Romans 3 & Calvinism

Dr. Leighton Flowers, Director of Evangelism and Apologetics for Texas Baptists, briefly explains why Romans 3 does not support Calvinism when read in context.

You can view the full video here:

[samueldealmeida]

What it looks like to me is that Calvinists ignore the fullness of God's character and therefore use text out of context which is pretext

[craigjoyner]

The entire book of Romans is about salvation by works (not possible) and salvation by grace through faith (which is possible).

Calvinists ignore all of that.

[malvokaquila]

How can the gospel be good news for all people if God hasn't picked me?

[qcbtbx]

Look at Dr. Flowers having relevant memes in his thumbnail. I'll allow it! 🤣

[zacharybeauford]

Umm, “no one understands; no one seeks for God.”

I don’t think your explanation explains the context at all. Furthermore, it’s not that no one “can pursue after God” (I believe that’s what you said) it’s that they ‘will not’. They freely don’t want God. They love their sin and the false gods they’ve created in their minds. Romans 3 clearly states that the whole human race is in this state of willful rebellion. The question follows, how is ones ‘willer’ changed? How do you get a rebel who’s willfully running from the true God to turn and willfully love the true God?

[zfmwokf]

I think as an extension of Warren’s argument against total depravity that I agree with is the Calvinist appeal to the “apostolic interpretation” of OT texts. It is nothing more than “Don’t trust your God given reason to understand the truth of God’s word. You must instead trust the Calvinist to provide you revelation that is not in the plain context of the OT reference.” Romans 9 being the most abused example.

[apilkey]

We know this is hyperbole because Paul goes on to say in Romans 3:13

13 “Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips.”

Is the poison of asps literally under everyone’s lips?

Are people’s throats a literal sepulchre?

🤦‍♂️

[HeavenGuy]

That is what Paul is doing in Romans 7 and Romans 8. Romans 7 is trying to keep the law. Romans 8 is the contrast of power by the Spirit.

[erhardtharris]

First to see this. I got dibs?

I think reality with God is far more nuanced than we give credit for or know (of course, cuz God knows the inner structure of all reality). God makes things clear, brings things into memory, in the maturing process. With each step of knowledge, empowerment, maturity, there is THEN the empowered choice: to obey or refuse. Additional revelation and clarity in anything often comes then, contingent upon what we are seeking and where we have defensively/offensively chosen to Refusing to obey what we know is better in favor of what we know is worse (because it is easy old habit) often leads old tired vicious lazy humanity to ruin. And, for practical purposes, if you're long dead, like physically long dead...you are not going to be making any choices anyhow regardless of range, awareness, depth, you're just waiting to be conscious again, resurrected, by the One you may have consciously decided in moment of revealed honesty not to trust, believe, and have wronged! Oops goes like an honest accident, stumbling in darkness! ...And then more than oops once you are made aware by The One God that you indeed fell!

[markwise]

Calvinism applies the Gospel to the Gospel, that is what cults do. You can hear people say it "is" the Gospel.

[WKNS]

Couldn't have explained it better 👍

[rauldhulecalvinist]

just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
Romans 4:6‭-‬12 ESV

[brando]

Lol I liked the video for the thumbnail alone 😂

[MasterKeyMagic]

Except 3 John 2: Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does what is good is of God; whoever does what is evil has never seen God

[briward]

It is not that man first seeks after God no one is saying that. Man responds to God who is the one pursuing man. God loves His own creation so HE, God pursues man and man responds in faith to God who pursues and provides for a restored relationship.

[elijahraya]

This is what confusion looks like when you spend your entire life trying prove that man isn’t dead in his sins. Enough

[darrendodd]

Abraham wasn't righteous but was declared righteous. Also, just a quick one. What would you say the unbelieving fools have turned a stray ftom what - nothing/ God/ the law? Any thoughts?

[RobertlawrenceBDCMinistries]

just taught on Psalm 14 one of the other texts used in Romans 3.

[dustinpaulson]

Straight Outta Context is like all of Calvinism. They are just as bad at prooftexting their doctrines as Word of Faith'rs and Jehovah's Witnesses.

[rauldhulecalvinist]

Dr Leighton u taking Romans 4 out of context u didn't mention the full chapter just took one verses and twist it for ur means of gain