I’ve been a Christian for over 50 years. When I first learned what Calvinism was I questioned a lot of things. No doctrine is more divisive in the church and causes more confusion because it obviously puts sovereignty against Gods goodness. The way MacArthur and others talk is illogical and arrogant. If I believed like Johnny Mac did I would reject God outright as a fraud. 5 point Calvinism just plain and simply is not true. Dr. Flowers has encouraged me a lot to realize I’m not crazy. When you leave falsehood things become much more clear.
Beware of ALL ISM’s. They are not of God. Also, how can anyone deny the fact that John MacArthur stated you can be forgiven if you take the Mark. Blatant Blasphemy. His Freemason higher learning has made him a fool.
Another thought that just occurred to me. I thought MacArthur's tone in talking about Alana was strangely familiar. Then it hit me where I had heard that attitude displayed before: In John 9, after Jesus healed the man who had been blind from birth, and the Sanhedrin summoned and questioned the man, only to be confounded by his wise answers to them, they ended by raging at him in a strikingly similar way: "They answered and said to him, 'You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?' And they cast him out." (John 9:34)
Just checked that out, well caught, but I also saw John 9:41, Calvinists insistent that whilst being blind we are still blameworthy of sins but this scripture from Jesus says different.
As a fellow sister in Christ, I can honestly say it has been encouraging to listen to Alana speak about how she has also come out of Calvinism through a study of Scripture.
@@dfischer5878 I have to agree, I honestly became reformed in my study of Roman's before I even heard of reformed theology or any teachers. I remember the first time I came to understand it, I was so offended but found peace in my trust that God is just and holy and being a sinner by nature I was not the one to be trusted with even my own salvation. Then reform teaching became sweet to my soul. Reformed theology is humbling to men. However on the other side I do find reformed teacher rather than being humble are rather arrogant in teaching.
@@jeffreypatterson9956 thats an Oxymoron, God is holy, he can't sin. And you would have to be more righteous than God to make such a claim. You might need to expand on your comment in terms of meaning, when is God sinning? If God created a universe where creatures had the ability and weakness to be deceived and yet had no way of redemption, no sacrifice could be made, no pardonable options would be offer. Would that God have sinned, would that God have been evil to you?
@@allanhutton1123 “Having the ability and weakness to be deceived” isn’t “reformed theology” though. Reformed theology affirms that God meticulously predetermined EVERYTHING and NOTHING comes to pass except for what is decreed by God. Also a person does not have the ability to make a choice contrary to what God has determined/decreed. In Reformed theology evil and sin are creations and decrees of God and even the most evil person is merely acting out what God has already predetermined for them to do. No amount of double speak can explain this away you have to agree that this is the obvious conclusion unless you want to admit that when a person sins they have the God given choice and ability to do otherwise? Or that Gods not predetermining/decreeing everything.
I generally love MacArthur, but occasionally you see flashes of that very common elitist arrogance that is so common among Calvinist. The “believe like me or you’re biblically ignorant” content almost always comes out in discussions of non-Calvinist.
Yet does his opinion of what she wrote on her post can be erased by his critical words to her. God loves her just as he loves John. He is doing more damage to himself than he is to her. Sad! I have stopped listening to him many years ago. And am not sorry for that. It has set me free! Live by the spirit not by keeping the law.
Likewise, I’ve learnt a lot from John M on many subjects, but occasionally have been shocked by something he said and felt disappointed by his attitude. I think someone in his position can easily lose touch with ‘ordinary’ life and people; and there’s great danger in being surrounded by people who tend to agree with you and have a common worldview.
There is a way that seems right to a man but it's end is destruction Enjoy Arrogant private interpretation Arminianists wrongly dividing scripture wronthink coming to conclusions. Mm mm mm! "That's not the way I see it" SMH!
I guess Macaurthur forgot about this…. “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 1Co 1:28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 1Co 1:29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” 1 Corinthians 27:29
Since I came to the faith 6 years ago, I've always had a discerning attitude towards anyone with MacArthur's "fame". I put my trust and faith into Jesus from reading the pages of my bible. I didn't encounter Calvinism until I was already a believer. Coming out of what I already believed before coming to Jesus (new age, occultism, etc.), it just didn't sound like the gospel I had recently read and fell in love with. Praise God for allowing me to discern the matter early in my faith!
Fame itself is like money, not inherently good or bad. I noticed a lot of calvinists as well as charismatics have a lot of subscribers. There are awesome channels with way fewer subs. Like "Fighting for the faith" or "Dr Jordan Cooper" or "Higher Things" and "Bryan Wolfmueller". If you cam to the faith only a few years ago you might find, drop, find and then drop again quite a few more channels. Check out those I mentioned before, you won't regret those
MacArthur's fame is mostly due to his standing firmly to his biblical convictions for over half a century. No man is perfect and that is obvious to us all, but there are certainly some who are apt teachers and worth listening to (in a Berean spirit). MacArthur is one of those men in my opinion.
I also followed pastor MacArthur almost blindly for many years! But I married a southern Baptist! He gently showed me over several years that Calvinism was not biblical! It was not easy, but I’m glad I see what the Bible really teaches!
@Marq George Ephesians 1:13-14 -- "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory." Faith as a meritorious "work" is Calvinist nonsense. The Bible and the NT in particular is constantly urging belief and choosing. Paul constantly contrasts faith and works. Hebrews 2:2-3 -- "For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" Tell me, in all seriousness: how can you possibly neglect something when you were predetermined "before the foundation of the world " to accept it?
"So, if the gospel is offered to all, why aren't all called?" Because in your system the gospel is only *truly* offered to "the elect". The bulk of humanity was predetermined by God to burn in hell forever. And please explain to me how the reprobate are responsible for being created essentially a robot that by divine decree can do nothing but sin. Also explain what the role of Satan is. In Calvinism Satan is totally unnecessary since God decreed sin. And with all due respect, I couldn't care less what a philosopher and synod had to say nearly 400 years after the New Testament.
To me there are some verses in the Bible that can easily be misunderstood and that may seem to support Calvinism. Verses alone can be very misleading and it is essential to study each teaching fully to try and understand the context of those verses. Personal study of the Bible is a must if one wants to know what it really teaches.
@@Marquus55 Freedom of choice was and is part of how we were created. Only God is sovereign and nobody can ever dispute that Freedom of choice does not mean that man is ABOVE God when He created man to be like that. (Calvanists seem to think differently). Blessings to all even if we cannot agree.😊
John MacArthur is most fortunate among men to be decreed by God to become fairly "rich&famous" by criticizing so many other things which God also decreed🤔🤔 And he evidently won the soteriological lottery too!🤠How can one guy get so "lucky"
@@R.L.KRANESCHRADTT It is always an interesting irony that they teach a system that logically means that God predetermined all of those who do not believe in their system, to not to believe it. Yet they treat us who are decreed by God to not be Calvinist (if Calvinism is true) as though we are ignorant, and lacking discernment, when we are simply doing exactly as we have been decreed to do.
@@SaneNoMore it's really unkind. And I can't help but think it reflects a deeper part of their nature. If Calvinism is true and we reject it by God's decree you'd think they'd be a little bit more courteous towards the poor and unfortunate. But we don't even get a sympathetic... "Bless Your Heart"😁
I'm a woman inside a baptist church with a fossilised calvinistic mindset and I have Alana's problem. Husband and I invited my pastor and his wife to our home to tell them that calvinism makes God the author of evil and thus their doctrine creates a wedge between me and the Lord because I just can't serve an exclusive, bigoted, tyrant God who creates life to send it to hell. Now Husband and I are slowly speaking up about the problem of calvinism in our church and I won't sit down until everyone there acknowledges the demonic premisses of calvinism. If this doesn't happen, we will leave. Alana and Leighton, you have no idea what a relief it was for my husband to tell me about Soteriology 101. I feel like I'm finally not alone in this and allowed to think for myself as a woman.
JMac exposed his well-known disdain for women basically telling her to know her place, stay silent, shut up, and go bear some more children for your salvation. Look, many have protected JMac through the years, but there is no defense for his arrogance and disdain towards women.
@Phillip Wilson How do you know what I do or do not hate? Are you omniscient? Are you claiming to be God? For only He and He alone knows the depths of a person's heart? So, are you God to make such a definitive accusation and judgment about another person's heart whom you know nothing of?
@Phillip Wilson Philippians 4:2-3 -- "I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life." Euodia and Syntyche were women, if you didn't notice. They helped Paul plant churches.
@Phillip Wilson Heretic? Lol! The uncharitable low-level ad hominem nonsense you offer is laughable and cowardly. Interesting, though, JMac's fruits are public, and those can be judged, and they're not good. So unlike my life's fruit, which you have absolutely no access to, and yet as a predictable Calvinist label "heretic," JMac's are open game for critique, and they're spoiled.
Thank you Leighton and Alana for speaking up about this. I've always appreciated a lot of John MacArthur's teachings and the way he stood up against tyranny during Covid, but this I think is a heart issue he needs to work through and a good lesson for each of us. Since when are we, as believers, supposed to keep our opinions to ourselves with regards to studying scripture? We should always be able to speak our minds and be open to criticism, to be willing to accept that we don't know it all. We should be actively digging into the word and sharing what we learn with others, both to teach and encourage and to also learn from people's response to our thoughts. The Bible always encourages actively engaging with others and sharing our understanding, not doing independent studies and never discussing it. A reaction like "so-and-so should keep their opinions to themself" is just a pride issue and an exhibition of fear that maybe what they're saying has some merit. And in addition, age and experience doesn't mean you can't still make mistakes or have issues with your theology, and thus shouldn't be open to listen to the thoughts of others. Time and time again in scripture we see people who start out well and end poorly in old age due to their pride getting to them (Uzziah, Asa, Solomon, Saul, Hezekiah). We need to be careful as we age and gain experience to not let this blind us to humility and a willingness to listen.
In fact sometimes old age itself reduces filters. My husband's grandfather was a very proper man. When he got dementia he started cussing and yelling. I'm curious if it was years of anger finally coming out, because not every person I hear about with dementia reacts that way. MacArthur maybe has been full of pride and anger and it is now escaping his filters. Or it was just a knee jerk reaction that he didn't think about enough because interviews go fast and you can't hem and haw or take back what you said. Has he ever apologized that you know of?
John MacArthur was triggered, and made a dismissive and disrespectful comment, simply by someone saying that they "left Calvinism," which to MacArthur--with all of his advanced degrees and education--meant that, by comparison, he was too stupid to recognize the unbiblical nature of Calvinism (excuse me, "The Doctrines of Grace"). So, Mr. MacArthur wanted to share that he's been to the Mountain Top, and has filtered Calvinism through the Bible, and Calvinism survived (by creating two wills, a Secret Will, mysteries, turning "all" into "groups" and "world" into "some of each kind," anthropomorphisms, transcendence, ect).
Which advanced degrees? Maybe he has some, but that "Dr." is honorary and if he were honest he wouldn't use it, because he did not earn any type of doctorate degree.
What's to understand..MY BROTHER in-law tried to explain to me about Calvinist..I listen until it came to election..I just stopped right there..never believe God chooses who goes to he'll and heaven..then it hits me... No wonder he was always down..not knowing if he was one of the elected..COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT I was hearing.. wasn't even going there with him..
“If a man builds his house in a tree, he will defend that tree with his life, even when it is discovered that the tree is diseased, simply because his life’s investment (the house) is in that tree. I am convinced this is what happened to Augustine , Calvin and JMAC. Better to build one’s house on solid rock.”
I have no doubt that MacArthur honestly believes in Calvinist Soteriology. He has spent so many years defending it now that no one will convince him otherwise, but I also think that if by some miracle something made him realize it was not in line with God’s Word he would in fact change his teaching. He wants to be in line with Scripture and has even held to his eschatology despite many around him and most reformed theologians being amillennial because he thinks it is in line with Scripture (I agree). I find nothing in him that indicates he is willing to compromise what he feels the Bible teaches I just happen to disagree with him on the teaching of TULIP.
@@SaneNoMore But if you listen to recent posts about him, they highlight times when he was preaching a non-Calvinist, 'receive Jesus, while you still can, so that you won't become too hardened to believe, later': John Henry/The Gospel of Christ posted one last week, which was supposedly preached recently. But he also preaches the opposite, in defense of all-important Calvinism. Could he possibly be blind to the disconnect? Or what is this?
@@lindajohnson4204 I tried to find the video you spoke about and could not, but recently (because of this channel) a sermon on Hebrews 3 titled “The Hardening of the Heart” from MacArthur has been making the rounds. In this sermon JMac clearly is teaching the free will of man to accept or reject the Gospel. This sermon thought was from 1972. MacArthur has said he really became Calvinist in seminary, so before preaching at Grace Community Church, but that his understanding of the “Doctrines of Grace” (ie TULIP) grew as he preached through the NT. I’ve not heard any recent sermons that are not in line with that teaching, but it is clear from some of his very early sermons he did at one time teach man has a choice in salvation.
@@SaneNoMore Thinking about it, maybe John Henry (who is also a Calvinist) posted an earlier sermon, although he posted it recently. I'm thinking it was earlier, through something I heard in the sermon, but I may be wrong. I heard the video here, yesterday, I believe, so to me, the disconnect is just strange.
Prideful John. Would he refer to a male, young adult, who is countering Calvinism as a “boy”- like he referred to Alana, a young woman, as a girl? NEVER!! He owes her an apology.
He's in serious error. Pretribber. Lordship salvation. What he did to Eileen Gray is truly abhorrent. He's always been a misogynist... says that lust is the worst sin. He's got problems.
I loved Charles Stanley for just the same reason as Alana mentions. You felt the love and kindness which is what Christians are supposed to exhibit. Lots of us could learn from that. Alana comes across as being in a humble, self-searching in relation to truth, healthy place that many of us could learn from too. God bless you Alana, Leighton and may God reward those of us who humbly, genuinely seek to find Him and His will.
I literally just left my former church that started going stealth Calvinist and was getting closer to full-blown. I don’t regret my decision at all. It’s been like a breath of fresh air.
JM claims that after studying this stuff for 50 years, he's sure the calvinistic view fits in Scripture, but I remember in one of his sermons, he said that the view does seems off and we find ourselves in some kind of paradox but we just have to let God be God. If calvinism fits so well with scripture then why is it a paradox? It should all make sense since he claims the scriptures support it.
Calvinism is so double-minded. Calvin himself never touched the old testament nor revelation and knowing that tells me they've only got half of it right.
So i suppose that God is surprise when someone begins to believe . So may be He does'nt know each of the 144,000 jews in the apocalpse ? Maybe He will be surprise about them and who they are each of them? And the antechrist another surprise who will be ? The conversion of Paul ; hazard ? He was lucky to went on the right way ,at the right moment ,right place ? Paul was searching Jesus and found Him by Himself ? Sure ?
@claudecharest701God is God so he could choose to determine some things and not others. Holding to calvinism is dangerous we should observe Psalms 118:8
I’m only 51 and likely a wistful female too. I do not have 50 years of theological study. But I have studied the Bible and Calvinism and I do know how to read it and use discernment. Calvinism and each TULIP teaching is not the gospel when filtered through the Bible. So many are deceived by the TULIP doctrine and Calvinism in general. It is infiltrating still many churches unawares. We should question any teaching or teacher in light of scripture and not take what is said or taught just because a certain someone says to believe it.
