The Differences Between Arminianism & Provisionism | Dr. Leighton Flowers | Soteriology 101

Dr. Leighton Flowers, Director of Evangelism and Apologetics for Texas Baptists, Discusses the differences between Provisionism and Arminianism with Dr. Brian Abasciano.

*See the pinned comment below from Dr Flowers covering some of the points Dr Abasicano brought up that were not addressed.

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[Soteriology]

At around the 25 min mark Dr Abasciano started a long discourse in which he brought up several points that we were never able to address, so I wanted to address them here:

1. Mystical quality of the scripture (I responded to this point but didn’t get to the other points below)
2. Few people believe because all are inclined towards sin. Why don’t most people believe?—The same question can be asked of your position. Why don’t more people believe even after being given Prevenient Grace, after all everyone is given PG on your view, right? This argument doesn’t help your case. And it doesn’t address the point of contention, which is whether the Bible teaches that our sinful inclinations cause us to be totally unable to respond positively to the gospel.

3. The work of Satan in blinding sinners. This needs to be overcome by PG. —Why blind people already born blind? What Satan is doing seem redundant and unnecessary if total inability is true. Also, this argument assumes that Satan’s blinding is innate from birth rather than something that happens over time. Provisionists don’t believe that mankind cannot grow hardened or become blinded by sin and Satan. And we’d have no issue saying that God may use means (even possibly unmediated means) to help someone overcome the blinding work of Satan. We simply deny that this is a condition from birth due to the Fall.

4. Lydia (I answered this point)
5. The clearing away of obstacles or fences that are built up and inclining men’s hearts to consider the gospel— these points are not addressing our point of contention. We can affirm that God works to do this through a variety of sufficient means. The point is that those obstacles and fences that He is clearing aren’t innate from birth due to the Fall, but as Brian said “they are built up” over time.
6. God is working to give a person a sense that’s the gospel is true. (I responded to this point talking about our God given conscience which can become seared over time)
7. God may work through circumstances and put a thought in your mind. —Again, this would be true on both our views because whether or not they are born totally unable to respond positively to the gospel or not they still need to be wooed or persuaded on our perspective. These can simply be examples of the means God may use to draw sinners to him. It says nothing to their innate inability to believe the gospel.

[chaplaindavidoutingthechri]

Dr. Flowers in my opinion provides the clearest and most accurate view of scripture regarding salvation.

[charlesbrown]

I find it kinda strange how people say that by us saying that we don't need an extra-supernatural work, we diminish how desperately sinful we are. Imagine that we find a special nectar from a flower that you only need one drop of to cure cancer, that would speak to how powerful the nectar is. Not to how weak one sees cancer. When we say that the revelation that the Bible provides is enough, we're actually elevating how powerful even the "simplist" act of God is

[KevinEDF]

Thanks for what you do, I never had been confronted with calvinism until recently and it seemed so foreign to the scriptures and my previous reading of God's word. It troubled me quite frankly how many teachers held to it as I dug deeper. Your clear, and gentle stand for God's provision for all really makes a difference and has helped me immensely. Please continue what you do and don't be afraid to repeat your responses as repetition has helped me to share this info with others.

[matthewmartinez]

Thanks for helping me pull out of the 5 points. Seeing it for what it is. False. God bless. Praise be to God.

[AmayzinOne]

Can we all take a moment to acknowledge the love and respect in this video?

This was a great conversation. Glory to God. Both brothers were honest, kind and gentle in their approach. Both brought up true struggles of why they don’t accept the opposing belief. Both remained Christ-like in debate.

We should thank these three for committing to resembling Christ even in disagreement.

Btw, I think Leighton’s correct, but I learned more about my Arminian brothers.

[wretchedsinnerRighteousSavior]

Another great example of how arminianism is just a nuanced form of calvinism. We cant find God by our wisdom - the Lord already told us that in 1 Corinthians. Just believe the Bible like little children.

[krissyyoung]

Faith comes by hearing. It’s the gospel message, itself, that has the power….unto salvation.

