Leighton Flowers' interview of Roger Olson Against Calvinism

We looked at yet another clip between Flowers and Roger Olsen that demonstrates the radical nature of Flowers’ commitment to absolute autonomy.
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[franciscusgomarus]

Leighton Choice Meats Flowers is a Straight Up Pelagian. No Ifs or buts, no matter how much he wails and cries to the contrary. 🤠

[ryangallmeier]

Kinda fun watching an Arminian and Semi-Pelagian converse. I'd personally like to see these men debate the doctrine of Total Depravity.  
I'd be rooting for Dr. Olson on that one, because historic Arminianism holds to the same doctrine of Total Depravity that Calvinists do. 
Leighton doesn't.

[Michael-ukpj]

Flowers is not semi pelagian - there's no "semi" about it!

[FightingfortheKing]

As an Arminian (inb4 I get called a “damnable heretic” by one of you), it’s very clear to me that Scripture teaches that mankind is totally depraved apart from the Holy Spirit’s grace. Leighton rejects this core, Biblical doctrine. To say that a man doesn’t need a particular kind of grace to draw him to the Gospel— that he is capable of accepting it of his own moral ability— is to be a semi-Pelagian at best, if not outright fully Pelagian. Olson is well within the bounds of orthodoxy there. Flowers is cliff-diving outside of it.

[controlclerk]

I don't understand the rejection of what he calls "pre-faith regeneration." No one can say Jesus is Lord except in the Holy Spirit. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. How can one even confess faith without first being convicted in their heart? Is that not regeneration?

[joshpeterson]

3:00 is pure, unadulterated semi-Pelagianism. If someone says internal, supernatural grace is not a necessary prerequisite to believing the gospel, then that person is a semi-Pelagian as condemned by the Council of Orange.

[danielomitted]

Olson: "look we need to stand together and explain we're not pelagians"
Leighton: *goes on to explain how hes a pelagian*
That was pretty comical. Its a shame they didnt feel compelled to go into their differences on this.

[countrysidefilms]

Leighton's face after 1:14 is very telling. He wanted Olson to help aide him in attacking Calvinism, while in reality Olson at least partially upholds the depravity of man that Calvinism is based on.

[samuelrosenbalm]

I am sorry, but Leighton Flowers is a full blown heretic. I hate it, as I do not dislike the man, and I believe he is genuine in his motivations. But to flat-out deny the role of the Holy Spirit in salvation is absolute and utter heresy.

[tylerbuckner]

Just stopped by for my annual dose of analogesis…

[andrewclover]

Flowers is not Semi-Pelagian. He'd have to move closer to orthodoxy to be that.

[davevandervelde]

This is one of the best videos I have ever seen. Great ending!

[dannywilliamson]

@Lauren For some reason, I cannot post in that previous string.

That's the disconnect is NOT "offered" to all. The church rolls were written in eternity past (Eph. 1:3-5). Jesus even said that He didn't come to save everyone who ever lived (John 17:9-10). And He made the Father's ultimate sovereignty plain in John 6, saying that no one CAN come to Him without the Father first drawing that person. To drive the point even further, He also said that EVERYONE that the Father called would come.

[dailytheology]

The atonement can’t work this way.... Col 2:14, When was the debt paid? At the cross. Actual atonement. 😎

[jtslev]

What is this freedom that Leighton contends for? Is it not simply the ability to sin? How is that freedom?! That’s bondage!! Freewill is the curse! Conformity to God is eternal life! Those who sin (which is everyone) are slaves to death and condemnation, for which there is no escape, unless found with Christ’s righteousness. This isn’t a matter of what we can do to solve the problem, because that would grant us the ability to boast in our wisdom and humility, which is unbiblical, heretical, and quite frankly a false gospel. The only thing that can save us is the mercy and grace of our Father in heaven, and whether or not He has chosen from eternity to crucify His Son on our behalf, and raise us to newness of life through the work of His Holy Spirit! Therefore, we can only be made aware of our salvation through repentance, belief in the Son, and submission to His commandments. For those are the indicators of a child of God who has received a new heart, and the promise of eternal life!

May all those who have been made aware of their salvation rejoice, and sing praises of thanksgiving to our loving God, who loved us each, personally, before the foundation of the earth! And may all those who are in rebellion, or unsure of their salvation, commit themselves to God here and now, so the promises of salvation and the assurance that comes through obedience would be applied to them as well!

[miketatreau]

Roger Olson said,

"Look, we agree with you that the natural fallen person is incapable of making a faith decision apart from a special work of the Holy Spirit, freeing their will to say yes. And that comes through the gospel preached and taught and communicated to them."


He thinks this would stop Calvinists from calling him a sem-Pelagian. While he appears to understand the necessity and function of the first part of the Father's drawing, he needs to understand that Jesus also taught a second part: that everyone who is drawn will come.

When you embrace these things, no one will call you a semi-Pelagian.

[thisiswhathappened]

Free will believers cannot exegete the texts. They always read them incorrectly and out of context. His will, not free will..!!

[NicholasproclaimerofMessiah]

Seeing Leighton's face when he is vaguely agreeing with someone, and suddenly they say something which implies a potential to credit God as the sole effectual savior; I first noticed it in another video when he was speaking with Mike Winger. Olson drops the bomb on Flowers at 1:27 "incapable of making a faith decision apart from a special working of the Holy Spirit freeing their will to say: yes".

I'm not strictly a "Calvinist", but I am Reformed, so I don't mix up my soteriology in terms of God being the sole effectual savior truly the Savior whom there is none beside.

[BK-yzpx]

Why do the show notes talk negativity about Flowers and not Olson? Flowers literally had Olson admit to this partial regeneration in Classical Arminianism. That’s not Biblical at all. That’s like being free but still in bondage.

[pateunuchity]

Isn’t it ironic that Leighton uses the “boogeyman” tactic in order to denounce the use of the “boogeyman” tactic? Don’t let the goo get on you my friends.