Matthew 1:21 DE-CALVINIZED | Dr. Leighton Flowers | Soteriology 101 | Calvinism | Limited Atonement

Dr. Leighton Flowers, Director of Evangelism and Apologetics for Texas Baptists, talks with Dr. David Allen, expert on the Atonement, about Matthew 1:21 and whether it teaches limited atonement or not.

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[Jebron_G]

For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.
1 Timothy 4:10

[climatematters]

I really appreciate Leighton's tireless effort to stem the flood of false Calvinistic teaching which oft times masquerades as the thinking man's theology! In truth, it ties many people up in theological knots from which they find it impossible to disentangle themselves! You need a certain clarity of thought to avoid all the logical fallacies which are employed in Reformed theology. My advice, for what it's worth is, unless you are pre-armed I would avoid messing with Calvinism in the first place! Matthew 1:21 doesn't need de-Calvinising if you don't Calvinise it in the first place! Good on you Leighton! 😊

[Myrdden]

Great video, but I got something from it that wasn't intended. With the verses up on the screen, I re-read Matthew 1:25 for the thousandth time and just realized that it blows apart the Roman Catholic idea of the perpetual virginity of Mary. Some want to claim that his 'brothers and sisters' as mentioned and named in some of the Gospels are really his cousins. But look at the verse! "24 He married her 25 but did not know her intimately UNTIL she gave birth to a son." Meaning that he DID know her intimately AFTER Jesus was born. Awesome video on two fronts!

[StandForTruth]

Most people are not dumb in knowing how to read literature.
What you are suppose to do to understand literature and context is to ask the questions; who, what, when, where, and how. Most people grasp this until it comes to the biblical text, then they seem to forget how you are suppose to read literature. Why? Because they treat God's word like a piece of poetry that is up for interpretation rather than it being God's word and the source of objective truth. The religious love cherry picking from the text what things they want even if it doesn't belong to them, such as Israel's promises (though it''s funny they never accept Israel's curses unless to put it onto others). So, you end up with thousands of denominations of Christianity because hardly no one wants to accept that they are instructed to rightly divide the scriptures, to keep things in context, and to acknowledge who is being spoken to.

[davidkniffin-co]

I look at Calvinism this way. Augustine taught Manichean theistic determinism in Christianity. Calvin continued teaching Manichean theistic determinism in Christianity. That is the simplest way for me to understand Calvinism.

[bornagainbeliever]

Yes, at about 3:40 minute mark…my relatives always say: He will save His people! And I know what they’re referring to… their version of the elect.

[Rightlydividing-wxxb]

It's a good example of Calvinists mixing the Gospels with the Epistles just as most Pastors, Sunday School teachers, believers, etc., do in any given denominational distinction.

The Gospels are accounts of Christ, under the Laws of Moses covenant coming only to the Lost Sheep of the house of Israel.

The Epistles are specifically addressing the Body of Christ under grace not law, and an entirely different Covenant.

Jesus was sent only to Israel (Matt. 15:24) and began his ministry in the middle of the 69th week of years and was rejected at the end of that week of years. The Gospels are a continuation of the Old Testament and Jesus' shed blood is the blood of the New One.

The distinctive differences between the Gospels and Epistles must be maintained inorder to rightly divide or correctly handle God's breathed words.

Virtually all Christian cults and or heresies are established by scriptures where Jesus is only addressing the Nation Israel under Laws for righteousness as prophesied. Calvinism does the exact same thing. I have yet to listen to a Christian teaching scripture that doesn't mix Jesus specifically addressing Israel with Jesus, through his disciples, specifically addressing the Body of Christ under grace not law. This is why the teaching of God's breathed words is so often shallow and inconsistent. This is how we arrive at 2 Timothy 4:3.

Perhaps one day that will change. God is willing according to his breathed words.

[geertjekneefel]

If i were a genuine calvinist i would not dare to share the gospel to a sinner by staring right at his/her square eyes and claiming that Christ had died for him/her and borne him/her sins at the cross because i knew as a CALVINIST there would be at least a 50% chance that Christ genuinely hadnt done that for this 'particular' person.

[sampowellmusic]

As a non Calvinist I don’t even have a problem with “his people” in this verse meaning the elect. Yes he died for the sins of the world but he only actually saves those who are in Christ…and leighton had explained many times how one becomes in Christ.

[AJD]

What David Allen is saying about the NT speaking only about “His people” as referring to Israel is wrong . The NT speaks of His people at least 3 times as speaking of collectively all the people of God .

Revelation 21:3
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Titus 2:14
who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works

Furthermore . I would be curious to here him address the fact that it says that Jesus WILL save . What Jesus will do will be efficacious. This doesn’t make sense if you affirm a universal atonement .

[biblicaltheologyexegesisan]

Yeah Matt 1:21 has nothing but Israel as its reference

[rebekahearly]

Something I’ve been wondering: is it accurate to say that calvinists subscribe to replacement theology?

[duncescotus]

Yeah, "his people" here is a direct reference to the prophets as the next two verses say. Done. Next.

