Not only Steven, but each one of us can all fall at any time. So this should keep us close to the Lord, praying for the grace to stand against temptation. Let's pray for his restoration and the healing of those who have been hurt by his failure.
@@paulbortolazzo2831 God alone knows who are His. He alone will separate the wheat from the tares. Thank goodness its not up to us to judge who will be saved and who will not be saved!
Sadly, this pastor is right when he shares what 5 point Calvinists teach. It shocked me when I heard John Macarthur a few years ago teach on this on their radio program. It really threw me that all these years listening to him that I had no idea that this was part of Calvinist doctrine. Why would you ever trust a God who chose to send everyone but a very small select to a terrble hell without even given a chance. Their is plenty of proof of this in the writings of the so called giants in the faith they quote and live by. Please just read the bible for what it says and you will see that the Calvinist doctrine is not what the bible teaches.A good book by Dave Hunt called WHAT LOVE IS THIS really opened my eyes to the history and doctrines of Calvinism. I really am not trying to throw mud at the terrible tragedy that has happened . It just breaks my heart and makes me so sad for all involved.
Practically every page of the Old and New Testaments are a witness to God's Sovereignty. If you don't believe that a loving God could send people to Hell 'without a chance' how then do you explain His destruction of the world by flood during Noah's time? How many thousands or millions of innocent people including their children and pets were killed - By God Himself. How do you explain when the Israelites conquered other nations at Gods direction and He told them that they are to kill every man, eoman and child including the livestock - and at the times when the Israelites did not follow this directive to the letter God eventually punished them for it? I hear you I know it can be hard to grasp that a loving God can kill those that by the world's standards are considered to be innocents. But to believe otherwise goes against everything that is written in the Bible including the words out of God's own mouth. God was being very straight with us when He said "my thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are higher than your ways (I'm paraphrasing here). By believing otherwise you're calling God a liar which He certainly is not. Please think about it. Best to you. ✨🙏🏼✨
As a 5 point Calvinist I can assure you Piper is wrong on the ill conceived notion that somehow God ordains a man’s sin (if Piper indeed insinuates that notion). I would never attribute my sin to God only to say He has used my sin for His glory. As Arthur Pink has stated “God is sovereign but man is responsible”. Steve Lawson and Steve alone is responsible for his sin.
@@JamesLee-pb6dl God is not the author of Lawson sin. I think we can both agree on that. Slice it and dice it however but Lawson is responsible for his sin not God. Agree?
I guess you are an Arminian. God is Sovereign and he ordains all things ultimately for his Glory. When we sin, God does not cause nor does he desire for us to sin yet everything is under his Sovereign will. As image bearers, we are also free agents, and as free agents, outside of regeneration, our wills will always choose sin.
@bempong nicely said...keep holding on to the heresy that is the tulip god. I know I sound hateful but it is actually frustration and fear for the final outcome of all tulip god holders. Just like I fear the final outcome of jws mormons who also tonthe core of their being claim to hold to the true God of the bible. Wait even muslims to the core say they believe in the the true God of Abraham.
A sophomoric and juvenile treatment of Divine Sovereignty and not in the spirit of unity. May I direct you to Eph. 4:2-3 - with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. NASB. May you be shown more grace than you're extending, if God forbid, you should ever find yourself in sin that destroys your ministry.
Not giddy, just asking honest questions about your theology. Here is where the rubber meets the road. Did God ordain and decree and determine Lawson’s adultery? Calvinism says, yes! What do you say. Makes you uncomfortable, doesn’t it?
@@JarrodJames-o4k It doesn’t make me uncomfortable. I don’t think of God in terms of what is easily understandable. He is so beyond human comprehension that I’m content with mystery in His ways. The fact that Joseph’s brothers committed the HEINOUS act of selling him into slavery, which they truly did with their own volition of WILL, and yet God meant that to happen for GOOD is truly beyond our ability to understand. But that is what the Bible teaches. Genesis 50:20. Regarding Lawson, he chose, with his own functional human will, to go down and continue on a sinful pathway, and yet, we have no clue what other effects this will have. How many other men and pastors who are veering toward sexual temptation have seen these headlines and been given a giant wake up call, to FLEE sexual sin. We have no earthly way of calculating or knowing what purposeful things God has done by allowing Lawson to sin this way. But it was not outside of God’s control. It literally is by God’s own sovereign power that a human’s heart beats, even in the midst of sin.
@@Spurgeon_General of coarse it wasn’t outside of God’s control, nothing is outside of His control. However, sovereignty does mean divine determinism. It also doesn’t mean that God decreed all evil. Just read Jeremiah 19:5
@@Spurgeon_General Not sure you understand the disctinction you are arguing against. There is a difference between allow and decree. God allowing us to make choices (with consequences) is different to the calvinist eternal decree (before the foundation of the world) You misrepresent Joseph brothers... their original intention was to kill Joseph.