Amen sister! However, I do believe only in the irresistible grace doctrine due to my conviction from scripture that all people will eventually be reconciled back to God.
@WhoGitDaBiscuit When you read the original Greek of the new testament, you'll see that universal salvation is a core doctrine. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 YLT98 [3] for this [is] right and acceptable before God our Saviour, [4] who doth will all men to be saved, and to come to the full knowledge of the truth; 1 Timothy 4:10 YLT98 [10] for for this we both labour and are reproached, because we hope on the living God, who is Saviour of all men - especially of those believing. Romans 3:22 YLT98 [22] and the righteousness of God [is] through the faith of Jesus Christ to all, and upon all those believing, - for there is no difference, Young's Literal is one of the best translations out there because it actually sticks very closely to the original Greek. You'll notice in the Romans verse that it's not your own faith that saves you because that would be a works-based salvation. It was the faith of Jesus that saved all people full stop, no discrimination. It's time we read the Bible, especially the new testament, as it was meant to be read.
calvinists are blind to their hypocrisy: their theology includes God being in meticulous control BUT THEN demand, argue, cajole, guilt trip others into doing/not doing/thinking/not thinking certain things with the inherent supposition that those others have the free will to do or not do. EVERY calvinist preacher will have proclaim the TULIP, but i have never heard a SERMON where they will clearly, forthrightly assert that God brings glory to Himself (mysteriously) by murders, rapes, child molestations as authored and decreed by Himself. it is only where a calvinist it pointedly cross examined such as by Leighton Flowers that they grudgingly admit to the implications of calvinism, but only after responding with equivocations, side stepping, hand waving, smoke and mirrors to deflect from the ugly truth of calvinism. at the end of the macarthur clip (see show notes) he tries to soften deterministic issues of calvinism with "being balanced".... that is wishy washy. either meticulous control is meticulous or it is not. i believe calvinist ignore, deflect, gas light about the meticulous control is that they know people will be repulsed by it > fewer congregant > le$$ giving. you will NEVER hear a calvinist proclaim God is in meticulous control and (name suffering) brings HIM glory at funerals, hospitals, hospices, jails, street corners.
Although I don't agree with his soteriology, JM has always held my respect until the last few years. This video is a perfect example of why I no longer care to read or hear what he has to say on any given issue. What a mean thing to say about a lady who holds him in high esteem.
Absolutely not. I never said I worshipped the man or anything like that, but wow!! Now we're not allowed to hold faithful expository preachers in high esteem..get out of here bro your being ridiculous and you throwing around the word idolatry isn't bordering on being judgmental it is in fact being highly judgmental..tell me I challenge you to find one thing that Dr. Macarthur has ever said, taught, or even hinted at that, doesn't line up directly and acutely with scripture! And examine the man's life and ministry! Please bro..50 plus years of fidelity to orthodox Christianity and not to mention the hundreds if not thousands of people that hes responsible for bringing to the lord and then training them up in the righteousness of Christ in loght of God's word. We need more faithful preachers like him!! But I will tell you this, that mans ability to soundly exposit and relay truth has greatly impacted my Christian walk and ALL for the better!! So tell me, how is this even bordering on idolatry or even in the general vicinity therof!!?? You need to chill out, dude, before you start pointing fingers at fellow believers that's assuming you are one!!
It's obviously some sort of witch hunt to put a faithful preacher "on the ropes" so to speak! I mean the title of the video in itself is misleading because he doesn't say anything directly to this Alana!! He says it to the interviewer!! So back up off Johnny Mac he's a good dude and one heck of a preacher/ teacher!!
I wanted to enroll in one of the reformed theology colleges because I thought it was the correct/biblical doctrine. However, few days before application, God gave me a dream in which i saw people were drinking contaminated water from the water wells in the school. I stopped the application process and through studying the Word and prayer, God helped me understand that much of the doctrine is unbiblical, it's contaminated. May God help us all understand and embrace His Truth
The accusation that you must have never been a Calvinist in the first place isn’t really that surprising. It’s a cult. It’s a literal cult devoted to a 16th century humanist lawyer who originally wanted to be a priest but he decided to be a lawyer instead because he wanted to make more money. And that cult is continually maintained a decade after decade by the latest iteration of Calvin quoting scholars. It must be assessed for what it is. Are there people within the fold of Calvinism to love Christ and our well-meaning people? No doubt. But both can be true. And the best thing to do for those people is speak the truth…Calvinism is a cult and the benefit of the doubt should no longer be given to the “pastors” and “scholars” of that cult.
1. With your knowledge of John Calvin, do you know of a good source book about his early life? I think he is a fascinating case study in human psychology. 2. One of the contemporary comments about his longevity in Geneva was that he was NOT out to make money and therefore NOT corrupted by worldly gain. The Geneva theocracy, a government where secular and religious rule was combined and of which he was the architect and absolute judge, collapsed several decades after his death and was never again reestablished.
After that foul video of JM, I immediately went to the Grace to you” channel to leave a comment to JM that he owes Alana an apology. No surprise, all videos have comments turned off. Guess they’re not interested in Bereans.
the boldness that Macarthur has is needed and loved when he's speaking on sin and during COVID. Unfortunately, his boldness turns to arrogance when confronted with someone who disagrees with his religious views. I truly think that many Calvinists believe that non Calvinists aren't saved.
The way he spoke about her was not just rude it was fully disrespectful. McArthur was very sneaky for many years , calvinist are dangerous even more than cults like the JWs and Mormons. I see the same behavior from them as I have from cults throughout my life.
One thing that John McaCarthur obviously lacks is a deep sense of humility. MacArthur has puffed himself up with his own knowledge and it blinds him from seeing what Scripture actually says. He is preaching tradition and not Scripture. I've been a Christian for 33 years and I am still learning new things about the Word of God and it has helped me know God better. "Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:" Isaiah 1:18
Wanted to post one more : what the host said at 36:40 mark: reminds me of an incident between a preacher and Mac. A preacher called out Mac once about him dismissing the efficacy of Christ’s blood and when this preacher used scripture to back his argument , McArthur became very insolent and angry. That shows you this guy has an issue with spiritual pride. So not surprising he said what he said to this lady. I don’t get why his followers feel because he has been in ministry for over 50 years, he’s automatically above reproach. This is a serious problem in Christian culture today - we latch onto a preacher and forge a spiritual connection and then think they can do no wrong. May God guard our minds to focus on Christ alone! Maranatha ❤
I disagree. I don't agree with his Calvinistic teaching but I don't usually find him to be arrogant. Obviously, in the case with this lady, he was and that was wrong but I don't think he comes across that way at all.
It's quite the empire that he's built on false doctrine. Hard to let go of. I do believe that if Calvinists weren't so arrogant, they wouldn't have to write books on the misconceptions of Calvinists being arrogant.
Towards the end Leighton was very commendable to extend benefit of doubt to John McArthur - "maybe he would back some of those statements up and apologize if talking to you in person." Is John McArthur on record apologizing for anything? Just asking.
No. He never apologizes. Calvinists don’t apologize. Their own doctrine infers that the “elect” are not only chosen as “God’s special people” but that they grow in faith and righteousness over time which leads to greater “self-assurance” in their views. Pride is a sin and the worst of them. Whatever “godly” man MacArthur may have been at one point, he is no longer that. He is demonstrating himself to be Pope MacArthur, Great Diviner of the Scriptures. Bow before his brilliant intellect ye lowly peons!
Having subscribed to the Calvinistic system wholeheartedly MacArthur was preprogrammed to see these "doctrines of grace" everywhere while preaching through the whole NT. He was determined to prove to himself that Calvinism is true, and he succeeded in that.
As an Elder of a traditionalist non-denominational Christian Church, we hired a new Pastor who only gave subtle hints of his view on his resume. When we discovered his belief in Calvinism, we gave him a month's severance and dismissed him, since he insisted on teaching his views. Thankfully he had only been with us for a few months, so there was little negative impact, but it was a struggle for the leaders.
The content of this video is so important within today's church. There is without a doubt much gaslighting and power trip abuse that must be destroyed. Also, there are many hurting and scarred in the aftermath of the same that need healing.
I was horrified by Voddie's "viper in a diaper" comment. I had been listening to his sermons and really felt good about him until then. So I read some more about him online and realized he was a Calvinist and then went down that whole rabbit hole and became pretty depressed. Dr. Flowers helped pulled me out of that dark, dark place back to The Good News and God's love for us even though we are sinners.
“Taken every text of the Bible and put doctrine into that text…” How anyone could say that with a straight face and use that as some kind of gotcha/justification for twisting the Scripture just to defend their misguided career is beyond me. Scripture reveals and is used to defend doctrine. If one is putting their own doctrines into the text of Scripture, their doctrines are wrong.
@@taylorgetzke552 And I and many others don't approve of "Dr." John MacArthur's warped and inconsistent theology. The Church Fathers of the first 500 years of Christianity know better than a man of the 20th century who can't keep his theology straight.
How does one test their doctrine without putting it to the test of scripture? Put the test of man’s free will to the test of scripture. Find scripture where man’s will was anything other than corrupt apart from an action from God. Man is dead in sin. Dead. Not drowning but dead. A dead man can’t accept Christ. He has to be made alive by the Holy spirt. Once alive one cannot resist the effectual call. This isn’t to say that one lives a perfect life. We are all deserving of damnation. If not for the blood of Christ all would be lost but God promised him a bride and provided a bride and all that the Father draws will come and He will keep them. Nothing anyone or anything can do will take them from his hand and that includes any actions from the bride. This next comment is not intended to be rude or condescending. Please point out my short summary of theology and where it is radically wrong. Please give any scripture that I could apply that theology to that would disprove my understanding of election.
We just left a church we attended for 15 years. The pastor brought in Calvinism(stealth) over the past 7 years. Leaving was hard but staying was not an option. Calvinism can only be seen as another gospel. Not sure how anyone can stay or condone staying in what should be considered a cult.
Interesting to see how he said he "put doctrine into that text". Epitome of eisegesus rather than exegesus. He came to the text looking for a way to fit in his doctrine and he found it rather than coming to the text first to get doctrine from it. Great interview!
That's why I couldn't listen to him! Re: Lordship salvation, he would make it sound like we have grace, only to refrain from sin, but when we do sin, he'd rather have teeth pulled than say that we have grace when we stumble. Which we need, by the way, because if we say we have no sin, we lie ... And all the time, he'd be saying it with this proud, ruthless swagger, hardly without sin. So what about how he "violated" Calvinist theology, to give a biblical warning, about how we need to receive Jesus and be saved and forgiven, so that we don't harden and never get saved, and when he's preaching this, he doesn't seem proud. But the Calvinists don't call him on this massive violation of Calvinist theology, which they certainly would attack us for, when we said it, and he turns around and acts super arrogant because someone rejected, not Jesus, but Calvinism!
@@lindajohnson4204 just the fact that he tends to condemn charismatic Christians. How he criticized the Jesus freaks movement, and calls everything that isn't calvanist false. You could say he shuts the gate on others.
Has he ever said - "Thank you for showing me something that has made me think and reconsider my position, I may have been mistaken"? I have been disturbed by his dishonest blanket slandering of all charismatics and his response when respected scholars have urged him to be more balanced - he seems to organise another conference to double down. He may have started well but perhaps the unhelpful elevation of the pulpit and the pope's - sorry - pastor's interpretation of the scriptures over a healthier understanding of how Christ (the real head of the Church and any real church) leads his church have gone to his head and he's in danger of not finishing well.
I have the opposite impression. He is humble but still steady in his theology. The bible says a woman should stay quiet in the church. It might be unpopular, but feminism is dominating the church theses days
For years I've been hearing about how wonderful MacArthur is. How he's a great teacher. How he stands up for what is right. I'd never read anything of his or seen any sermons, interviews, or clips of him speaking, but assumed since so many loved him he must be as great as they say. Recently, though, he's been coming across my screen and all I can say is he seems like a very hateful person. It's honestly disturbing that so many look up to him.
I have thought the same thing. The people who say that "he teaches the truth" have never really opened their Bibles and read the Truth of God's Word. "It's the truth that makes you free". They depend on someone else to do that for them! Their minds are closed, clouded.
Don’t take the low road here. John MacArthur is set in his ways of what he believes sure, but he is still a brother in Christ. Respect his intentions and the work he has done to bring many to Christ. Remember Luke 9:49-50.
I used to listen to JMac until I took on God's whole counsel, and then I couldn't stand to listen to him. We must all write God's word on our hearts and study the scripture daily.
I, too, have great affection for MacArthur, but was stunned by his words here. “A sophomoric comment from somebody who should keep her thoughts to herself”- that’s not only unkind and condescending, it behaves defensively, afraid to be challenged. What Bible teacher who desires his students to challenge and to learn, who knows that Bible can be pressed very hard and hold up to scrutiny, tries to silence a brother or sister in Christ for sharing their testimony? This “wistful girl” is a 40-year-old woman, who was a staunch Calvinist for 17 years and only left it because of careful study of the scriptures alone. These weren’t her random feelings and opinions. I will always love MacArthur as a brother in Christ, but was alarmed and saddened by this display of rude arrogance.
I was part of a reformed group on facebook and liked a lot of calvanist preachers as nothing seemed amiss. But over time I realised my views on grace were different from those in the group and through Leighton's videos I have realised how at odds I am with those preachers over salvation and grace. I genuinely didnt realise what Calvanism actually was until Leighton broke it down. Even when catching an Alana video on leaving Calvinism I didnt even cotton onto that there was anything to leave or why it was so problematic, even listening all the way through I was none the wiser. Thank you guys for what you do, it's helped me deal with the predestination issue that I was praying about.
Oh lordy lordy what have we here! You have to believe what I believe because I've believed it for 50 years! I worked in financial services at one point and we had disagreements about how to work out the correct tax! The older guys said "we've been doing it this way for 40 years". Turns out they were wrong … and they'd been doing it incorrectly for 40 years! 😂 lol why are Christian's so thick sometimes? A bit of common sense, decency, and a touch of humility might help us all! 🤭😇
Wow! My once beloved teacher (Macarthur), who is still beloved, but no longer my teacher, is a good example of what King/Prophet David said, "The teachings of the Lord [God/Bible] have made me wiser than my teachers". I wish everyone could just always continue to be humble and learn from God.
@@patrickbarnes9874 Seems that way; but I think it is just the normal human condition that men's self-confidence automatically generates pride in what they FEEL they are experts. I have to check my pride & I bet you have at least one area to restrain your pride. But John has been allowing that pride as a pattern for decades. :(
About 20 years ago, he was in Russia, and went to a service at a Russian Orthodox Church. As one might imagine, being in a foreign country, the service was rooted in a foreign tradition from a foreign liturgical culture. He asked zero questions, did zero research, and dismissed the whole thing as "sacerdotalism plus nothing." All essentially because they weren't worshipping exactly the way he does.
Who would you trust more with biblical doctrine? A UA-camr who has been in the faith 20 years or an exegetical pastor who has lead a ministry for over 50 years?
