Why PERSUADE if 'Irresistible Grace' would suffice?

Dr. Leighton Flowers explains why the biblical teaching on persuasion is at the heart of evangelism and apologetics. JOIN US FOR A LIVE CONVERSATION!

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[brotherderek]

What I have never understood about Calvinists are two things: 1) We all know God is sovereign, so how God chooses to do things does not take away from that. Giving man free will does not impair that in any way. 2) How is accepting a free gift a work? It isn't and we all know this from reality.

[ErictheCleric]

Shoutout to Robert Barclay the great Quaker Theologian
 "First we may call this doctrine(Calvinism) a novelty, seeing that for the first four hundred years after christ there is no mention of it. The first foundations for it were in the writings of Augustine, who, in his warring against Pelagius, let fall some expressions which some have unhappily picked up to the establishment of this error."

[KISStheSON...]

The gospel is sufficient to reveal the grace of God and welcome us to access it through faith in the blood of Christ Jesus.
We don't earn or deserve grace, we find it through the Lord, Christ Jesus.

Titus 2:11
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, ”

[R.L.KRANESCHRADTT]

35:40. YES, this always puzzled me when first interacting with Calvinists. The application/use of the term/word "grace" as if Grace is a 'thing' like an 'apple' in the Calvinist lexicon and the context of how they speak about it seemed very strange. To me, grace, even linguistically used as a noun, still describes an act or a mannerism. Someone, in this case God, demonstrates grace by the act of being gracious. The upmost act of grace is God's provision for man to be reconciled to his maker by merely by believing in what Christ on did on his behalf. This is 'gospel/good news' and it IS the most definitive illustration of what it means to be Gracious. It personifies what it means to be 'full of Grace'. Calvinism seems intent on mystifying it in my opinion.
It would also be accurate to say " I have just been given some gospel.... I was given a coupon for a free steak dinner". That's "good news", by definition.
Religiosity gets in the way of understanding even the message of scripture sometimes.

[HolyMolysDonutShop]

Many people are applying determinist/limited atonement to their theological reasoning. I'm almost afraid of how they apply it to their everyday

[evanu]

It’s not just a problem for irresistible grace, it’s also a problem for total depravity. You can’t persuade a corpse. The only means to bring a corpse to life is through regeneration, which means Paul is wasting his breath when he’s trying to persuade or becomes all things to all men.

Even the Gospel wouldn’t be able to be heard or understood by the totally depraved. It’s more of an incantation where you’re calling upon God through a message to bring about regeneration into the person you’re directing that message to.

That is if you believe what they say about the totally depraved and their interpretation of 1Cor 2:14

[OneHighwayWalker]

It's been my experience with Calvinists that they really cannot defend their position, so they get angry and end the discussion. I have presented Scripture to hear their understanding, but they hold to some confession or ancient controversy that is simply what men have said, not Scripture. Sad.

[shakazulu]

In Calvinism faith, grace, regeneration, repentance are all commodities that God “hands out” to some and withholds from most. Calvinism is pure Gnosticism.

[kevinkleinhenz]

Stop! You can’t ask a question that requires common sense to answer.

[thisguy]

I don't really remember the Bible going into someone going against their nature too much so my analogy could be off, but I've always thought of am herbivore that eats meat. Basically, there are animals that only eat Veggietales or fruits, but when they become desperate and aware of their situation they go against their nature and eat meat. I compare that to a person who is made aware of their desperate state of sinfulness and it causes them to do something against their nature, which would then be accepting the Gospel. Idk, that's how I've thought of it.

[jakeofalltradesmusic]

"Persuasion is so important to spreading the Gospel."

Well, looks like no one is coming to Christ from any of my efforts then. I can't persuade, and my attempts to pursuade only send people further from the truth.

[WorshipinIdols]

Remember:

The phrase “Gospel” is simple a euphemism/metaphor/shorthand [or some other word that best fits here]…for saying “the propositional claims and assertions of the New Testament”.

If u believe the “gospel” aka, u believe the claims of the NT. That simple. No mystery.

That’s all

[thomasadventures]

What makes our persuasion effectual and efficacious?

[AllThingsChristian]

The Calvinist interpretation of 1Corinthians 2:4 would contradict what Luke said about Paul’s ministry IN Corinth (Acts 18:1, 4).

Acts 18:1, 4 (NASB95)
1 After these things he left Athens and went to Corinth.
4 And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to PERSUADE (πείθω) Jews and Greeks.

Furthermore, Paul CONTINUED to use persuasion AFTER his ministry in Corinth (Acts 19:8; 28:23, 24), which he even LATER explicitly stated TO the Corinthians was his methodology (2Corinthians 5:11). Paul said that they even BEGGED people to be reconciled to God (2Corinthians 5:20).

2Corinthians 5:20 (NASB95) Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

[lbamusic]

It doesn't have to be either / or. In fact in can, and often is, both

[jedreksirca]

Is the only thing this channel addresses Calvinism?

[theschrocks]

How do you feel about the woke church, Leighton??

[justchilling]

There’s this guy David Bentley Heart who’s a universalist, and he says all will be saved and we can’t resist God. I would ask the same of him. Even if universalism is true (I don’t think it is) I don’t think God will effectually make people accept him after spending time in Hell, more like they’ve learned their lesson.

[drumsgo]

I haven't even listened to this yet and that's the question that I always asked if it's all said and why try to persuade people why argue with people why convince people and the Calvinist just says to me well God ordains the means as well as the ends and that's all they have to respond with

[JesusRodriguez-guwv]

It feels like a choice a lot between saying the truth plainly as it's said it has the power to save but also we are told to actively persuade the audience. So it's like either you believe the holy spirit works through truth or you have some sort of play in the mater where persuasion is.sny Calvanists say that you don't need to be persuasive you won't help God he don't need you. How can you reconcile this cuz it feels like a choice. It's scary since I don't want to preach poorly if such a thing is possible. I know the Lord can bless through the gospel message given poorly but does that mean persuasion is not needed?