[brentwoelk]

This is nothing but strife among the people of God

[notfactoryapproved]

Jesus said If the time should continue even the elect may be led astray. Salvation is a mystery. My choice and God's predestination. A mystery. You seem to assume that you fully understand it and go for the bias that the personal decision is the only cause for salvation. Rom: no one is righteous, not one. Isa: All our righteousness is as filthy rags (menstrual cloths). Around 6:30 in your video the speaker appears to be making a distinction between Calvinists and Reformed. Not a destinction I have heard before. Could it be that what you are really addressing is the non-Calvinist heresy that claims we are predestined and there is nothing we can do to change that? One term for that is double predestination. Jesus makes it clear that not all are saved. Are you arguing for universal salvation. Limited atonement means not all are saved. Are you really questioning that? I would urge you to focus on what we have in Christ not what makes us different. If it were perfectly clear there would be only one denomination. As an example if baptism were perfectly clear there would not be three interpretations. Or do you also believe that only your interpretation can stand? I know there are too many Reformed who argue this way. I know there are also many anabaptist who refuse to fellowship with others because they want to be "pure". They have more in common with the Pharisees than Christians. Denominationalists have more in common with the Pharisees. We all need to heed Jesus" warnings. Many are called, few will answer. Lets build the body not tear it limb from limb.

[johnnyanglo]

Good grief. Try using Scripture to interpret Scripture as the Bible directs, Dr. Leighton Flowers, not your "negative inference" theory. Jesus did not die for everyone, else everyone would be ransomed, sinless, and upright in the Father's eyes. So then, Jesus died for those the Father gave Him to redeem, "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you; even as You gave him authority over all flesh, He will give eternal life to all whom You have given Him." And again, (Joh 6:37), "All those who the Father gives me will come to Me. Him who comes to me I will in no way throw out."

The Father gave His Son the job of redeeming from the earth those the Father chose for salvation. The one's the Father foreknew (ordained or predetermined) are chosen for salvation. (Rom 8:29), "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers." Those that God predestined for salvation will all be one day glorified in heaven with Christ. (Rom 8:30), "Whom He predestined, those He also called. Whom He called, those He also justified. Whom He justified, those He also glorified."

Further, the Father chose His people before the world was framed, not based on our works but on the sovereign will of God. (Eph 1:3-4) "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ; even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without blemish before Him in love." To be clear, God gave to the Son these Elect or Chosen to be redeemed by His sacrificial death, atoning for all their sins. They were chosen according to God's good pleasure, before we even existed lest someone claim God chose to save based on our works (Eph1:5) "having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His desire."

Jesus lays down His life for His sheep, which are both the Elect Jews and the Elect Gentiles, two sheepfolds, but one Shepherd. (Joh 10:15), "even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one Shepherd." And again, "and that He might make known the riches of His glory on vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, us, whom He also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles."

So, Dr. Flowers is mistaken. Israel was in rebellion against God at Christ's first advent; the Jews rejected their Messiah, but not all did. Some believed, and more would later believe, by the choice of God. These believers were the chosen ones whom Christ was given by the Father to save. (Rom 11:7) "What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he didn't obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened." Notice how Paul answers the earlier question (Rom 11:1) "I ask then, did God reject his people?" Paul's answer is that, mostly yes, Israel was rejected, but not everyone, "God didn't reject His people, which He foreknew." Paul is saying that God doesn't reject those He foreknew because they are chosen for salvation, but the rest (not chosen) remain in rebellion. Jews were predestined for salvation, just as some Gentiles were also predestined for salvation based on the Father's will. Recognize that God foreknew those who would be saved because He chose them personally (Rom 8:29), "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son." Thus, only the chosen ones obtain salvation; the rest are hardened and will remain in unbelief. This is because it is only by God's supernatural regeneration of a person's dead spirit anyone can believe.

No doubt, someone might say, "Anyone can come forward and be saved; they don't need to be chosen by the Father." Well, the Bible says otherwise, Dr. Flowers notwithstanding (Joh_6:44), "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day." According to Scripture, the Father draws, and yet so does the Son. Those being drawn are the same group of people, as Jesus said (John 12:32), "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself." The Father draws, and the Son draws -- not an indiscriminate "all" people universally, but a particular "all" -- as we've seen, it is "all" that the Father gave the Son to be redeemed.

These doctrines are not "Calvinism, " as if Calvin invented it. Rather these are God's Truths; they belong to God. They are the foundational doctrines of the Bible concerning the work of Christ. Dr. Flowers can pretend "His People" is not limiting, but indeed it is, for only the Elect are called to be "His People." The Elect Jews and Elect Gentiles throughout history are His People" (Rom_15:10), "Again, he says, Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people." Gentiles and Jews, two sheepfolds, joined under One Shepherd. A chosen number from these two groups is made His people, chosen by the Father and then redeemed by the Son. This is God's will, not man's will, which is why the carnal spirit cannot accept it. God's chosen people are predestined to be adopted as sons and daughters into the family of God (Eph1:5), "having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His desire." That's the Bible's reality, and it should be the Scriptural reality for everyone who claims the name of Christ. For it is the Gospel of Christ Jesus. Anything else is an invention from the wicked hearts of men who do not know God.