@@latenitehvac868 Neither would be a factor. There are plenty of true and false teachers who fall into both categories, and I would trust or distrust each on an individual, case-by-case basis instead of pigeonholing them and basing my trust on worldly status. In this specific case, Alana is right and MacArthur is wrong.
In my opinion most important is what Alana answered about "resources" question and that she sticks with the Bible. For me (as former Roman Catholic) it's really the best and only suggestion we are trying to give in our home church, when we see someone looking for truth. If Christian people really believed that God's Word is enough, sufficient, that it's truly "a discerner of the thoughts and intents of hart", that in my opinion would really change something. It's so encouraging for me when brothers and sisters in Christ are choosing word of God over any additional commentaries, books, researches, etc. So nice to see Alana growing in faith😊 Blessings from Poland!
Exactly! As Jesus COMMANDS in John 14:26 & 16:13. Problem is when people are carnal and have no Holy Spirit then they inevitably rely on men (folk rely on MacArthur, MacArthur relies on Calvin, Calvin relied on Augustine...) "Augustine is so wholly within me that if I wished to write a confession of my faith, I could do so with all fullness and satisfaction to myself out of his writings" (John Calvin)
@@SuperKatiki Sermon is commentary of fallible humans. Paul, Peter, James, John, Timothy, Titus, Silas, et al were fallible humans. Do you listen to their commentary or not?
@@Lerian_V Please give examples of these men being "fallible humans" post Pentecost i.e the first time the Holy Spirit indwelt people (👉 John 7:39). The whole point of regeneration (which is what defines a Christian: John 1:12-13, Romans 8:9, 2 Corinthians 13:5 etc) is that we are raised to NEW LIFE! (An example, apart from Paul, is Peter because there's no comparison between the man he WAS in the Gospels and the man he BECAME after Pentecost, as we see in Acts and in his epistle) "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a NEW creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become NEW" (2 Corinthians 5:17). "But God be thanked, that ye WERE the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. For when ye WERE the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness" (Romans 6:17-18, 20) "when we WERE in the flesh" (Romans 7:5), "and such WERE some of you..." (1 Corinthians 6:11), "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Galatians 5:24), "And you hath he quickened, who WERE dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walkED according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all HAD our conversation in TIMES PAST in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and WERE by nature the children of wrath, even as others. Even when we WERE dead in sins" (Ephesians 2:1-3, 5a), "ye who sometimes WERE far off" (Ephesians 2:13), "Be not ye therefore partakers with them, for ye WERE sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light" (Ephesians 5:7-8), "Who hath DELIVERED us from the power of darkness" (Colossians 1:13), "And you, that WERE sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled" (Colossians 1:21), "Who was BEFORE a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious" (1 Timothy 1:13a), "For we ourselves also sometimes WERE foolish, disobedient, deceived..." (Titus 3:3), "In which ye also walkED (Colossians 3:7), "who was BEFORE a blasphemer and a persecutor...(1 Timothy 1:13), "FORMER lusts" (1 Peter 1:14), "seeing ye HAVE PURIFIED your souls" (1 Peter 1:22), "For ye WERE as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls" (1 Peter 2:25), "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you OUT OF darkness INTO his marvellous light: Which in time PAST were not a people, but ARE NOW the people of God: which had NOW obtained mercy" (1 Peter 2:9-10), "in time PAST...we walkED in lasciviousness, lusts..." (1 Peter 4:3b), "having ESCAPED the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Peter 1:4b, 2:20a), "he was PURGED from his old sins" (2 Peter 1:9b)
Refreshing Alana with your Billy Graham comments. My life was changed on a hot 1972 July evening in Cleveland, Ohio during one of his crusades. So thankful I chose to attend.
@@The_lover_of_truth really? Like what? According to the scriptures If billy graham believes Jesus is the son of God and he rose from the dead then I’d say yes he is a Christian.
Who does John MacArthur think he is??? no one can respectfully disagree with him? And he gets all tangled up in his knickers about Alana's respectful comments?
I've always thought of myself as a Calvinist for most of my life until just recently in 2022 when I learned what they actually believe. I've studied scripture and memorized God's Word for decades. When I heard what they actually believe, my response was something like "Well, that's not what the Bible teaches." I knew from my studies in scripture over several decades that the 5-points of Calvinism just didn't line up with scripture. Parts of them do, but that's also true of the doctrines taught by many cults. I think it's important to remember that false doctrine is never 100% false. It's always mixed with some truth to make it more believable. Learning that Calvinism was not in alignment in many areas with what Scripture teaches really rocked my world for a while. God used it to drive me even deeper than ever before into expository studies of His Word. I'm thankful for Dr Leighton Flowers and Alana. It's reassuring to know I'm not alone in discovering the errors of Calvinism.
So thankful for you both. Have loved Johnny Mac, and still do on a number of biblical items. However, calling out sister in Christ because of her youth is so sad. Y’all have been such a blessing to me, and my daughter who struggled so much with salvation while under Calvinism. I rarely miss a teaching session of y’all. Finally, thanks for your steadfastness, and also the grace y’all exhibit to our Calvinist brothers and sisters.
This is what the old religious types do, they get jealous and mean to others that want to grow in faith and question their leadership. Glad I'm not part of any particular branch or have a "theology" but I realize these teachings are for how to use the word accurately and effectively. What unifies us is the life saving gospel of christ and the word of God and his holy spirit. Can't put a religion on God and say "this is all you get!" That's selfishness disguised as godliness.
I don't understand why people call Calvinists brothers and sisters. What makes someone a Christian? Accepting Christ as savior. What do Calvinists believe saves you? Jesus? No. Being elected by God before the foundation of the world. In Calvinism you are regenerated first and THEN you have faith. Calvinism holds that there is no saving faith in Christ. Calvinism explicitly says that faith is a gift from God to the regenerated. In Calvinism you are already saved before you have faith. You cannot be Christian without accepting Christ as savior. Calvinism is NOT Christianity. I'm sure the vast majority of Calvinists are saved Christians, but it is because they are inconsistent with this point, just as they are almost all inconsistent with divine sovereignty. As multiple people have pointed out, virtually every Calvinist TALKS about sovereignty but actually LIVES as if they have libertarian free will. It's the same thing with salvation. Just like I'm sure most Catholics are Christian, but the doctrine of Catholicism is that you are saved by works. Catholicism is inherently not Christian. They don't believe that Jesus saves, they believe that unless you've had your sins forgiven by a human priest, you will still be condemned despite accepting Christ. The "doctrines of grace" are 100% indisputably heretical, as is Catholicism. Most Calvinists just profess them aloud but don't truly believe them in their heart.
The fact that MacArthur is worried enough to speak out on this means that he's scared of the impact Alana and her genuine, sincere sharing of her spiritual journey out of Calvinism are having on people who are currently deceived or in danger of being deceived by it. That is a sign that MacArthur is aware of the inherent weaknesses and flaws in the vile and false teachings of his system, and his words are a clear sign of both his insecurity about it and his towering arrogance about his own spiritual knowledge. He's reacting like the Pharisees reacted to Jesus' disciples after Pentecost. MacArthur is doing the same thing that other Calvinists do when they put him on a pedestal, but in his case, he's going ever further by putting HIMSELF on the pedestal! He needs to humble himself before God and pray for his forgiveness for his prideful attitude, remembering what Jesus said: "Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, but whoever humbles himself shall be exalted!"
That's exactly what I thought too: he is scared of Alana. I'm so happy and grateful that she is not intimidated. May the Lord help her from now on too, and may she be a help for many to find freedom from Calvinism 💗
Growing up in a Reformed, Calvin honouring church in Europe, I now cannot recall that the teaching of repentance ever came up. And now I understand that they think they are “chosen”. I believe that is a misinterpretation of Romans 8:29 which reads:For He knew his people in advance and “chose” them to become like His son. Here, Paul was speaking to the Christians in Rome. And the were already followers of Christ. They think this talks about salvation, yet clearly this refers to the sanctification of the believer. I pray for them, that their eyes may be opened to the truth. ❤️
You're reading WAY too much into MacArthur. You don't know what he's actually thinking so it's a bit of a stretch to say, "he's aware of his inherent weakness", he's "worried" or "insecure" etc. You'd have to be his personal psychologist to know what he could be thinking. The only thing I can comment on is the obvious, there IS pridefulness there and I pray God will show him the truth.
@@arreola891 You are completely misrepresenting my statement and misquoting it. I never said anything about knowing exactly what MacArthur was thinking. You falsely quoted me as saying "he's aware of his inherent weakness", when that isn't what I said. I said that MacArthur's fear of the effects of Alana's testimony ARE A SIGN that MacArthur is aware of THE inherent weaknesses and flaws in the teachings OF HIS SYSTEM. I pointed out that the fact that MacArthur is worried enough to speak out means that he's scared of the impact of Alana's testimony. My statement was all about reading the signs and signals that MacArthur was sending, not reading his mind.
I was a prodigal for a long time and when I came back to my faith, I didn't know anything about Calvinism or Arminianism or anything else. I studied the Word and asked God for understanding. Anytime absolutely anyone said anything about what the Bible taught, I went and checked for myself to see if what they said was true. At that time I wasn't going to church and I didn't have anyone to consult, I didn't use commentaries, but I did come from a church background so I was influenced by the teachings I received there. I remember when I first came across Romans 9:20 and I became concerned, because it seemed as if God was being unfair. I knew that couldn't be true, so I asked God for understanding and I moved on without formulating an interpretation. God granted me the understanding several years later. I have never been nor will I ever be an adherent of TULIP theology aka the so called "Doctrines of Grace." I hold Flowers, MacArthur, everyone up to the Word of God and I know they would never tell me to do otherwise.
I pretty much new instantly when I 1st saw this interview that he was referring to Alana. When John says he has looked into every nook and cranny and can't find anything that would refute his findings and his summation and interpretation of scripture sounded so Phariseesidical I was blown away. Pride is an ugly thing no matter who you are!
I've been a christian for more than half my life and just recently I was told by a calvinist that I was unsaved because I'm a provisionist. And yet they seem to be the ones that are devicive and proud.
DW: The irony of a Calvinist telling someone they are not saved - is the fact that their own doctrine stipulates: 1) No believer is granted CERTAINTY of any person's election/salvation - including his own - because the elect/saved are divine secret which *ONLY* Calvin's god knows. 2) Calvin's god creates and designs a large percentage of the church to be CHAFF - who are predestined for eternal torment in the lake of fire for his good pleasure. For those believers - Calvin's god gives them a *FALSE SENSE* of election/salvation. John Calvin -quote the Lord....instills into their minds such a *SENSE* ..... as can be felt *WITHOUT* the Spirit of adoption. (Institutes 3.2.11) -quote he *ILLUMINES ONLY FOR A TIME* to partake of it; then he......and strikes them with even greater blindness (Institutes 3.24.8) So Calvinism includes a doctrine of divine deception of the believer. So any Calvinist thinking he knows who is saved and who is not saved is in fact in denial of his own doctrine. And you can tell him his denial of his own doctrine is probably an indicator that Calvin's god has given him a *FALSE SENSE* of salvation. Let him swallow his own medicine! :-]
@@jolookstothestars6358 DW: Yes - the first point I mentioned - is called "The invisible church" within Calvinism. The TRUE elect are visible only to Calvin's god. They are "invisible" to everyone else. The second point I mentioned is Calvinism's interpretation of the "Wheat & the chaff". It is critical to remember - Calvin's god is a divine potter of Romans 9 - who creates/designs vessels fitted for destruction. The CHAFF in Calvinism - are non-elect believers who are created/designed for destruction. The CHAFF are believers who are divinely deceived - being given a FALSE SENSE of salvation. This in Calvinism - is historically called "The dreaded false hope" Eventually - as one becomes increasingly familiar with aspects of the doctrine which Calvinist's seek to HIDE - it becomes increasingly recognizable - that a unique aspect of Calvinism is that it incorporates DUALISM - in which many thing appear in the form of "Good-Evil" or "Antithetical" pairs. In Calvinism - "Evil" is "Good" because Calvin's god ordains "Evil' and everything Calvin's god ordains - is "Good". Therefore Calvinism is a doctrine of "Good-Evil" However most Calvinists are very uncomfortable with the "Evil" aspect of the doctrine. So they have an extremely high urgency to *OBFUSCATE* the "Evil" side of the doctrine. The fact that Calvin's god deceives Calvinists with a FALSE SENSE of salvation - is one of the aspects of the doctrine Calvinists very much try to hide. So it is wisdom to recognize that 99% of Calvinist statements are designed to *HIDE* some aspect of the doctrine they don't want you to see.
Quote from John MacArthur Himself. "I was looking on the internet the other day when a wistful girl said how I become a calvinist and left calvinism" Nobody asked the question about that but you are on his mind. Then comes Arrogance, He, John MacArthur Himself has been there for 50 years. How dare you criticize his theology Alana? This man has serious narcissistic problems. And sadly it reminds me Matthew 7:22-23 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' P.S. He thinks he is right because he has been there for 50 years.
I am 51 now but I went to the alter when I was 15…. I didnt know why I went to the alter , I don’t remember what the preacher preached.. In fact the only reason I went to church was a couple of girls. The two things I remember are 1. I felt very guilty and shameful….. I remember weeping not understanding what was going on….. me , a 15 yr old boy weeping in the alter and not a soul came to minister to me…I got up from that alter and lived the next 12 years as hard as I could live… I look back and realize that they were calvinist… I am a pastor now and I have made it a point to never leave anyone in the alter…. Alters are meant to come lay our lives down and our struggles down….. To minister and love on one another!!! That’s what alters are for!!! Thank you guys for what you’re doing with the false teachings of Calvinism
Altar. Altar calls can be confusing. Do I get saved down at the altar, do I get saved still sitting in the pew? Do I have to talk to the pastor before I get saved, etc., etc. Just preach the gospel of grace when giving an invitation. Some preacher did just that (no altar call) and that's how I got saved at a Christian youth retreat in the summer of 1985. God bless!! 🙂
Alana - your comment about the old messages still being there in your thoughts so struck me. I am struggling with that right now - I am finding that I have to retrain my thoughts, recalibrate my understanding of faith and God and my relationship to Him. The Calvinist mind is still very present with me. And I could not agree more that gaslighting is exactly what is happening, and it hurts my soul to see it. I am with you in your journey.
I thought MacArthur was very arrogant the first time I heard him preach, and thought so ever since. I think he has become even more arrogant lately. That happens with narcissists. If you think MacArthur is a good preacher, you are either a narcissist or you are blind to the manipulation that narcissists thrive on.
Thank you Mr. Flowers, Alana. I would have left Christianity all together if I hadn’t found your channels. I am struggling with the issue of leaving my church or not…I’m only there at this point because my family is there. Thanks again.