Low!!!!!!!!!!!!! How about getting your butt out of the gutter of calvinism and start to reading the HOLY SCRIPTURES for yourself instead of riding the shirt tails of some calvinist "teacher".
You are not telling the whole truth on what Steve Lawson taught on God being sovereign. He taught that in Gods sovereignty God sometimes allows evil to happen for a specific purpose according to His plan. He never said God caused or is the originator of evil. God cannot sin in any way. So while it is very sad about what happened to Steve Lawson please get your facts straight. Beware if you consider yourself strong lest you fall. Your view on this matter is totally wrong. Calvinist don’t say we have no choice in choosing between right or wrong but that God in His sovereignty will allow us to make a wrong choice for His purpose in our lives. Whether it’s to test our faith, grow us or to discipline us etc. Your implication is that these things are taking God by surprise and He has to play catch up all the time. Your God is a very small God with limited power and knowledge. Most people like you have a problem with God being in total control because YOU still want control of your life.
Brother, I can’t tell if you are intentionally misrepresenting reformed theology, or if you are just ignorant of it, but spending your god-given time to use a current scandal as an opportunity to malign people and doctrine you clearly haven’t taken the time understand is not wise. In fact it diminishes your own ministry by helping less discerning people to form an opinion based on yours, rather than on Scripture. Nobody should really care what WE think, only what He thinks (including myself in this.). Looking for better things ahead, and thankful for your faithful ministry there in the Central Valley.
I know you believe what you just said but do make a real deep study into the calvinist history and doctrine. Calvinism is anything but good news. My God loves me and was not willing for anyone to perish. Jesus died on the cross so every one would have a chance to be born again.
Are you truly saved??? Or just deceived??? If Lawson didn't fall from grace... then what do you call that??? Or maybe he didn't have grace in the 1st place. But then again, how can anyone fall if he is not on elevated place??? But again...even on the ground...somebody still falls...so what is your excuse now??
Calvinists is a man made doctrine, hence the name Calvin. It is a mans interpretation of God's Holy word which is taken way out of context. Follow God ppl, not man.
It’s a shame what happened to Steven Lawson, but your theological understanding of Calvinism and God’s providential sovereignty is grossly underdeveloped (intentionally misleading?). There is a free 8pg. ebook on Google Play Books entitled Moral Failure and God’s Purposes (from a Calvinist perspective) that you should read. You might possibly still disagree but at least your understanding won’t be so ignorant and lacking. Just curious, do you really think that you are the only one who ever came up with these objections and concerns? In two-thousand years of church history?
What a sad commentary on the hyper anti reformed only build a strawman and then proceed to light it. The Biblical answer , so therefore the reformed view is yes to both.
Was he determined to sin or did he freely sin? According to his preaching everything that happens was ordained or decreed by God. So, my question to Lawson is: Did God ordain him to sin? According to his nefarious theology (Calvinism or determinism), God determined such an evil to happened. Who's wrong then?
You're going to use this tragic event to attack reformed theology, really? No one is saying we're not responsible for our actions or that we have no choice.
Im sorry to tell you that Calvinists use to attack the theology of fallen preachers all the time. Not that they don’t have a point, but pride comes before the fall and Calvinists don’t lack theological arrogance.
@@chardon8871 who told you that? I don’t know ANY Christian who believes that God doesn’t know all things beforehand. Prognosis means to know before. Doesn’t equal determinism. Or do you think God made Adam sin?
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? A. Yes because God decreed it from before the e foundations of the earth for His ultimate glory. B. God forbid!
Uh oh, here come the Arminians to attack Calvinism due to this scandal. The Crucifixion was foreordained by God and it was accounted as sin conducted by wicked men with their wicked hands. (Acts 2:23).
Calvinists would say, that he was determined and culpable. Nobody knows how , but they would tell you that the Bible says it; and that would close the case in their minds.
I’d like to see this man exegete Isaiah 10. God sent the Assyrians to punish disobedient Israel and still held the Assyrians culpable for their sinful acts against God’s (then) chosen nation: the Assyrians were not actively trying to obey God by attacking Israel! You may not be able to use your own human understanding to find how this is not a contradiction, but a true Christian is to affirm this is not a contradiction, because the bible states both are true: God sent them, and He’ll judge them for going and attacking. Keep telling people to read their bibles, Calvary Chapels. You’ll start having to answer these tough questions.
Sir, you clearly misunderstand the biblical view of the sovereignty of God. You need to educate yourself more thoroughly from Scripture on this before you talk about it further.
