Why Do Some Believe and Others Don't - Answering Leighton Flowers Part 1

Dr, Leighton Flowers of Soteriology 101 attempts to skirt around the question posed by Calvinists regarding the ultimate reason for salvation - was it the decision of the sinner, or was it the sovereign act of God? How does one skirt around the Scriptures which plainly teach man's spiritual blindness and inability? The first of two parts answering Dr. Flowers assertions that salvation ultimately depends upon sinful man exercising his free will.

[SamOwenI]

I agree with everything you say in this video. One thing I would say as a polite bit of feedback is I think it would be more persuasive if you precisely tackled what Leighton Flowers says, and then also anticipate and answer any objections or rebuttals to your arguments from the bible. I think much of this video says standard things Calvinists say, without actually going through the biblical texts that prove your beliefs in sufficient detail. Because of this, many people adopting Leighton Flowers' brand of pelagianism/synergism will simply reject your conclusions, thinking they have a valid alternative interpretation of the text in question.
Often when Calvinists argue with other perspectives, they talk past each other because they have two very different worldviews. It's most powerful when you can together go through the biblical text, doing live verse-by-verse exegesis where you can clearly see what the writer is communicating, and demonstrate your beliefs from the text. Eg when you mention John 6 and John 12, I would actually camp on those passages, going through those in verse-by-verse detail with discussion of the context and correcting specific errors. This is because people who actively oppose reformed theology likely will have come across these passages and think they have a valid alternative interpretation. The way to demonstrate that they don't is to go through them in detail. Indeed, that would make the video longer, but that is what's required. Otherwise you have two sides speaking past each other and no interaction. It's also a reason why I like to give books away on the topic or share videos where there is verse-by-verse exegesis (eg John Piper teaching on Romans 8, Alpha and Omega Ministries' video "John 6 for Roman Catholics") - these long videos allow people to sit and follow along with their bibles.

[nicholascarter]

Apparently, this man’s understanding of God transforming the heart and drawing man to Himself to receive Christ is completely different from Flower’s understanding of God transforming the heart and drawing man to Himself to receive Christ. Look, if God wanted to JUST CHOOSE SOME then why did He send His Son for us? Why didn’t He just pick some and throw the rest away? Man, this level of Calvinism crap is so silly and I don’t understand how a Calvinist sleeps at night while actually believing that God works this way! You might as well just say that I can’t go to Heaven and be saved because I’m not a different color;So therefore I am not chosen/elect because I’m not the right color and there’s nothing I can do about that and that’s just the way it is! However, this may surprise MANY ..listen close : I hear SOME truth in what is being called “Calvinism” today. If someone views the specific teachings of Calvinism from a certain perspective then it doesn’t come across as so harsh and random and unfair or unjust (God is NONE of those things CLEARLY if you have ever studied His word) Irresistible grace for example is true and it isn’t. The reason it’s true is because if one really sees God in their life they will see that He really is irresistible all along..yet, however, the fact that God calls ALL to believe and many do not proves that we CAN resist or accept Him. One more little bite of truth: Jesus died for all but many Calvinists say He didn’t die for EVERYONE but only the elect! WRONG!...1Timothy 4:10 at the same time only those who believe will be saved! So, in a certain sense, His atonement (John 3:16) is limited to those who believe BUT it is not limited to those who will not believe. So it is limited and unlimited (Someone will say that is a contradiction...but if I explain it then you’ll get it!! The only difference is that God is not EXPLAINING all the details to us BUT He has given us enough to see enough!!! Just stop all the bickering over the obvious. Jesus wants us all to be saved and to work to that end. He is Sovereign OVER our choices. If I choose to RESPOND to Jesus, I did not save myself AND I did save myself. How?? Well, Peter said to the people “save yourselves from this wicked generation” ect... So, here we have Jesus calling ALL and yet saving only some...( those who believe in Him)..why?..because Jesus is the means by which God has elected some (and He knew us before we existed) ANYONE who so calls on Him WILL BE SAVED and those who don’t want to call CAN be saved...but they won’t and God knew that and set it up this way for His glory!! Do we really want God to come down and rebuke us for arguing over stuff so elementary? Look and see that Jesus did not come to the world to condemn it but to save it! Please hear and understand this message I am attempting to effectively deliver..If you don’t understand it then you were not “predestined” to understand it anyways and you can’t understand it no matter how much evidence you have or explanations or how much you want to or desire to understand it (Lol, think about this...) 1Timothy 4:10. I will keep sharing that verse until someone attempts to tell me that it means something different from what it clearly says!!! Stop it in Jesus Name!!!