Perhaps Arminianism is a way of not being a Christian but continuing to call yourself one. You Arminians think you saved your selves by your own will, instead of acknowledging God as your savior, who saved you by grace, which is unmerited favor, through faith, which was not your own faith, but it was the gift of God. Results: 4 For 'predestinate'Ro 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did PREDESTINATE to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Ro 8:30 Moreover whom he did PREDESTINATE, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. Eph 1:5 Having PREDESTINATEd us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being PREDESTINATEd according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Think about it... if you are a born again Christian, you cannot "leave the Church" because you are the Church... at least PART of the Church, a member in the LORD's body! THE CHURCH is an organism, not an organization!... You may leave that local Church but also it may not be easy to choose or find a much better one... You can ask the LORD in prayer to literally guide you on whether you should leave, stay or find the best Church where you can be useful there for GOD's glory and where you can also grow spiritually.... GOD bless you! ... Do NOT give up! Only the Devil is the one discouraging you..... Leaving the Church would mean that you are mad at GOD! It is HIS CHURCH. What did GOD do to you to be so upset?! ... Think about it! Pray!..Study the Bible!... READ it for yourself! :)
I was in a church for 12 years that taught anyone arguing or bringing up any doctrinal correction was divisive and was not of the Holy Spirit simply because he is a gentleman and would not do that. I explained that there was great disputing in the book of Acts over circumcision. It is Biblical to discuss the Bible and argue over doctrines (that matter) in a loving and caring manner.
I was once told by a Calvinist that he is a professor at Seminar in Wake Forest NC and that is all they do is study the word. I told him that Pharisees sent all their time studying the law and the Torah be they did not have it correct. Before Martin Luther the monks and the priest was supposedly studied the Bible all the time and they got it wrong all the time.
Terrible reasoning and conclusions concerning studying to shew thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth but do go on and jog off lol.
Calvinists are pharisaical in that Scripture is put through an extra-biblical filter, giving the filter primary importance. In the Pharisees' case it was oral tradition, what later became the Talmud. In Calvinism it's Calvin and Augustine with bits of Luther thrown in. Plus there's the self-righteousness and the weird prideful "humility".
Thank you for bringing up the issue of Calvinist views of children. I am not a mother, but I remember years ago hearing a Calvinist mother describe her own children this way and being shocked, upset, and honestly very worried for the mental and emotional health of those kids. I haven't seen or heard from that family in many years now and have moved far away, so I have no idea what became of them. It worries me now that I watched another family for 2 years in a different church that reminded me of that family so much.
This was the first I had heard of how (some) Calvinists view children. Absolutely psychotic and un-Biblical. Humans, no matter our sin, are higher than rats. We are created in the image of God and He sent his son to die for us, not rats.
They deprive joy from people. It's suffocating. Heard it from the holy spirit many times "don't conform to man's ways conform to my ways" Christianity is a radical way of living because it's not from the world its from god. Can't put a religion on God and you can't lean on a worldly understanding. Also these religious types tend to go after the spiritual gifts. The bible is clear that God views children as innocent and to be protected not sheltered but trained and equipped for battle. Like Jesus said "let the little children come to me, do not hinder them. the kingdom of heaven is made for one's such as these." Had many friends abandon their faith due to spiritual abuse and turn to atheism or witchcraft. They always felt like Christianity was forced on them. I'll add one more "whoever causes one of these little ones to stumble, it'd be better if a milestone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea." Their solutions is to just dismiss them and say "I guess God hates me I'm not going to try to talk to him anymore." That was my mistake. Now people see the bickering the gaslighting and the bitterness and they "think this must be Christianity I don't like it." Breaks my heart...
The best way to approach it is this way: predestination and free will cannot be fully understood this side of Heaven. Arminian or Calvinism, it’s not an either / or issue. There are many things we will not fully understand this side of Heaven. I commend this lady for going to the scriptures. That’s being a true Berean. The Word of God is our authority , not what McArthur says.
I was a card carrying, Reformed Presbyterian(OPC), Calvinist for 57 of my 63 years. I know the Westminster Standards, the creeds, and Calvin's Institutes. John McArthur is the second most arrogant of all of the arrogant Calvinists out there. Number one, is Doug Wilson, but McArthur is a very close second. McArthur is quick to point out, rightly so, the Charlatan's in leisure suits(thanks to Steve Taylor) Charismatics, but also, true Pentecostals/Apostolic's and anyone who is not a Calvinist. I am tired of people defending men like McArthur & Wilson by saying they are not intending to be mean, etc. Yes, they are intentionally mean spirited. They only like to debate other Calvinists, because when they debate anyone else, they are shredded. All one needs to do is read the Scriptures! Micah 6:8
keep in mind, his ministry is called "grace to you" but in reality, he only believes that most will not inherit as much grace as others, and will spend an eternity in hell because God only elects a few. and, those that he did not elect were actually elect to go to hell, and choose the way to hell. he does believe this.
@@danitapowell2291 And like a good calvinist, he would say, "this is what the scriptures say, "grace to you" and then go on about how it is a mystery and we just don't understand but we can trust that God is bigger than our logic. if God wants 2 to equal 3 you should never question God. my response would be, "why would God create something that offends the logic he gave us?"
Right response ministries purports similar tropes as JM here. To me it’s like experiencing the darkness being brought into light with reformers calvinists exposing themselves for who they are and have been. A Dr. told me today I’m not young anymore. Very true and now 35 years I’ve spoken out against reforned calvinism theologies conclusions. Immensely grateful to see the exposure these theologies are facing.
Dr. Flowers , ive been watching your channel from the beginning. Calvinism has been a dominant force in christian churches, books, faith based movies, commentaries, seminaries ect... Your channel, your voice and effort is so very needed. Great job, please keep up the great material and for doing it with God honoring conduct. Even though I'm not recognized publicly, i pray that the Lord will use me in my sphere of influence. Grizz
Remember, MacArthur publicly called out a woman in his church who was divorcing a man who had abused her and her child. That man happened to be on Grace Community Church's staff. The woman was counseled to just put up with the abuse as an example to her children of godly suffering!
Alana, almost the same thing happened to me. When I voiced my objection to Calvinism at the Bible study in our own home with my husband and my brother next to me, I was told by our Calvinist Bible Study leader to stay quite because I am a woman. Is this attitude a side effect of Calvinism?
Don’t know why you and your guess hold John MacArthur in such high esteem. Probably without the internet we wouldn’t know much of what goes on at GCC, or much of MacArthurs personal life. But we do. Leighton I find it troubling that you know so much of MacArthurs teaching on Calvinism but virtually nothing else. His comments to this woman don’t even scratch the surface of his views of women in “ the church”, not to mention the home. If you just spent a couple hours of research on MacArthurs “ actions”, toward wives and their children being abused in the home and what they should do, it might be of help to you. I’ve not met a moral man yet that isn’t terribly upset and come away with a very different opinion of him. To pit it bluntly, he is not a moral man.
I'd say it probably has to do with nostalgia. Both Leighton and Alana are former Calvinists who have mercifully seen the light and left its false doctrines behind. But there was a time that they, as Calvinists, admired MacArthur very much, and even now that they know his soteriology is bunk, they still remember that admiration. As someone who has always regarded Calvinism as insane, I have never seen MacArthur, Piper and their ilk as anything but arrogant false teachers of the 2 Peter Chapter 2 variety.
@@DamonNomad82 my comment about MacArthur has very little to do with his Calvinist doctrine. But abuses at GCC and his handling of his duties at the masters seminary and his position on what a wife must do when she is being physically abused. It doesn’t take a deep dive to become informed in these matters. But it does say a lot about Leighton and his attention to moral issues when he says he admires MacArthur.
This made me sad. You could tell in some of Alana's responses how affected she was by this doctrine. Just how many times she said things like, "I don't want people commenting negatively or attacking me." You could tell it's happened in the past and it caused damage. I was involved with something similar and I'm still trying to recover mentally and spiritually from it, though my experience was sinless perfection rather than Calvinism. But it's equally traumatic thinking you're heading straight to hell because of one slip-up. I'm reminded of when Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:18 how false doctrine can overthrow the faith of others. This verse is fulfilled in Calvinism's doctrine of election for us today. What better way for your faith to be overthrown than by believing no matter what you do you're going to hell anyways?
Not only is JMac's response to Alana is not only very arrogant and unchristian (that's right, I said it), it is a classic example of the logical fallacy of appealing to authority . The fact that he appeals to his own authority rather than someone else's simply makes it doubly arrogant!
As a PS, I do sometimes think that these older guys (I'm not so far behind them either) are actually pricked in their consciences sometimes by the comments of younger people who see things … well differently! Maybe he was annoyed to feel that he was in the wrong? 😮😊
I have been a Christian since 7 yr old. I keep hearing about the coming persecution of the church. I no longer go to church but still love the Lord and study on my own. As I watch the church today I don’t see it as persecution coming but as judgment because of their judgemental hatred, their superiority, not being educated re the Bible etc. Judged not persecuted!
Wait. So was johns argument summarized as "she needs to be quite because I have the authority to know this based on me holding this belief for 50 years."?
Thank you for this conversation. I found myself surrounded by Calvinists. And listened to many of the same ones you mentioned, however I didn't understand the doctrine they were coming from. When they would speak, I couldn't reconcile what they would say and would just ignore it. As I started actually paying attention and compare what I was reading I was suddenly realizing that I don't believe this. Many of my friends are Calvinist. Sometimes it is hard to be around them. My struggle in those times is the feelings of a work 'to realize how bad, bad, bad, I would be in my human nature. And to understand that I would be capable of the worst human evil.' I've enjoyed and appreciated Alana on her channel.
I actually have a group that meets when able for fellowship and study and there are some that have a hard focus on total depravity and inability. This seems to lead to persistent conversation about how evil we would be left in our natural state. It becomes so prevalent it feels like it is a duty to remind ourselves and to be reminded of it. I don't know if that clarifies, it is something that I cannot relate to. I know that I am a sinner in need of Jesus. The need for salvation does not depend on the size or number of sins or the sin that could have been. I sometimes need to take a break from this group to focus on my own study and evaluate those conversations.
Thank you both! You have both been so encouraging, and helped me maintain sanity as well. Someone very close to me is a follower of MacArthur, and praying they see the truth and light of scripture!
Wow, McArthur really should apologize for that slight. Not at all part of his identity in Christ. I'd love to see him come to realise what Alana said about him in this video. I'm sure he would not only want to know, but to humbly ask forgiveness after.
He's not known for his apologies nor his humility. Anyone following all the facts of the stories about him revealed on Julie Roys's website (and his silence regarding victims) are proof of that...
Thank you for this interview! I did not know about Alana, but I will be following her! I grew up in a Calvinist Church, and I was never ok with it. I started asking questions and challenging the teachings but was totally gaslighted! I was too young...and a girl...I shouldn't be asking these questions....🙄
Way to take the high road Alana.. very gracious. I heard humility in your response to a comment that “seemed” prideful… also remember what Paul told Timothy (1Timothy 4:12)
I’ve been a Christian for over 50 years. When I first learned what Calvinism was I questioned a lot of things. No doctrine is more divisive in the church and causes more confusion because it obviously puts sovereignty against Gods goodness. The way MacArthur and others talk is illogical and arrogant. If I believed like Johnny Mac did I would reject God outright as a fraud. 5 point Calvinism just plain and simply is not true. Dr. Flowers has encouraged me a lot to realize I’m not crazy. When you leave falsehood things become much more clear.
What did he say to you?
Beware of ALL ISM’s. They are not of God. Also, how can anyone deny the fact that John MacArthur stated you can be forgiven if you take the Mark. Blatant Blasphemy. His Freemason higher learning has made him a fool.
I find the continuation of the charismata to be more divisive but both are heretical.
Another thought that just occurred to me. I thought MacArthur's tone in talking about Alana was strangely familiar. Then it hit me where I had heard that attitude displayed before: In John 9, after Jesus healed the man who had been blind from birth, and the Sanhedrin summoned and questioned the man, only to be confounded by his wise answers to them, they ended by raging at him in a strikingly similar way: "They answered and said to him, 'You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?' And they cast him out." (John 9:34)
Good example.
The spirit directed you to it that's good! Only proves God's words are true and carry more weight then anything man teaches.
Just checked that out, well caught,
but I also saw John 9:41, Calvinists insistent that whilst being blind we are still blameworthy of sins but this scripture from Jesus says different.
@@markshaneh yes! One of my favourite verses on the issue! Very clear!
Excellent praise God
As a fellow sister in Christ, I can honestly say it has been encouraging to listen to Alana speak about how she has also come out of Calvinism through a study of Scripture.
Honestly for me it was the reading and studying of scripture that showed me reformed theology is biblical theology.
@@dfischer5878 I have to agree, I honestly became reformed in my study of Roman's before I even heard of reformed theology or any teachers. I remember the first time I came to understand it, I was so offended but found peace in my trust that God is just and holy and being a sinner by nature I was not the one to be trusted with even my own salvation. Then reform teaching became sweet to my soul. Reformed theology is humbling to men. However on the other side I do find reformed teacher rather than being humble are rather arrogant in teaching.
@@allanhutton1123 if God controls EVERYTHING the way calvinism says then only God is sinning. You can't have it both ways.
@@jeffreypatterson9956 thats an Oxymoron, God is holy, he can't sin. And you would have to be more righteous than God to make such a claim. You might need to expand on your comment in terms of meaning, when is God sinning?
If God created a universe where creatures had the ability and weakness to be deceived and yet had no way of redemption, no sacrifice could be made, no pardonable options would be offer. Would that God have sinned, would that God have been evil to you?
@@allanhutton1123 “Having the ability and weakness to be deceived” isn’t “reformed theology” though. Reformed theology affirms that God meticulously predetermined EVERYTHING and NOTHING comes to pass except for what is decreed by God. Also a person does not have the ability to make a choice contrary to what God has determined/decreed. In Reformed theology evil and sin are creations and decrees of God and even the most evil person is merely acting out what God has already predetermined for them to do. No amount of double speak can explain this away you have to agree that this is the obvious conclusion unless you want to admit that when a person sins they have the God given choice and ability to do otherwise? Or that Gods not predetermining/decreeing everything.
I generally love MacArthur, but occasionally you see flashes of that very common elitist arrogance that is so common among Calvinist. The “believe like me or you’re biblically ignorant” content almost always comes out in discussions of non-Calvinist.
You took the words out of my mouth 😮
Yet does his opinion of what she wrote on her post can be erased by his critical words to her. God loves her just as he loves John. He is doing more damage to himself than he is to her. Sad! I have stopped listening to him many years ago. And am not sorry for that. It has set me free! Live by the spirit not by keeping the law.
Likewise, I’ve learnt a lot from John M on many subjects, but occasionally have been shocked by something he said and felt disappointed by his attitude. I think someone in his position can easily lose touch with ‘ordinary’ life and people; and there’s great danger in being surrounded by people who tend to agree with you and have a common worldview.
@@markleclair4182 does he owe you an explanation? Do you not believe in repentance and forgiveness?
@@latenitehvac868 He owes everyone who's heard of the situation an explanation.
Blessed are those who are humble enough to think that their current position may be actually wrong! Thank you Leighton!
It’s humility and humbleness that comes out if reformed theology.
We see the depths of our depravity and rely sometimes on the grace and mercy of God.
@@dfischer5878 you're free to think that way, but that's not the way I see it.
There is a way that seems right to a man but it's end is destruction Enjoy Arrogant private interpretation Arminianists wrongly dividing scripture wronthink coming to conclusions. Mm mm mm! "That's not the way I see it" SMH!
If you presume the other side doesn't operate on this point and negate the argument, you're neither humble nor blessed.
@@effobama1992 Nothing in my comment suggests what you're saying here. If you took it personally that way, maybe it means you should examine yourself?
I guess Macaurthur forgot about this….
“But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
1Co 1:28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
1Co 1:29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”
1 Corinthians 27:29
He totally dismissed the “girl”! Wowowow, John!
Since I came to the faith 6 years ago, I've always had a discerning attitude towards anyone with MacArthur's "fame". I put my trust and faith into Jesus from reading the pages of my bible. I didn't encounter Calvinism until I was already a believer. Coming out of what I already believed before coming to Jesus (new age, occultism, etc.), it just didn't sound like the gospel I had recently read and fell in love with. Praise God for allowing me to discern the matter early in my faith!
Yes! Praise God. You listened to the guidance of the Holy Spirit:)
I learned the lesson of your first point the hard way.
Hey, I put my trust in MacArthur and in him alone said no Calvinist ever what a dishonest strawman dum dum opinion SMH!
Fame itself is like money, not inherently good or bad. I noticed a lot of calvinists as well as charismatics have a lot of subscribers. There are awesome channels with way fewer subs. Like "Fighting for the faith" or "Dr Jordan Cooper" or "Higher Things" and "Bryan Wolfmueller". If you cam to the faith only a few years ago you might find, drop, find and then drop again quite a few more channels. Check out those I mentioned before, you won't regret those
MacArthur's fame is mostly due to his standing firmly to his biblical convictions for over half a century. No man is perfect and that is obvious to us all, but there are certainly some who are apt teachers and worth listening to (in a Berean spirit). MacArthur is one of those men in my opinion.
I also followed pastor MacArthur almost blindly for many years! But I married a southern Baptist! He gently showed me over several years that Calvinism was not biblical! It was not easy, but I’m glad I see what the Bible really teaches!
@Marq George Ephesians 1:13-14 --
"In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory."
Faith as a meritorious "work" is Calvinist nonsense. The Bible and the NT in particular is constantly urging belief and choosing. Paul constantly contrasts faith and works. Hebrews 2:2-3 --
"For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?"
Tell me, in all seriousness: how can you possibly neglect something when you were predetermined "before the foundation of the world " to accept it?
"So, if the gospel is offered to all, why aren't all called?"
Because in your system the gospel is only *truly* offered to "the elect". The bulk of humanity was predetermined by God to burn in hell forever. And please explain to me how the reprobate are responsible for being created essentially a robot that by divine decree can do nothing but sin. Also explain what the role of Satan is. In Calvinism Satan is totally unnecessary since God decreed sin.
And with all due respect, I couldn't care less what a philosopher and synod had to say nearly 400 years after the New Testament.
To me there are some verses in the Bible that can easily be misunderstood and that may seem to support Calvinism.
Verses alone can be very misleading and it is essential to study each teaching fully to try and understand the context of those verses.
Personal study of the Bible is a must if one wants to know what it really teaches.
@@ddr5138 thank you! Very well said!
@@Marquus55
Freedom of choice was and is part of how we were created. Only God is sovereign and nobody can ever dispute that
Freedom of choice does not mean that man is ABOVE God when He created man to be like that. (Calvanists seem to think differently).
Blessings to all even if we cannot agree.😊
JMac has spent 50 years in Scripture and has still preferred Calvinism's wrong interpretation rather than the Truth.
Isn’t that the truth!
John MacArthur is most fortunate among men to be decreed by God to become fairly "rich&famous" by criticizing so many other things which God also decreed🤔🤔
And he evidently won the soteriological lottery too!🤠How can one guy get so "lucky"
@@R.L.KRANESCHRADTT It is always an interesting irony that they teach a system that logically means that God predetermined all of those who do not believe in their system, to not to believe it. Yet they treat us who are decreed by God to not be Calvinist (if Calvinism is true) as though we are ignorant, and lacking discernment, when we are simply doing exactly as we have been decreed to do.
@@SaneNoMore it's really unkind. And I can't help but think it reflects a deeper part of their nature. If Calvinism is true and we reject it by God's decree you'd think they'd be a little bit more courteous towards the poor and unfortunate. But we don't even get a sympathetic... "Bless Your Heart"😁
Because he has a fear of going broke.
I'm a woman inside a baptist church with a fossilised calvinistic mindset and I have Alana's problem. Husband and I invited my pastor and his wife to our home to tell them that calvinism makes God the author of evil and thus their doctrine creates a wedge between me and the Lord because I just can't serve an exclusive, bigoted, tyrant God who creates life to send it to hell. Now Husband and I are slowly speaking up about the problem of calvinism in our church and I won't sit down until everyone there acknowledges the demonic premisses of calvinism. If this doesn't happen, we will leave.
Alana and Leighton, you have no idea what a relief it was for my husband to tell me about Soteriology 101. I feel like I'm finally not alone in this and allowed to think for myself as a woman.
JMac exposed his well-known disdain for women basically telling her to know her place, stay silent, shut up, and go bear some more children for your salvation. Look, many have protected JMac through the years, but there is no defense for his arrogance and disdain towards women.
You must hate how Paul talked about women and their place concerning spiritual matters?
@Phillip Wilson How do you know what I do or do not hate? Are you omniscient? Are you claiming to be God? For only He and He alone knows the depths of a person's heart? So, are you God to make such a definitive accusation and judgment about another person's heart whom you know nothing of?
@Tito Santiago I can read the "fruits" Chip on shoulder Heretic.
@Phillip Wilson Philippians 4:2-3 --
"I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life."
Euodia and Syntyche were women, if you didn't notice. They helped Paul plant churches.
@Phillip Wilson Heretic? Lol! The uncharitable low-level ad hominem nonsense you offer is laughable and cowardly. Interesting, though, JMac's fruits are public, and those can be judged, and they're not good. So unlike my life's fruit, which you have absolutely no access to, and yet as a predictable Calvinist label "heretic," JMac's are open game for critique, and they're spoiled.
Thank you Leighton and Alana for speaking up about this. I've always appreciated a lot of John MacArthur's teachings and the way he stood up against tyranny during Covid, but this I think is a heart issue he needs to work through and a good lesson for each of us. Since when are we, as believers, supposed to keep our opinions to ourselves with regards to studying scripture? We should always be able to speak our minds and be open to criticism, to be willing to accept that we don't know it all. We should be actively digging into the word and sharing what we learn with others, both to teach and encourage and to also learn from people's response to our thoughts. The Bible always encourages actively engaging with others and sharing our understanding, not doing independent studies and never discussing it. A reaction like "so-and-so should keep their opinions to themself" is just a pride issue and an exhibition of fear that maybe what they're saying has some merit. And in addition, age and experience doesn't mean you can't still make mistakes or have issues with your theology, and thus shouldn't be open to listen to the thoughts of others. Time and time again in scripture we see people who start out well and end poorly in old age due to their pride getting to them (Uzziah, Asa, Solomon, Saul, Hezekiah). We need to be careful as we age and gain experience to not let this blind us to humility and a willingness to listen.
Amen ! 🙏🏽
In fact sometimes old age itself reduces filters. My husband's grandfather was a very proper man. When he got dementia he started cussing and yelling. I'm curious if it was years of anger finally coming out, because not every person I hear about with dementia reacts that way. MacArthur maybe has been full of pride and anger and it is now escaping his filters. Or it was just a knee jerk reaction that he didn't think about enough because interviews go fast and you can't hem and haw or take back what you said. Has he ever apologized that you know of?
John MacArthur was triggered, and made a dismissive and disrespectful comment, simply by someone saying that they "left Calvinism," which to MacArthur--with all of his advanced degrees and education--meant that, by comparison, he was too stupid to recognize the unbiblical nature of Calvinism (excuse me, "The Doctrines of Grace"). So, Mr. MacArthur wanted to share that he's been to the Mountain Top, and has filtered Calvinism through the Bible, and Calvinism survived (by creating two wills, a Secret Will, mysteries, turning "all" into "groups" and "world" into "some of each kind," anthropomorphisms, transcendence, ect).
Which advanced degrees? Maybe he has some, but that "Dr." is honorary and if he were honest he wouldn't use it, because he did not earn any type of doctorate degree.
You don’t leave Calvinism. You left and never had true faith. You think you choose God.
@@HappyPenguin75034 why do you say they do not have faith in Jesus Christ? (Genuine question)
Beware of ALL ISM’s. They are not of God. Let us not forget that John MacArthur stated you can take the Mark and be forgiven. Blatant Blasphemy
You cannot study your way into heaven.
Typical Calvinist. "If you left Calvinism, you must not understand Calvinism and you should shut your mouth."
Wow. And people respect this guy..
What's to understand..MY BROTHER in-law tried to explain to me about Calvinist..I listen until it came to election..I just stopped right there..never believe God chooses who goes to he'll and heaven..then it hits me... No wonder he was always down..not knowing if he was one of the elected..COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT I was hearing.. wasn't even going there with him..
“If a man builds his house in a tree, he will defend that tree with his life, even when it is discovered that the tree is diseased, simply because his life’s investment (the house) is in that tree. I am convinced this is what happened to Augustine , Calvin and JMAC. Better to build one’s house on solid rock.”
I have no doubt that MacArthur honestly believes in Calvinist Soteriology. He has spent so many years defending it now that no one will convince him otherwise, but I also think that if by some miracle something made him realize it was not in line with God’s Word he would in fact change his teaching. He wants to be in line with Scripture and has even held to his eschatology despite many around him and most reformed theologians being amillennial because he thinks it is in line with Scripture (I agree). I find nothing in him that indicates he is willing to compromise what he feels the Bible teaches I just happen to disagree with him on the teaching of TULIP.
@@SaneNoMore But if you listen to recent posts about him, they highlight times when he was preaching a non-Calvinist, 'receive Jesus, while you still can, so that you won't become too hardened to believe, later': John Henry/The Gospel of Christ posted one last week, which was supposedly preached recently. But he also preaches the opposite, in defense of all-important Calvinism. Could he possibly be blind to the disconnect? Or what is this?
@@lindajohnson4204 I tried to find the video you spoke about and could not, but recently (because of this channel) a sermon on Hebrews 3 titled “The Hardening of the Heart” from MacArthur has been making the rounds. In this sermon JMac clearly is teaching the free will of man to accept or reject the Gospel. This sermon thought was from 1972.
MacArthur has said he really became Calvinist in seminary, so before preaching at Grace Community Church, but that his understanding of the “Doctrines of Grace” (ie TULIP) grew as he preached through the NT. I’ve not heard any recent sermons that are not in line with that teaching, but it is clear from some of his very early sermons he did at one time teach man has a choice in salvation.
@@SaneNoMore Thinking about it, maybe John Henry (who is also a Calvinist) posted an earlier sermon, although he posted it recently. I'm thinking it was earlier, through something I heard in the sermon, but I may be wrong. I heard the video here, yesterday, I believe, so to me, the disconnect is just strange.
🎯💯
Prideful John. Would he refer to a male, young adult, who is countering Calvinism as a “boy”- like he referred to Alana, a young woman, as a girl? NEVER!! He owes her an apology.
The arrogance and narcissistic attitude of MacArthur makes me literally sick
No it doesn’t don’t exaggerate? Are you puking right now?
To hear him gloat about his accomplishments in this interview and the way he elevates himself is truly nauseating.
He's in serious error.
Pretribber. Lordship salvation. What he did to Eileen Gray is truly abhorrent. He's always been a misogynist... says that lust is the worst sin. He's got problems.
Me too. He thinks someone died and made him god.
I loved Charles Stanley for just the same reason as Alana mentions. You felt the love and kindness which is what Christians are supposed to exhibit. Lots of us could learn from that. Alana comes across as being in a humble, self-searching in relation to truth, healthy place that many of us could learn from too. God bless you Alana, Leighton and may God reward those of us who humbly, genuinely seek to find Him and His will.
I literally just left my former church that started going stealth Calvinist and was getting closer to full-blown.
I don’t regret my decision at all. It’s been like a breath of fresh air.
Same
You should have stayed, you may have come to understand.
Glad you escaped that wickedness. May His will be done in you this season and the next.
@@neoturfmasterMVS How mis-guided it is? How Old Covenant it is??
@@CAIrondad Questions are burdens for others. Answers a prison for oneself.
JM claims that after studying this stuff for 50 years, he's sure the calvinistic view fits in Scripture, but I remember in one of his sermons, he said that the view does seems off and we find ourselves in some kind of paradox but we just have to let God be God. If calvinism fits so well with scripture then why is it a paradox? It should all make sense since he claims the scriptures support it.
Calvinism is so double-minded. Calvin himself never touched the old testament nor revelation and knowing that tells me they've only got half of it right.
@@melenoal Calvin also said that the Bible should be read through Calvinism. He said it in the Institutes. Those are the words of a cult leader.
So i suppose that God is surprise when someone begins to believe . So may be He does'nt know each of the 144,000 jews in the apocalpse ? Maybe He will be surprise about them and who they are each of them? And the antechrist another surprise who will be ? The conversion of Paul ; hazard ? He was lucky to went on the right way ,at the right moment ,right place ? Paul was searching Jesus and found Him by Himself ? Sure ?
@@claudecharest7018 Fallacy of extrapolation. Fallacy of arguing against something no one said.
@claudecharest701God is God so he could choose to determine some things and not others. Holding to calvinism is dangerous we should observe Psalms 118:8
I’m only 51 and likely a wistful female too.
I do not have 50 years of theological study.
But I have studied the Bible and Calvinism and I do know how to read it and use discernment.
Calvinism and each TULIP teaching is not the gospel when filtered through the Bible.
So many are deceived by the TULIP doctrine and Calvinism in general. It is infiltrating still many churches unawares.
We should question any teaching or teacher in light of scripture and not take what is said or taught just because a certain someone says to believe it.
Amen sister! However, I do believe only in the irresistible grace doctrine due to my conviction from scripture that all people will eventually be reconciled back to God.
Did you choose God? If yes, how did you turn from sin to God?
You're not wistful but highly intuitive and accurate.
@@Ajsirb24No. They most certainly will not.
@WhoGitDaBiscuit When you read the original Greek of the new testament, you'll see that universal salvation is a core doctrine.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 YLT98
[3] for this [is] right and acceptable before God our Saviour, [4] who doth will all men to be saved, and to come to the full knowledge of the truth;
1 Timothy 4:10 YLT98
[10] for for this we both labour and are reproached, because we hope on the living God, who is Saviour of all men - especially of those believing.
Romans 3:22 YLT98
[22] and the righteousness of God [is] through the faith of Jesus Christ to all, and upon all those believing, - for there is no difference,
Young's Literal is one of the best translations out there because it actually sticks very closely to the original Greek. You'll notice in the Romans verse that it's not your own faith that saves you because that would be a works-based salvation. It was the faith of Jesus that saved all people full stop, no discrimination. It's time we read the Bible, especially the new testament, as it was meant to be read.
calvinists are blind to their hypocrisy:
their theology includes God being in meticulous control BUT THEN demand, argue, cajole, guilt trip others into doing/not doing/thinking/not thinking certain things with the inherent supposition that those others have the free will to do or not do.
EVERY calvinist preacher will have proclaim the TULIP, but i have never heard a SERMON where they will clearly, forthrightly assert that God brings glory to Himself (mysteriously) by murders, rapes, child molestations as authored and decreed by Himself.
it is only where a calvinist it pointedly cross examined such as by Leighton Flowers that they grudgingly admit to the implications of calvinism, but only after responding with equivocations, side stepping, hand waving, smoke and mirrors to deflect from the ugly truth of calvinism.
at the end of the macarthur clip (see show notes) he tries to soften deterministic issues of calvinism with "being balanced"....
that is wishy washy. either meticulous control is meticulous or it is not.
i believe calvinist ignore, deflect, gas light about the meticulous control is that they know people will be repulsed by it > fewer congregant > le$$ giving. you will NEVER hear a calvinist proclaim God is in meticulous control and (name suffering) brings HIM glory at funerals, hospitals, hospices, jails, street corners.
Although I don't agree with his soteriology, JM has always held my respect until the last few years. This video is a perfect example of why I no longer care to read or hear what he has to say on any given issue. What a mean thing to say about a lady who holds him in high esteem.
That's a shame!! Sorry to hear that because JM is an absolute hero of mine in his teaching and in his life..
@@taylorgetzke552 What kind of statement is this? I suggest you rethink your stance of JM, you're bordering on idolatry.
Absolutely not. I never said I worshipped the man or anything like that, but wow!! Now we're not allowed to hold faithful expository preachers in high esteem..get out of here bro your being ridiculous and you throwing around the word idolatry isn't bordering on being judgmental it is in fact being highly judgmental..tell me I challenge you to find one thing that Dr. Macarthur has ever said, taught, or even hinted at that, doesn't line up directly and acutely with scripture! And examine the man's life and ministry! Please bro..50 plus years of fidelity to orthodox Christianity and not to mention the hundreds if not thousands of people that hes responsible for bringing to the lord and then training them up in the righteousness of Christ in loght of God's word. We need more faithful preachers like him!! But I will tell you this, that mans ability to soundly exposit and relay truth has greatly impacted my Christian walk and ALL for the better!! So tell me, how is this even bordering on idolatry or even in the general vicinity therof!!?? You need to chill out, dude, before you start pointing fingers at fellow believers that's assuming you are one!!
I'll rethink nothing John macarthur is a spiritual hero of mine!!
It's obviously some sort of witch hunt to put a faithful preacher "on the ropes" so to speak! I mean the title of the video in itself is misleading because he doesn't say anything directly to this Alana!! He says it to the interviewer!! So back up off Johnny Mac he's a good dude and one heck of a preacher/ teacher!!
I wanted to enroll in one of the reformed theology colleges because I thought it was the correct/biblical doctrine. However, few days before application, God gave me a dream in which i saw people were drinking contaminated water from the water wells in the school. I stopped the application process and through studying the Word and prayer, God helped me understand that much of the doctrine is unbiblical, it's contaminated. May God help us all understand and embrace His Truth
The accusation that you must have never been a Calvinist in the first place isn’t really that surprising. It’s a cult. It’s a literal cult devoted to a 16th century humanist lawyer who originally wanted to be a priest but he decided to be a lawyer instead because he wanted to make more money. And that cult is continually maintained a decade after decade by the latest iteration of Calvin quoting scholars. It must be assessed for what it is. Are there people within the fold of Calvinism to love Christ and our well-meaning people? No doubt. But both can be true. And the best thing to do for those people is speak the truth…Calvinism is a cult and the benefit of the doubt should no longer be given to the “pastors” and “scholars” of that cult.
1. With your knowledge of John Calvin, do you know of a good source book about his early life? I think he is a fascinating case study in human psychology.
2. One of the contemporary comments about his longevity in Geneva was that he was NOT out to make money and therefore NOT corrupted by worldly gain. The Geneva theocracy, a government where secular and religious rule was combined and of which he was the architect and absolute judge, collapsed several decades after his death and was never again reestablished.
After that foul video of JM, I immediately went to the Grace to you” channel to leave a comment to JM that he owes Alana an apology. No surprise, all videos have comments turned off. Guess they’re not interested in Bereans.
JM- referred to the woman as a whistful girl!!
Even if it wasn’t directed at Alana it is telling all women to not speak up on their platform about why they would embrace and then reject Calvinism.
the boldness that Macarthur has is needed and loved when he's speaking on sin and during COVID. Unfortunately, his boldness turns to arrogance when confronted with someone who disagrees with his religious views. I truly think that many Calvinists believe that non Calvinists aren't saved.
You are correct
Know them by their fruit.
Many have told me I'm just not chosen for salvation or part of the elect. That I'm unsaved, and that's how God determined it.
@Tito Santiago you could ask the calvinist if they've seen God's Book of Names and how they know for sure if they are on it. Gotta humble them down.
The way he spoke about her was not just rude it was fully disrespectful. McArthur was very sneaky for many years , calvinist are dangerous even more than cults like the JWs and Mormons.
I see the same behavior from them as I have from cults throughout my life.
One thing that John McaCarthur obviously lacks is a deep sense of humility. MacArthur has puffed himself up with his own knowledge and it blinds him from seeing what Scripture actually says. He is preaching tradition and not Scripture. I've been a Christian for 33 years and I am still learning new things about the Word of God and it has helped me know God better. "Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:" Isaiah 1:18
Wanted to post one more : what the host said at 36:40 mark: reminds me of an incident between a preacher and Mac. A preacher called out Mac once about him dismissing the efficacy of Christ’s blood and when this preacher used scripture to back his argument , McArthur became very insolent and angry. That shows you this guy has an issue with spiritual pride. So not surprising he said what he said to this lady. I don’t get why his followers feel because he has been in ministry for over 50 years, he’s automatically above reproach. This is a serious problem in Christian culture today - we latch onto a preacher and forge a spiritual connection and then think they can do no wrong. May God guard our minds to focus on Christ alone! Maranatha ❤
John MacArthur just drips with arrogance. Even when I agree with him he comes across so pompous and condescending
I disagree. I don't agree with his Calvinistic teaching but I don't usually find him to be arrogant. Obviously, in the case with this lady, he was and that was wrong but I don't think he comes across that way at all.
I see the same thing and have since the first day I've seen him.
You will know them by their fruits
Flowers only ministry is anti-calvanism! Lol
I totally agree!
It's quite the empire that he's built on false doctrine. Hard to let go of. I do believe that if Calvinists weren't so arrogant, they wouldn't have to write books on the misconceptions of Calvinists being arrogant.
Towards the end Leighton was very commendable to extend benefit of doubt to John McArthur - "maybe he would back some of those statements up and apologize if talking to you in person."
Is John McArthur on record apologizing for anything? Just asking.
No. He never apologizes. Calvinists don’t apologize. Their own doctrine infers that the “elect” are not only chosen as “God’s special people” but that they grow in faith and righteousness over time which leads to greater “self-assurance” in their views. Pride is a sin and the worst of them. Whatever “godly” man MacArthur may have been at one point, he is no longer that. He is demonstrating himself to be Pope MacArthur, Great Diviner of the Scriptures. Bow before his brilliant intellect ye lowly peons!
Having subscribed to the Calvinistic system wholeheartedly MacArthur was preprogrammed to see these "doctrines of grace" everywhere while preaching through the whole NT. He was determined to prove to himself that Calvinism is true, and he succeeded in that.
Exactly! As a former RC, I can say it's the SAME thing with them...
Absolutely!!!
As an Elder of a traditionalist non-denominational Christian Church, we hired a new Pastor who only gave subtle hints of his view on his resume. When we discovered his belief in Calvinism, we gave him a month's severance and dismissed him, since he insisted on teaching his views. Thankfully he had only been with us for a few months, so there was little negative impact, but it was a struggle for the leaders.
The content of this video is so important within today's church. There is without a doubt much gaslighting and power trip abuse that must be destroyed. Also, there are many hurting and scarred in the aftermath of the same that need healing.
I was horrified by Voddie's "viper in a diaper" comment. I had been listening to his sermons and really felt good about him until then. So I read some more about him online and realized he was a Calvinist and then went down that whole rabbit hole and became pretty depressed. Dr. Flowers helped pulled me out of that dark, dark place back to The Good News and God's love for us even though we are sinners.
“Taken every text of the Bible and put doctrine into that text…”
How anyone could say that with a straight face and use that as some kind of gotcha/justification for twisting the Scripture just to defend their misguided career is beyond me.
Scripture reveals and is used to defend doctrine. If one is putting their own doctrines into the text of Scripture, their doctrines are wrong.
So agree !
Proves he's warped
Not what he meant by his comment and I don't approve the misrepresentation of Dr John Macarthur
@@taylorgetzke552 And I and many others don't approve of "Dr." John MacArthur's warped and inconsistent theology. The Church Fathers of the first 500 years of Christianity know better than a man of the 20th century who can't keep his theology straight.
How does one test their doctrine without putting it to the test of scripture? Put the test of man’s free will to the test of scripture. Find scripture where man’s will was anything other than corrupt apart from an action from God. Man is dead in sin. Dead. Not drowning but dead. A dead man can’t accept Christ. He has to be made alive by the Holy spirt. Once alive one cannot resist the effectual call. This isn’t to say that one lives a perfect life. We are all deserving of damnation. If not for the blood of Christ all would be lost but God promised him a bride and provided a bride and all that the Father draws will come and He will keep them. Nothing anyone or anything can do will take them from his hand and that includes any actions from the bride. This next comment is not intended to be rude or condescending. Please point out my short summary of theology and where it is radically wrong. Please give any scripture that I could apply that theology to that would disprove my understanding of election.
We just left a church we attended for 15 years. The pastor brought in Calvinism(stealth) over the past 7 years. Leaving was hard but staying was not an option. Calvinism can only be seen as another gospel. Not sure how anyone can stay or condone staying in what should be considered a cult.
Interesting to see how he said he "put doctrine into that text". Epitome of eisegesus rather than exegesus. He came to the text looking for a way to fit in his doctrine and he found it rather than coming to the text first to get doctrine from it.
Great interview!
MacArthur always strikes me as a prideful man. It seems to me that anyone who questions him he takes very personally.
That's why I couldn't listen to him! Re: Lordship salvation, he would make it sound like we have grace, only to refrain from sin, but when we do sin, he'd rather have teeth pulled than say that we have grace when we stumble. Which we need, by the way, because if we say we have no sin, we lie ...
And all the time, he'd be saying it with this proud, ruthless swagger, hardly without sin.
So what about how he "violated" Calvinist theology, to give a biblical warning, about how we need to receive Jesus and be saved and forgiven, so that we don't harden and never get saved, and when he's preaching this, he doesn't seem proud. But the Calvinists don't call him on this massive violation of Calvinist theology, which they certainly would attack us for, when we said it, and he turns around and acts super arrogant because someone rejected, not Jesus, but Calvinism!
@@lindajohnson4204 just the fact that he tends to condemn charismatic Christians. How he criticized the Jesus freaks movement, and calls everything that isn't calvanist false. You could say he shuts the gate on others.
Has he ever said - "Thank you for showing me something that has made me think and reconsider my position, I may have been mistaken"? I have been disturbed by his dishonest blanket slandering of all charismatics and his response when respected scholars have urged him to be more balanced - he seems to organise another conference to double down. He may have started well but perhaps the unhelpful elevation of the pulpit and the pope's - sorry - pastor's interpretation of the scriptures over a healthier understanding of how Christ (the real head of the Church and any real church) leads his church have gone to his head and he's in danger of not finishing well.
that's what i always thought of him, but i didn't want to seem crazy and i worried that i myself was prideful for rejecting his views.
I have the opposite impression. He is humble but still steady in his theology. The bible says a woman should stay quiet in the church. It might be unpopular, but feminism is dominating the church theses days
For years I've been hearing about how wonderful MacArthur is. How he's a great teacher. How he stands up for what is right. I'd never read anything of his or seen any sermons, interviews, or clips of him speaking, but assumed since so many loved him he must be as great as they say. Recently, though, he's been coming across my screen and all I can say is he seems like a very hateful person. It's honestly disturbing that so many look up to him.
I totally agree with you !
And arrogant
I have thought the same thing. The people who say that "he teaches the truth" have never really opened their Bibles and read the Truth of God's Word. "It's the truth that makes you free". They depend on someone else to do that for them! Their minds are closed, clouded.
And he teaches false doctrine so as a person we can love but I see no reason to respect.
Don’t take the low road here. John MacArthur is set in his ways of what he believes sure, but he is still a brother in Christ. Respect his intentions and the work he has done to bring many to Christ. Remember Luke 9:49-50.
I used to listen to JMac until I took on God's whole counsel, and then I couldn't stand to listen to him. We must all write God's word on our hearts and study the scripture daily.
I, too, have great affection for MacArthur, but was stunned by his words here.
“A sophomoric comment from somebody who should keep her thoughts to herself”- that’s not only unkind and condescending, it behaves defensively, afraid to be challenged. What Bible teacher who desires his students to challenge and to learn, who knows that Bible can be pressed very hard and hold up to scrutiny, tries to silence a brother or sister in Christ for sharing their testimony?
This “wistful girl” is a 40-year-old woman, who was a staunch Calvinist for 17 years and only left it because of careful study of the scriptures alone. These weren’t her random feelings and opinions.
I will always love MacArthur as a brother in Christ, but was alarmed and saddened by this display of rude arrogance.
I was part of a reformed group on facebook and liked a lot of calvanist preachers as nothing seemed amiss. But over time I realised my views on grace were different from those in the group and through Leighton's videos I have realised how at odds I am with those preachers over salvation and grace.
I genuinely didnt realise what Calvanism actually was until Leighton broke it down. Even when catching an Alana video on leaving Calvinism I didnt even cotton onto that there was anything to leave or why it was so problematic, even listening all the way through I was none the wiser.
Thank you guys for what you do, it's helped me deal with the predestination issue that I was praying about.
Is your view on grace based on scriptures, or based on emotions?
@@nerychristian scripture first and foremost.
Oh lordy lordy what have we here! You have to believe what I believe because I've believed it for 50 years! I worked in financial services at one point and we had disagreements about how to work out the correct tax! The older guys said "we've been doing it this way for 40 years". Turns out they were wrong … and they'd been doing it incorrectly for 40 years! 😂 lol why are Christian's so thick sometimes? A bit of common sense, decency, and a touch of humility might help us all! 🤭😇
Wow! My once beloved teacher (Macarthur), who is still beloved, but no longer my teacher, is a good example of what King/Prophet David said, "The teachings of the Lord [God/Bible] have made me wiser than my teachers". I wish everyone could just always continue to be humble and learn from God.
It seems to me like whenever a pastor gets some fame, he forgets that pride is a sin.
@@patrickbarnes9874 Seems that way; but I think it is just the normal human condition that men's self-confidence automatically generates pride in what they FEEL they are experts. I have to check my pride & I bet you have at least one area to restrain your pride. But John has been allowing that pride as a pattern for decades. :(
The amazing thing about a guy like John MacArthur is how little self-awareness he actually has.
