holiness, which includes sorrow for and continual confession of our sins.

I will also add that I think only about 5-10% of those who claim to be Christian actually are.

You introduce a conundrum with your minimum.
Is it by faith alone, or is it by Jesus Christ alone ?
How can there be two "alones" ?

 

[Hopeful 2]

They sure do. At a minimum, one must believe that there is only one God, that Jesus is God, that he physically died and physically rose again, that salvation is by grace alone, that salvation is through Christ alone, believe the gospel as given in 1 Cor 15:1-11, and that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead.

It is evidenced by things such as love for one another, obeying Jesus by doing what he commands believers to do, and a desire to grow in holiness, which includes sorrow for and continual confession of our sins.

I will also add that I think only about 5-10% of those who claim to be Christian actually are.

If our faith is evidenced by our love for one another, wouldn't stealing, murder, adultery, or lying to one another be the evidence of NO faith ?
I think so.

 

[Fastfredy0]

Many, including me, believe in Prevenient Grace being the implied teaching of scripture because in both Testaments, God commands us to choose life or death, implying we have the capacity to do so.

Wow ... not too often is it that someone propounding "preventient grace" will state the fact that the doctrine is implied and not explicitly stated.

God commands us to choose life or death, implying we have the capacity to do so.

Let's test this theory that when God says something we can do it ...

• 1 Corinthians 15
  

  To illustrate my thought on this: 100 people are drowning in the sea, but its pitch dark. Rescuers cannot see them although they are in lifeboats looking for them. Only some cry out to be saved, and the Rescuers can find them from the sound of their voice. Only those who cried for help survived, but all could have been had all of them cried out.

  
  34 “Awake to righteousness and sin not”. 1 John 2:1 “My little children, these things I write unto you, that ye sin not”. Anyone other than Hopeful been able to do this?
• Ezekiel 37:4 “Prophecy to these (dead) bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!'” (Notice, those dead bones had no ability to hear the word of the Lord. God had to give those skeletons life first, before they had the ability to hear the word of the Lord.)
• John 11:43 “Lazarus, come forth!” Lazarus was dead! He had no ability to come forth. First, God had to make him alive before He had the ability to come forth.
• John 15:12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Anyone here think they love others to the degree that Christ did? It is implied that it is possible
• etc. etc.

Do you think the arguments for both sides are "so good" the "other side" could be forgiven by God for "getting it wrong?"

Although I am aware of verses that may eternally condemns those that don't believe that are saved by Christ Alone where Christ Alone is defined as monergism I know of no scripture that condemns anyone for believing in salvation by Christ Alone.
The monergist gets to heaven and finds synergism is correct and is told ... "You didn't give yourself enough credit. Your free will decision to believe and Christ's work saved you."
The Synergist gets to heaven and finds monergism is corrent and is told ... "so, you think you have reason to boast for something you did not do .... well ... " ... Matt. 5:5

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Eph. 2:8-9 NKJ)

If synergism is embraced, then there is the very real but subtle danger that men could boast that they made use of God's grace or had more wisdom than the man who rejected Christ. They could boast that they are different for, unlike others, they responded to Christ. The autonomous natural man would, then, ultimately determine His own salvation, not God. Furthermore, a work is achieved by physical or mental exertion to achieve a purpose. Thus, the verses invalid the idea that one can believe via his free will as that would be a WORK.

God makes it possible we can choose life, its His gift; He overcomes our fallen nature, so we can make that decision. It is the definition of grace it is "a gift, unmerited." Therefore, it is extended to all and not a select few.

Faith cometh by hearing. Billions will never hear of Christ, therefore salvation is not extended to all.
Aside: Many synergists believe you can be saved without knowing Christ which contradicts John 3:18

To illustrate my thought on this: 100 people are drowning in the sea, but its pitch dark. Rescuers cannot see them although they are in lifeboats looking for them. Only some cry out to be saved, and the Rescuers can find them from the sound of their voice. Only those who cried for help survived, but all could have been had all of them cried out.

Interesting analogy. Scripture says we are not saved by WORKS and the saved have not reason to BOAST.
The people that called out were saved by their WORKS and have reason (granted, not much reason) to BOAST because they were smart/wise/lucky enough to realize the need to do the WORK of calling out which saved them. (God share His glory with no one).

Crying out isn't a "work" because it accomplishes only one thing, to alert the rescuers where they are. It otherwise merits nothing, which makes it unlike a work where wages are owed.

You can have your own doctrine, but you should reinvent works.
Work is a "Physical or mental effort or activity directed toward the production or accomplishment of something" (you can google it). The guy performed a physical/mental activity of calling out to accomplish his being saved.

John 1:12 But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name— 13 who were born, not of blood [natural conception], nor of the will of the flesh [physical impulse], nor of the will of man [that of a natural father], but of God [that is, a divine and supernatural birth—they are born of God—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified].