5 Points Out of CALVINISM

About this sermon

Time-stamps for Easier Navigation: 1:02 - Dr. Flowers begins reading his article. 3:03 - Disagreeing with Calvinism does not imply misunderstanding Calvinism. 3:40 - Dr. Flowers talks about his experience with competitive debating. 4:18 - There's a cost in giving up a doctrine one has made a living in defending. 5:28 - If you just understand Flowers' perspective (without agreeing), the video will be a success. 5:45 - Mini-autobiography of Flowers' journey through Calvinism. 7:13 - A.W. Tozer and C.S. Lewis influenced Flowers' journey out of Calvinism 9:52 - POINT 1 - Foresight Faith view wasn't the only non-Calvinistic perspective. 10:51 - The corporate view of election - the majority view (involves individuals!) 12:50 - POINT 2 - Original Sin (Judicial Hardening and callousness over time) vs. Total Inability (born blind) 20:26 - James Leo Garrett, Jr. quotation. 21:23 - POINT 3 - Humbling yourself (repent of faith) is NOT meritorious. 21:39 - Calvinist objection: Why did YOU choose, and not another? Are you better? - The Fallacy of the Complex question: it assumes determinism, the very question up for debate. 25:27 - Prodigal Son analogy 26:40 - POINT 4 - God gets FULL credit for a gift; it does not have to be irresistibly applied. 27:39 - A wise elder asks Flowers a question 30:56 - C.S. Lewis quote 31:11 - POINT 5 - Libertarian Freedom does not compromise God's sovereignty. 33:02 - Chessboard analogy 33:52 - Purposing Evil vs. Using Evil for His Purpose (Protects God's holiness) 35:31 - Sovereignty is not an Eternal attribute (like omnipotence) - God wasn't sovereign over creation prior to creation. 38:02 - God is as Sovereign as He chooses to be without sacrificing omnipotence. 39:10 - The Calvinist denies Omnipotence (eternal attribute) in order to protect Sovereignty (temporal attribute) 43:42 - We won't have ANY excuse - we can't tell God that we hated Him because He first hated us. 44:48 - A.W. Tozer quote --------------- An updated version of this video can be found here: https://youtu.be/jgmJmY0-XdM ---------------------- The 5 Points that lead this Professor of Theology out of Calvinism. 1. I came to realize that the “foresight faith view” (classical Wesleyan Arminianism) was not the only scholarly alternative to the Calvinistic interpretation. 2. I came to understand the distinction between the doctrine of Original Sin (depravity) and the Calvinistic concept of “Total Inability." 3. I realized that the decision to humble yourself and repent in faith is not meritorious. Even repentant believers deserve eternal punishment. 4. I accepted the fact that a gift doesn’t have to be irresistibly applied in order for the giver to get full credit for giving it. 5. I came to understand that sovereignty is not an eternal attribute of God that would be compromised by the existence of free moral creatures. Leighton Flowers is a teaching pastor in his local church, an adjunct Professor of Theology at Dallas Baptist University, and the Youth Evangelism Director for TEXAS BAPTISTS. In this position he directs a statewide youth leadership training camp called Super Summer, impacting thousands of Christian teenagers with in depth Bible study and discipleship training. Leighton also directs the Youth Evangelism Conference, reaching anywhere between 3 to 5 thousand Texas teenagers with the gospel of Christ each year. In addition, he assists in the oversight of such ministries as Hot Hearts and See You At The Pole, impacting students not only in Texas but all around our world. Join Professor Leighton Flowers in a discussion at www.soteriology101.com