I've noticed that
About 20 years ago, he was in Russia, and went to a service at a Russian Orthodox Church. As one might imagine, being in a foreign country, the service was rooted in a foreign tradition from a foreign liturgical culture. He asked zero questions, did zero research, and dismissed the whole thing as "sacerdotalism plus nothing." All essentially because they weren't worshipping exactly the way he does.
@@Emper0rH0rde That's exactly how one would expect a pompous, self-absorbed purist like MacArthur to react in such a setting!
Who would you trust more with biblical doctrine? A UA-camr who has been in the faith 20 years or an exegetical pastor who has lead a ministry for over 50 years?
@@latenitehvac868 Neither would be a factor. There are plenty of true and false teachers who fall into both categories, and I would trust or distrust each on an individual, case-by-case basis instead of pigeonholing them and basing my trust on worldly status. In this specific case, Alana is right and MacArthur is wrong.
In my opinion most important is what Alana answered about "resources" question and that she sticks with the Bible. For me (as former Roman Catholic) it's really the best and only suggestion we are trying to give in our home church, when we see someone looking for truth. If Christian people really believed that God's Word is enough, sufficient, that it's truly "a discerner of the thoughts and intents of hart", that in my opinion would really change something.
It's so encouraging for me when brothers and sisters in Christ are choosing word of God over any additional commentaries, books, researches, etc. So nice to see Alana growing in faith😊 Blessings from Poland!
We don't need study Bibles, with the commentary of fallible humans, when we have the Holy Spirit.
Exactly! As Jesus COMMANDS in John 14:26 & 16:13.
Problem is when people are carnal and have no Holy Spirit then they inevitably rely on men (folk rely on MacArthur, MacArthur relies on Calvin, Calvin relied on Augustine...)
"Augustine is so wholly within me that if I wished to write a confession of my faith, I could do so with all fullness and satisfaction to myself out of his writings" (John Calvin)
@@SuperKatiki Sermon is commentary of fallible humans. Paul, Peter, James, John, Timothy, Titus, Silas, et al were fallible humans. Do you listen to their commentary or not?
@@leenieledejo6849 Augustine and William of Ockham.
@@Lerian_V Please give examples of these men being "fallible humans" post Pentecost i.e the first time the Holy Spirit indwelt people (👉 John 7:39).
The whole point of regeneration (which is what defines a Christian: John 1:12-13, Romans 8:9, 2 Corinthians 13:5 etc) is that we are raised to NEW LIFE!
(An example, apart from Paul, is Peter because there's no comparison between the man he WAS in the Gospels and the man he BECAME after Pentecost, as we see in Acts and in his epistle)
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a NEW creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become NEW" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
"But God be thanked, that ye WERE the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
For when ye WERE the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness" (Romans 6:17-18, 20)
"when we WERE in the flesh" (Romans 7:5), "and such WERE some of you..." (1 Corinthians 6:11), "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Galatians 5:24), "And you hath he quickened, who WERE dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walkED according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all HAD our conversation in TIMES PAST in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and WERE by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Even when we WERE dead in sins" (Ephesians 2:1-3, 5a), "ye who sometimes WERE far off" (Ephesians 2:13), "Be not ye therefore partakers with them, for ye WERE sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light" (Ephesians 5:7-8),
"Who hath DELIVERED us from the power of darkness" (Colossians 1:13), "And you, that WERE sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled" (Colossians 1:21), "Who was BEFORE a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious" (1 Timothy 1:13a), "For we ourselves also sometimes WERE foolish, disobedient, deceived..." (Titus 3:3), "In which ye also walkED (Colossians 3:7), "who was BEFORE a blasphemer and a persecutor...(1 Timothy 1:13), "FORMER lusts" (1 Peter 1:14), "seeing ye HAVE PURIFIED your souls" (1 Peter 1:22), "For ye WERE as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls" (1 Peter 2:25), "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you OUT OF darkness INTO his marvellous light:
Which in time PAST were not a people, but ARE NOW the people of God: which had NOW obtained mercy" (1 Peter 2:9-10),
"in time PAST...we walkED in lasciviousness, lusts..." (1 Peter 4:3b), "having ESCAPED the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Peter 1:4b, 2:20a), "he was PURGED from his old sins" (2 Peter 1:9b)
Refreshing Alana with your Billy Graham comments. My life was changed on a hot 1972 July evening in Cleveland, Ohio during one of his crusades. So thankful I chose to attend.
Praise God!!
I agree, Alana also shed some new light for me on a subject that I sort of struggled with. Thanks for that!
@@The_lover_of_truth really? Like what? According to the scriptures If billy graham believes Jesus is the son of God and he rose from the dead then I’d say yes he is a Christian.
Who does John MacArthur think he is??? no one can respectfully disagree with him? And he gets all tangled up in his knickers about Alana's respectful comments?
I've always thought of myself as a Calvinist for most of my life until just recently in 2022 when I learned what they actually believe. I've studied scripture and memorized God's Word for decades. When I heard what they actually believe, my response was something like "Well, that's not what the Bible teaches." I knew from my studies in scripture over several decades that the 5-points of Calvinism just didn't line up with scripture. Parts of them do, but that's also true of the doctrines taught by many cults. I think it's important to remember that false doctrine is never 100% false. It's always mixed with some truth to make it more believable. Learning that Calvinism was not in alignment in many areas with what Scripture teaches really rocked my world for a while. God used it to drive me even deeper than ever before into expository studies of His Word. I'm thankful for Dr Leighton Flowers and Alana. It's reassuring to know I'm not alone in discovering the errors of Calvinism.
So thankful for you both. Have loved Johnny Mac, and still do on a number of biblical items. However, calling out sister in Christ because of her youth is so sad. Y’all have been such a blessing to me, and my daughter who struggled so much with salvation while under Calvinism. I rarely miss a teaching session of y’all. Finally, thanks for your steadfastness, and also the grace y’all exhibit to our Calvinist brothers and sisters.
This is what the old religious types do, they get jealous and mean to others that want to grow in faith and question their leadership. Glad I'm not part of any particular branch or have a "theology" but I realize these teachings are for how to use the word accurately and effectively. What unifies us is the life saving gospel of christ and the word of God and his holy spirit. Can't put a religion on God and say "this is all you get!" That's selfishness disguised as godliness.
I don't understand why people call Calvinists brothers and sisters. What makes someone a Christian? Accepting Christ as savior. What do Calvinists believe saves you? Jesus? No. Being elected by God before the foundation of the world. In Calvinism you are regenerated first and THEN you have faith. Calvinism holds that there is no saving faith in Christ. Calvinism explicitly says that faith is a gift from God to the regenerated. In Calvinism you are already saved before you have faith. You cannot be Christian without accepting Christ as savior.
Calvinism is NOT Christianity. I'm sure the vast majority of Calvinists are saved Christians, but it is because they are inconsistent with this point, just as they are almost all inconsistent with divine sovereignty. As multiple people have pointed out, virtually every Calvinist TALKS about sovereignty but actually LIVES as if they have libertarian free will. It's the same thing with salvation. Just like I'm sure most Catholics are Christian, but the doctrine of Catholicism is that you are saved by works. Catholicism is inherently not Christian. They don't believe that Jesus saves, they believe that unless you've had your sins forgiven by a human priest, you will still be condemned despite accepting Christ. The "doctrines of grace" are 100% indisputably heretical, as is Catholicism. Most Calvinists just profess them aloud but don't truly believe them in their heart.
Sort of a “Get off my lawn” theological remark from John. Just because someone has spent “50 years” doesn’t mean they are correct.
@@indianarunner8836 or you could say "man is a wolf to another." Trying to love your neighbor but hating where they stand in their faith.
How can he be respected on anything else when he is so wrong on so many things.
The fact that MacArthur is worried enough to speak out on this means that he's scared of the impact Alana and her genuine, sincere sharing of her spiritual journey out of Calvinism are having on people who are currently deceived or in danger of being deceived by it. That is a sign that MacArthur is aware of the inherent weaknesses and flaws in the vile and false teachings of his system, and his words are a clear sign of both his insecurity about it and his towering arrogance about his own spiritual knowledge. He's reacting like the Pharisees reacted to Jesus' disciples after Pentecost. MacArthur is doing the same thing that other Calvinists do when they put him on a pedestal, but in his case, he's going ever further by putting HIMSELF on the pedestal! He needs to humble himself before God and pray for his forgiveness for his prideful attitude, remembering what Jesus said: "Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, but whoever humbles himself shall be exalted!"
That's exactly what I thought too: he is scared of Alana. I'm so happy and grateful that she is not intimidated. May the Lord help her from now on too, and may she be a help for many to find freedom from Calvinism 💗
@@mariemilycraig Amen!
Growing up in a Reformed, Calvin honouring church in Europe, I now cannot recall that the teaching of repentance ever came up. And now I understand that they think they are “chosen”. I believe that is a misinterpretation of Romans 8:29 which reads:For He knew his people in advance and “chose” them to become like His son. Here, Paul was speaking to the Christians in Rome. And the were already followers of Christ. They think this talks about salvation, yet clearly this refers to the sanctification of the believer.
I pray for them, that their eyes may be opened to the truth. ❤️
You're reading WAY too much into MacArthur. You don't know what he's actually thinking so it's a bit of a stretch to say, "he's aware of his inherent weakness", he's "worried" or "insecure" etc. You'd have to be his personal psychologist to know what he could be thinking. The only thing I can comment on is the obvious, there IS pridefulness there and I pray God will show him the truth.
@@arreola891 You are completely misrepresenting my statement and misquoting it. I never said anything about knowing exactly what MacArthur was thinking. You falsely quoted me as saying "he's aware of his inherent weakness", when that isn't what I said. I said that MacArthur's fear of the effects of Alana's testimony ARE A SIGN that MacArthur is aware of THE inherent weaknesses and flaws in the teachings OF HIS SYSTEM. I pointed out that the fact that MacArthur is worried enough to speak out means that he's scared of the impact of Alana's testimony. My statement was all about reading the signs and signals that MacArthur was sending, not reading his mind.
I appreciate SO much the tone and the length and depth on this subject.
I was a prodigal for a long time and when I came back to my faith, I didn't know anything about Calvinism or Arminianism or anything else. I studied the Word and asked God for understanding. Anytime absolutely anyone said anything about what the Bible taught, I went and checked for myself to see if what they said was true. At that time I wasn't going to church and I didn't have anyone to consult, I didn't use commentaries, but I did come from a church background so I was influenced by the teachings I received there. I remember when I first came across Romans 9:20 and I became concerned, because it seemed as if God was being unfair. I knew that couldn't be true, so I asked God for understanding and I moved on without formulating an interpretation. God granted me the understanding several years later. I have never been nor will I ever be an adherent of TULIP theology aka the so called "Doctrines of Grace." I hold Flowers, MacArthur, everyone up to the Word of God and I know they would never tell me to do otherwise.
That's why you are El Papu de Papus (The dude of dudes).
I pretty much new instantly when I 1st saw this interview that he was referring to Alana.
When John says he has looked into every nook and cranny and can't find anything that would refute his findings and his summation and interpretation of scripture sounded so Phariseesidical I was blown away. Pride is an ugly thing no matter who you are!
I've been a christian for more than half my life and just recently I was told by a calvinist that I was unsaved because I'm a provisionist. And yet they seem to be the ones that are devicive and proud.
You disagree with me hahaha how dare you. It's very childish and rude.
DW: The irony of a Calvinist telling someone they are not saved - is the fact that their own doctrine stipulates:
1) No believer is granted CERTAINTY of any person's election/salvation - including his own - because the elect/saved are divine secret which *ONLY* Calvin's god knows.
2) Calvin's god creates and designs a large percentage of the church to be CHAFF - who are predestined for eternal torment in the lake of fire for his good pleasure. For those believers - Calvin's god gives them a *FALSE SENSE* of election/salvation.
John Calvin
-quote
the Lord....instills into their minds such a *SENSE* ..... as can be felt *WITHOUT* the Spirit of adoption. (Institutes 3.2.11)
-quote
he *ILLUMINES ONLY FOR A TIME* to partake of it; then he......and strikes them with even greater blindness (Institutes 3.24.8)
So Calvinism includes a doctrine of divine deception of the believer.
So any Calvinist thinking he knows who is saved and who is not saved is in fact in denial of his own doctrine. And you can tell him his denial of his own doctrine is probably an indicator that Calvin's god has given him a *FALSE SENSE* of salvation. Let him swallow his own medicine! :-]
@@dw6528 What...crazy!! I did not know that. Thank you.
@@jolookstothestars6358 DW: Yes - the first point I mentioned - is called "The invisible church" within Calvinism. The TRUE elect are visible only to Calvin's god. They are "invisible" to everyone else.
The second point I mentioned is Calvinism's interpretation of the "Wheat & the chaff". It is critical to remember - Calvin's god is a divine potter of Romans 9 - who creates/designs vessels fitted for destruction. The CHAFF in Calvinism - are non-elect believers who are created/designed for destruction.
The CHAFF are believers who are divinely deceived - being given a FALSE SENSE of salvation.
This in Calvinism - is historically called "The dreaded false hope"
Eventually - as one becomes increasingly familiar with aspects of the doctrine which Calvinist's seek to HIDE - it becomes increasingly recognizable - that a unique aspect of Calvinism is that it incorporates DUALISM - in which many thing appear in the form of "Good-Evil" or "Antithetical" pairs.
In Calvinism - "Evil" is "Good" because Calvin's god ordains "Evil' and everything Calvin's god ordains - is "Good".
Therefore Calvinism is a doctrine of "Good-Evil"
However most Calvinists are very uncomfortable with the "Evil" aspect of the doctrine. So they have an extremely high urgency to *OBFUSCATE* the "Evil" side of the doctrine.
The fact that Calvin's god deceives Calvinists with a FALSE SENSE of salvation - is one of the aspects of the doctrine Calvinists very much try to hide.
So it is wisdom to recognize that 99% of Calvinist statements are designed to *HIDE* some aspect of the doctrine they don't want you to see.
@@dw6528you say the Calvinist God. Are you saying Calvinists worship a false God and are therefore not saved?
Quote from John MacArthur Himself.
"I was looking on the internet the other day when a wistful girl said how I become a calvinist and left calvinism"
Nobody asked the question about that but you are on his mind.
Then comes Arrogance, He, John MacArthur Himself has been there for 50 years. How dare you criticize his theology Alana?
This man has serious narcissistic problems.
And sadly it reminds me
Matthew 7:22-23
Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
P.S. He thinks he is right because he has been there for 50 years.
Pride comes before a fall...
If this was Geneva, MacArthur would have had her tied to a stake and set on fire.
That's the Calvinist way!
Yes, with GREEN WOOD too, just like Servetus!
I am 51 now but I went to the alter when I was 15…. I didnt know why I went to the alter , I don’t remember what the preacher preached.. In fact the only reason I went to church was a couple of girls. The two things I remember are 1. I felt very guilty and shameful….. I remember weeping not understanding what was going on….. me , a 15 yr old boy weeping in the alter and not a soul came to minister to me…I got up from that alter and lived the next 12 years as hard as I could live…
I look back and realize that they were calvinist…
I am a pastor now and I have made it a point to never leave anyone in the alter…. Alters are meant to come lay our lives down and our struggles down….. To minister and love on one another!!! That’s what alters are for!!!