[ReArmApologetics]

Reformed Arminian here. Great conversation from both men. Obviously I agree with Dr. Abasciano but Leighton as always aquits himself very well. Reformed Arminians and Provisionists are very close and in practice wind up at very similar end points. I just believe that the Scriptural evidence for Total Depravity is undeniable. However, I do accept that a form of Prevenient Grace is the Gospel Call and the Holy Scriptures. Excellent talk. Love and prayers from your friendly neighborhood Reformed Arminian 😎

[eiontactics]

1 Corinthians 1:21

“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

... I don't know what is so hard about that? Preaching the Gospel----> enables people to saves those who believe.

[TheGospelIsTrue]

Dr. abasciano is a great guy man. I am a Provisionist myself and I don’t adopt the arminianist view. But man, so many great explanations of calvinist proof texts from Dr. A! I even emailed him one time about a particular confusion of mine in the greek in a calvinist proof text and he responded kindly and helpfully! Love Dr. Flowers and Dr. A!

[willsmitt]

I was always confused about this. Dr. Flowers did an excellent job of explaining and making things much more clear. Thank you!! You are a huge blessing.

[primeobjective]

Dr. Flowers: All Truth is believable.

Because Jesus IS the way, THE TRUTH & the life. ALL truth comes from Christ, the Father of TRUTH.

[chrisgoodgo]

I appreciate the moderator. The clarifications were helpful.

[primeobjective]

"How can one believe the Qu'ran but not the Bible?"
Answer:
"We're inclined to believe lies."

Cop-out answer.

People believe in the laws of physics, biology the vicarious sciences, logic and moral truths.

Are those lies too?

[myselfpoker]

I hope we are approaching a new revival of Biblical, Classical Arminianism.
Provisionism being a modified form of Arminianism, is major improvement on Calvinism and a huge step in the right direction.
The channel by which Salvation comes is ''believing/believe'' on the Lord Jesus, not ''believed''. Salvation is conditional by one having faith/believing on Jesus Christ, it's active faith. I am happy soteriology101 exists, a great blessing. God bless.

[DamonNomad]

With apologies for how frequently I use this illustration of the Calvinist vs Arminian vs Provisionist debate, but which I will keep using anyway because it fits so well:
Unbelief = a chasm.
Belief = a bridge over the chasm, built by God for sinners to cross.
Believing the Gospel = crossing the bridge.
Salvation = reaching the other side of the chasm.
Calvinist "Total Depravity" = a fierce, but entirely imaginary, dragon that Calvinists claim prowls the near side of the bridge and which absolutely exists and keeps sinners from crossing, so God has to teleport them instead, rendering the whole "bridge" useless and unusable, and the command to cross it impossible.
Arminian "Prevenient Grace" = a set of chains that bind the dragon, keeping it harmlessly out of the way so that sinners are capable of crossing the bridge as commanded.
The mistake Arminians make is that they acknowledge the imaginary "dragon" as being real, and instead of seeing it as the Calvinist make-believe it actually is, they invent equally imaginary "chains" to bind the "dragon".

[EnHacore]

Great discussion Dr Flowers, you stayed on point and reflected back on Dr Abasciano's points. Big thumbs up for having a civilized discussion.
It is very interesting to hear Dr Abasciano trying to make an anti point, yet it sounds so correct that it helps Dr Flowers's interpretation.

[cecilspurlockjr.]

THE HOLY SPIRIT convicts of sin but doesn't force HIMSELF . Brother Leighton is coming with reality and how the Bible explains reality as usual. The other brothers appear to be caught up in their presups to the point they kinda step away from reality by claiming that GOD has created us to not be able to believe truth over a lie simply because the gospel is the truth being spoken.
GOD bless you brothers.

[amadeusasimov]

Arminianism and Calvinism always give me the imagery of the muddy bog in Pilgrim's Progress;
They both sit in the mud and say
"ah, I can't do anything....I didn't want to be stuck in this mud but....oh well...that's just the Sovereignty of God...if he wants me to get out, he'll have to pull me out of it if he really wants..."
Meanwhile God is just standing over them with his hand out and shaking his head in pity.
They see him and respond; "Ah, God you're gonna have to pull me out of here, if you are willing, but I don't want you to, I'm unable to want you to pull me out!"
"...Stop complaining, just grab my hand." God responds.
"Oh! NO! I couldn't that would be me acting in the flesh!"
God: 🤦‍♂️