Calvinism: " clearly misunderstand the biblical view of the sovereignty of God." He was referencing the claims of Lawson etc - which as you mention is not the biblical view
Yup - This guy is just hiding a bad motive under a good one. He wants to bash Reformed Theology under the guise of calling out Lawson - all for the good of Christianity, of course. Wasn't it Jesus Christ who said "I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it"? I believe that would also include Steve Lawson's tragic sin. So go ahead - the louder you and your ilk yelp and beat your chests calling out RT, the more I'm convinced it's your anger and rebellion surfacing against the Holy Spirit whose convicting you that you're wrong about RT and your stilted view of God's Sovereignty. You hold on to your precious perception of mans' total free will at your own peril. The Bible says that dead men can't raise themselves. Just remember what Paul the Apostle DIDN'T say: "So there I was on my way to kill Christians... When I used my free will to become one." Semper Reformada. 🫡
You probably made the best video that's come out of all this talk about Steve Lawson that I've seen yet and I just wanted to say thank you
Tragic that church leaders fall - even more tragic that this is seen as logical conclusion to define theology and worldview
Not only Steven, but each one of us can all fall at any time. So this should keep us close to the Lord, praying for the grace to stand against temptation. Let's pray for his restoration and the healing of those who have been hurt by his failure.
Was Lawson ever saved by trusting in the false gospel of Calvinism! Nope!
@@paulbortolazzo2831 God alone knows who are His. He alone will separate the wheat from the tares. Thank goodness its not up to us to judge who will be saved and who will not be saved!
Interesting to see how many calvinists aren't really that aware of the full implications of the mighty T, total inability.
Sadly, this pastor is right when he shares what 5 point Calvinists teach. It shocked me when I heard John Macarthur a few years ago teach on this on their radio program. It really threw me that all these years listening to him that I had no idea that this was part of Calvinist doctrine. Why would you ever trust a God who chose to send everyone but a very small select to a terrble hell without even given a chance. Their is plenty of proof of this in the writings of the so called giants in the faith they quote and live by. Please just read the bible for what it says and you will see that the Calvinist doctrine is not what the bible teaches.A good book by Dave Hunt called WHAT LOVE IS THIS really opened my eyes to the history and doctrines of Calvinism. I really am not trying to throw mud at the terrible tragedy that has happened . It just breaks my heart and makes me so sad for all involved.
Practically every page of the Old and New Testaments are a witness to God's Sovereignty. If you don't believe that a loving God could send people to Hell 'without a chance' how then do you explain His destruction of the world by flood during Noah's time? How many thousands or millions of innocent people including their children and pets were killed - By God Himself. How do you explain when the Israelites conquered other nations at Gods direction and He told them that they are to kill every man, eoman and child including the livestock - and at the times when the Israelites did not follow this directive to the letter God eventually punished them for it? I hear you I know it can be hard to grasp that a loving God can kill those that by the world's standards are considered to be innocents. But to believe otherwise goes against everything that is written in the Bible including the words out of God's own mouth. God was being very straight with us when He said "my thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are higher than your ways (I'm paraphrasing here). By believing otherwise you're calling God a liar which He certainly is not. Please think about it.
Best to you.
✨🙏🏼✨
As a 5 point Calvinist I can assure you Piper is wrong on the ill conceived notion that somehow God ordains a man’s sin (if Piper indeed insinuates that notion). I would never attribute my sin to God only to say He has used my sin for His glory. As Arthur Pink has stated “God is sovereign but man is responsible”. Steve Lawson and Steve alone is responsible for his sin.
Piper is not wrong. If God meticulously controls everything, He controlled Lawson .
@@JamesLee-pb6dl God is not the author of Lawson sin. I think we can both agree on that. Slice it and dice it however but Lawson is responsible for his sin not God. Agree?
I guess you are an Arminian. God is Sovereign and he ordains all things ultimately for his Glory. When we sin, God does not cause nor does he desire for us to sin yet everything is under his Sovereign will. As image bearers, we are also free agents, and as free agents, outside of regeneration, our wills will always choose sin.
@bempong nicely said...keep holding on to the heresy that is the tulip god. I know I sound hateful but it is actually frustration and fear for the final outcome of all tulip god holders. Just like I fear the final outcome of jws mormons who also tonthe core of their being claim to hold to the true God of the bible. Wait even muslims to the core say they believe in the the true God of Abraham.
Calvinism has made a comeback but it went away before. It will again.
Steve’s deity decreed for this to happen for its glory.
A sophomoric and juvenile treatment of Divine Sovereignty and not in the spirit of unity. May I direct you to Eph. 4:2-3 - with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. NASB. May you be shown more grace than you're extending, if God forbid, you should ever find yourself in sin that destroys your ministry.