Thank you guys for what you’re doing with the false teachings of Calvinism
Altar. Altar calls can be confusing. Do I get saved down at the altar, do I get saved still sitting in the pew? Do I have to talk to the pastor before I get saved, etc., etc. Just preach the gospel of grace when giving an invitation. Some preacher did just that (no altar call) and that's how I got saved at a Christian youth retreat in the summer of 1985. God bless!! 🙂
Do we see altar calls in the Bible? Why do one in the first place? Maybe better to just offer up availability to minister to people that need it.
Thank you for all you do Dr. Flowers. Thank you Alana for coming out and sharing your journey.
Thank you both. So glad Alana to know that you're out of that error filled teaching.
When some one tells me they are a Calvinist, I reply, " Was Calvin crucified for you ? Were you baptized in Calvin's name ?"
They would say Christ died for their sins and they were baptized by the father, son and holy spirit
NICE!
@Philip They often don't talk like it though.
Exactly. Before even entering into a theological discussion, a calvinist has to answer this question.
@aaronjsirb7919 not sure what reformed guys you listen to but the ones I know dont talk like that
Alana - your comment about the old messages still being there in your thoughts so struck me. I am struggling with that right now - I am finding that I have to retrain my thoughts, recalibrate my understanding of faith and God and my relationship to Him. The Calvinist mind is still very present with me. And I could not agree more that gaslighting is exactly what is happening, and it hurts my soul to see it. I am with you in your journey.
Yeah John definitely insulted her in every possible method
I thought MacArthur was very arrogant the first time I heard him preach, and thought so ever since. I think he has become even more arrogant lately. That happens with narcissists. If you think MacArthur is a good preacher, you are either a narcissist or you are blind to the manipulation that narcissists thrive on.
Amen !!!!!
Calvinism is the perfect excuse to pass one's pride for piety.
Thank you Mr. Flowers, Alana. I would have left Christianity all together if I hadn’t found your channels. I am struggling with the issue of leaving my church or not…I’m only there at this point because my family is there. Thanks again.
Perhaps Arminianism is a way of not being a Christian but continuing to call yourself one.
You Arminians think you saved your selves by your own will, instead of acknowledging God as your savior, who saved you by grace, which is unmerited favor, through faith, which was not your own faith, but it was the gift of God.
Results: 4
For 'predestinate'Ro 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did PREDESTINATE to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Ro 8:30 Moreover whom he did PREDESTINATE, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Eph 1:5 Having PREDESTINATEd us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being PREDESTINATEd according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Think about it... if you are a born again Christian,
you cannot "leave the Church" because you are the Church...
at least PART of the Church, a member in the LORD's body!
THE CHURCH is an organism, not an organization!...
You may leave that local Church but also it may not be easy to choose or find a much better one...
You can ask the LORD in prayer to literally guide you on whether you should leave, stay or find the best Church where you can be useful there for GOD's glory and where you can also grow spiritually....
GOD bless you! ...
Do NOT give up!
Only the Devil is the one discouraging you.....
Leaving the Church would mean that you are mad at GOD!
It is HIS CHURCH. What did GOD do to you to be so upset?! ...
Think about it! Pray!..Study the Bible!... READ it for yourself! :)
I was in a church for 12 years that taught anyone arguing or bringing up any doctrinal correction was divisive and was not of the Holy Spirit simply because he is a gentleman and would not do that. I explained that there was great disputing in the book of Acts over circumcision. It is Biblical to discuss the Bible and argue over doctrines (that matter) in a loving and caring manner.
I was once told by a Calvinist that he is a professor at Seminar in Wake Forest NC and that is all they do is study the word. I told him that Pharisees sent all their time studying the law and the Torah be they did not have it correct. Before Martin Luther the monks and the priest was supposedly studied the Bible all the time and they got it wrong all the time.
Terrible reasoning and conclusions concerning studying to shew thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth but do go on and jog off lol.
Calvinists are pharisaical in that Scripture is put through an extra-biblical filter, giving the filter primary importance. In the Pharisees' case it was oral tradition, what later became the Talmud. In Calvinism it's Calvin and Augustine with bits of Luther thrown in. Plus there's the self-righteousness and the weird prideful "humility".
I call them cemetery schools, they are not seminaries teaching truth.
Thank you for bringing up the issue of Calvinist views of children. I am not a mother, but I remember years ago hearing a Calvinist mother describe her own children this way and being shocked, upset, and honestly very worried for the mental and emotional health of those kids. I haven't seen or heard from that family in many years now and have moved far away, so I have no idea what became of them. It worries me now that I watched another family for 2 years in a different church that reminded me of that family so much.
This was the first I had heard of how (some) Calvinists view children. Absolutely psychotic and un-Biblical. Humans, no matter our sin, are higher than rats. We are created in the image of God and He sent his son to die for us, not rats.
Shieldmaiden for Christ is an awesome name!
They deprive joy from people. It's suffocating. Heard it from the holy spirit many times "don't conform to man's ways conform to my ways" Christianity is a radical way of living because it's not from the world its from god. Can't put a religion on God and you can't lean on a worldly understanding. Also these religious types tend to go after the spiritual gifts. The bible is clear that God views children as innocent and to be protected not sheltered but trained and equipped for battle. Like Jesus said "let the little children come to me, do not hinder them. the kingdom of heaven is made for one's such as these." Had many friends abandon their faith due to spiritual abuse and turn to atheism or witchcraft. They always felt like Christianity was forced on them. I'll add one more "whoever causes one of these little ones to stumble, it'd be better if a milestone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea." Their solutions is to just dismiss them and say "I guess God hates me I'm not going to try to talk to him anymore." That was my mistake. Now people see the bickering the gaslighting and the bitterness and they "think this must be Christianity I don't like it." Breaks my heart...
The best way to approach it is this way: predestination and free will cannot be fully understood this side of Heaven. Arminian or Calvinism, it’s not an either / or issue. There are many things we will not fully understand this side of Heaven. I commend this lady for going to the scriptures. That’s being a true Berean. The Word of God is our authority , not what McArthur says.
I was a card carrying, Reformed Presbyterian(OPC), Calvinist for 57 of my 63 years. I know the Westminster Standards, the creeds, and Calvin's Institutes. John McArthur is the second most arrogant of all of the arrogant Calvinists out there. Number one, is Doug Wilson, but McArthur is a very close second. McArthur is quick to point out, rightly so, the Charlatan's in leisure suits(thanks to Steve Taylor) Charismatics, but also, true Pentecostals/Apostolic's and anyone who is not a Calvinist.
I am tired of people defending men like McArthur & Wilson by saying they are not intending to be mean, etc. Yes, they are intentionally mean spirited. They only like to debate other Calvinists, because when they debate anyone else, they are shredded. All one needs to do is read the Scriptures! Micah 6:8
I'm surprised that you didn't include James White. I think he's the worst offender
@@contemplate-Matt.G I don’t know anything about White. I will have to do some research on him. Thanks for the heads up.
James White is like MacArthur, but with even more arrogance and far worse manners.
keep in mind, his ministry is called "grace to you" but in reality, he only believes that most will not inherit as much grace as others, and will spend an eternity in hell because God only elects a few. and, those that he did not elect were actually elect to go to hell, and choose the way to hell. he does believe this.
Amen that's what the scriptures say
I have always wondered why he didn’t call his ministry “Grace to Some”?
@@danitapowell2291 And like a good calvinist, he would say, "this is what the scriptures say, "grace to you" and then go on about how it is a mystery and we just don't understand but we can trust that God is bigger than our logic. if God wants 2 to equal 3 you should never question God. my response would be, "why would God create something that offends the logic he gave us?"
@@Philip3 The devil’s scriptures pal. Not the HOLY SCRIPTURES!
A Calvinist should call it "Grace to a few."
Right response ministries purports similar tropes as JM here. To me it’s like experiencing the darkness being brought into light with reformers calvinists exposing themselves for who they are and have been.
A Dr. told me today I’m not young anymore. Very true and now 35 years I’ve spoken out against reforned calvinism theologies conclusions.
Immensely grateful to see the exposure these theologies are facing.
Dr. Flowers , ive been watching your channel from the beginning. Calvinism has been a dominant force in christian churches, books, faith based movies, commentaries, seminaries ect... Your channel, your voice and effort is so very needed. Great job, please keep up the great material and for doing it with God honoring conduct. Even though I'm not recognized publicly, i pray that the Lord will use me in my sphere of influence. Grizz
Be encouraged Alana
Remember, MacArthur publicly called out a woman in his church who was divorcing a man who had abused her and her child. That man happened to be on Grace Community Church's staff. The woman was counseled to just put up with the abuse as an example to her children of godly suffering!
He excommunicated her.
I feel sorry for this man's wife
Under John MacArthur’s teaching along with my Pastor Andrew Davis, I have firmly arrived in what John Piper calls a “7-Point Calvinist”
Alana, almost the same thing happened to me. When I voiced my objection to Calvinism at the Bible study in our own home with my husband and my brother next to me, I was told by our Calvinist Bible Study leader to stay quite because I am a woman. Is this attitude a side effect of Calvinism?
Quiet in the biblical context means peaceful, stillness, undisturbed. Not literally “shut up”.
@@ninjason57 Unfortunately it was in the literal context. We eventually had to leave that church.
Don’t know why you and your guess hold John MacArthur in such high esteem. Probably without the internet we wouldn’t know much of what goes on at GCC, or much of MacArthurs personal life. But we do. Leighton I find it troubling that you know so much of MacArthurs teaching on Calvinism but virtually nothing else. His comments to this woman don’t even scratch the surface of his views of women in “ the church”, not to mention the home.
If you just spent a couple hours of research on MacArthurs “ actions”, toward wives and their children being abused in the home and what they should do, it might be of help to you.
I’ve not met a moral man yet that isn’t terribly upset and come away with a very different opinion of him. To pit it bluntly, he is not a moral man.
Agreed. I have nothing good to say about MacArthur at this point. Everything about him and his circle seems cultish.
I'd say it probably has to do with nostalgia. Both Leighton and Alana are former Calvinists who have mercifully seen the light and left its false doctrines behind. But there was a time that they, as Calvinists, admired MacArthur very much, and even now that they know his soteriology is bunk, they still remember that admiration. As someone who has always regarded Calvinism as insane, I have never seen MacArthur, Piper and their ilk as anything but arrogant false teachers of the 2 Peter Chapter 2 variety.
@@DamonNomad82 my comment about MacArthur has very little to do with his Calvinist doctrine. But abuses at GCC and his handling of his duties at the masters seminary and his position on what a wife must do when she is being physically abused.
It doesn’t take a deep dive to become informed in these matters. But it does say a lot about Leighton and his attention to moral issues when he says he admires MacArthur.
Alana, you're amazing. Keep telling your story.
I know herrrrrrrrrrr
This made me sad. You could tell in some of Alana's responses how affected she was by this doctrine. Just how many times she said things like, "I don't want people commenting negatively or attacking me." You could tell it's happened in the past and it caused damage. I was involved with something similar and I'm still trying to recover mentally and spiritually from it, though my experience was sinless perfection rather than Calvinism. But it's equally traumatic thinking you're heading straight to hell because of one slip-up. I'm reminded of when Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:18 how false doctrine can overthrow the faith of others. This verse is fulfilled in Calvinism's doctrine of election for us today. What better way for your faith to be overthrown than by believing no matter what you do you're going to hell anyways?
I speak out against Calvinism and John MacArthur regularly.
Never stop
Not only is JMac's response to Alana is not only very arrogant and unchristian (that's right, I said it), it is a classic example of the logical fallacy of appealing to authority . The fact that he appeals to his own authority rather than someone else's simply makes it doubly arrogant!
As a PS, I do sometimes think that these older guys (I'm not so far behind them either) are actually pricked in their consciences sometimes by the comments of younger people who see things … well differently! Maybe he was annoyed to feel that he was in the wrong? 😮😊
Jmac pricked? Wrong funny! 😅
I have been a Christian since 7 yr old. I keep hearing about the coming persecution of the church. I no longer go to church but still love the Lord and study on my own. As I watch the church today I don’t see it as persecution coming but as judgment because of their judgemental hatred, their superiority, not being educated re the Bible etc. Judged not persecuted!
Wait. So was johns argument summarized as "she needs to be quite because I have the authority to know this based on me holding this belief for 50 years."?
Pretty much.
Yes
Thank you for this conversation. I found myself surrounded by Calvinists. And listened to many of the same ones you mentioned, however I didn't understand the doctrine they were coming from. When they would speak, I couldn't reconcile what they would say and would just ignore it. As I started actually paying attention and compare what I was reading I was suddenly realizing that I don't believe this. Many of my friends are Calvinist. Sometimes it is hard to be around them. My struggle in those times is the feelings of a work 'to realize how bad, bad, bad, I would be in my human nature. And to understand that I would be capable of the worst human evil.' I've enjoyed and appreciated Alana on her channel.
Hey there! Could you explain a little more what you said there at the end of your comment?
I actually have a group that meets when able for fellowship and study and there are some that have a hard focus on total depravity and inability. This seems to lead to persistent conversation about how evil we would be left in our natural state. It becomes so prevalent it feels like it is a duty to remind ourselves and to be reminded of it. I don't know if that clarifies, it is something that I cannot relate to. I know that I am a sinner in need of Jesus. The need for salvation does not depend on the size or number of sins or the sin that could have been. I sometimes need to take a break from this group to focus on my own study and evaluate those conversations.
Thank you, Leighton and Anna!
GLORY TO GOD!
JM comments are consistent with the spirit behind Calvinistic beliefs which are hard hearted unloving, critical and unteachable
It sounded like Macarthur said he was inserting the doctrines TULIP into the scripture?...eisegesis?
Ya, 50 years of eisegesis.
Text book definition of it, I would say. And I'd also take it as a cautionary tale: Eisegesis is scarily easy to engage unwittingly
Thank you both! You have both been so encouraging, and helped me maintain sanity as well. Someone very close to me is a follower of MacArthur, and praying they see the truth and light of scripture!
Wow, McArthur really should apologize for that slight. Not at all part of his identity in Christ. I'd love to see him come to realise what Alana said about him in this video. I'm sure he would not only want to know, but to humbly ask forgiveness after.
He's not known for his apologies nor his humility.
Anyone following all the facts of the stories about him revealed on Julie Roys's website (and his silence regarding victims) are proof of that...
I recently was called divisive for questioning Calvinism/Refused theology. That is a hard word to have attached to you!
Thank you for this interview! I did not know about Alana, but I will be following her! I grew up in a Calvinist Church, and I was never ok with it. I started asking questions and challenging the teachings but was totally gaslighted! I was too young...and a girl...I shouldn't be asking these questions....🙄
Way to take the high road Alana.. very gracious. I heard humility in your response to a comment that “seemed” prideful… also remember what Paul told Timothy (1Timothy 4:12)