Amen!! Poor timing for this video and taking a mis-guided shot at Calvinism.
Using this tragedy to attack reformed theology is low.
I’m seeing so many Arminians all giddy in the comments of TH-cam. A really bad look.
Not giddy, just asking honest questions about your theology. Here is where the rubber meets the road. Did God ordain and decree and determine Lawson’s adultery? Calvinism says, yes! What do you say. Makes you uncomfortable, doesn’t it?
@@JarrodJames-o4k
It doesn’t make me uncomfortable. I don’t think of God in terms of what is easily understandable. He is so beyond human comprehension that I’m content with mystery in His ways.
The fact that Joseph’s brothers committed the HEINOUS act of selling him into slavery, which they truly did with their own volition of WILL, and yet God meant that to happen for GOOD is truly beyond our ability to understand. But that is what the Bible teaches. Genesis 50:20.
Regarding Lawson, he chose, with his own functional human will, to go down and continue on a sinful pathway, and yet, we have no clue what other effects this will have. How many other men and pastors who are veering toward sexual temptation have seen these headlines and been given a giant wake up call, to FLEE sexual sin. We have no earthly way of calculating or knowing what purposeful things God has done by allowing Lawson to sin this way. But it was not outside of God’s control. It literally is by God’s own sovereign power that a human’s heart beats, even in the midst of sin.
@@Spurgeon_General of coarse it wasn’t outside of God’s control, nothing is outside of His control. However, sovereignty does mean divine determinism. It also doesn’t mean that God decreed all evil.
Just read Jeremiah 19:5
@@Spurgeon_General Not sure you understand the disctinction you are arguing against. There is a difference between allow and decree. God allowing us to make choices (with consequences) is different to the calvinist eternal decree (before the foundation of the world)
You misrepresent Joseph brothers... their original intention was to kill Joseph.
Low!!!!!!!!!!!!! How about getting your butt out of the gutter of calvinism and start to reading the HOLY SCRIPTURES for yourself instead of riding the shirt tails of some calvinist "teacher".
You are not telling the whole truth on what Steve Lawson taught on God being sovereign. He taught that in Gods sovereignty God sometimes allows evil to happen for a specific purpose according to His plan. He never said God caused or is the originator of evil. God cannot sin in any way. So while it is very sad about what happened to Steve Lawson please get your facts straight. Beware if you consider yourself strong lest you fall. Your view on this matter is totally wrong. Calvinist don’t say we have no choice in choosing between right or wrong but that God in His sovereignty will allow us to make a wrong choice for His purpose in our lives. Whether it’s to test our faith, grow us or to discipline us etc. Your implication is that these things are taking God by surprise and He has to play catch up all the time. Your God is a very small God with limited power and knowledge. Most people like you have a problem with God being in total control because YOU still want control of your life.
Brother, I can’t tell if you are intentionally misrepresenting reformed theology, or if you are just ignorant of it, but spending your god-given time to use a current scandal as an opportunity to malign people and doctrine you clearly haven’t taken the time understand is not wise. In fact it diminishes your own ministry by helping less discerning people to form an opinion based on yours, rather than on Scripture. Nobody should really care what WE think, only what He thinks (including myself in this.). Looking for better things ahead, and thankful for your faithful ministry there in the Central Valley.
This guy is a Calvary pastor gives himself a bad name with this video. Ridiculous.
I know you believe what you just said but do make a real deep study into the calvinist history and doctrine. Calvinism is anything but good news. My God loves me and was not willing for anyone to perish. Jesus died on the cross so every one would have a chance to be born again.
Are you truly saved??? Or just deceived??? If Lawson didn't fall from grace... then what do you call that??? Or maybe he didn't have grace in the 1st place. But then again, how can anyone fall if he is not on elevated place??? But again...even on the ground...somebody still falls...so what is your excuse now??
But Calvinism isn't BIblical.
Calvinists is a man made doctrine, hence the name Calvin. It is a mans interpretation of God's Holy word which is taken way out of context.
Follow God ppl, not man.
SL is and will be fine. Luxury lifestyle and worth several million dollars. We were played we were tricked by the dirt bag. I’m sick of this
It’s a shame what happened to Steven Lawson, but your theological understanding of Calvinism and God’s providential sovereignty is grossly underdeveloped (intentionally misleading?). There is a free 8pg. ebook on Google Play Books entitled Moral Failure and God’s Purposes (from a Calvinist perspective) that you should read. You might possibly still disagree but at least your understanding won’t be so ignorant and lacking. Just curious, do you really think that you are the only one who ever came up with these objections and concerns? In two-thousand years of church history?
God is totally sovereign. Man has free will.
Did you save yourself then? If not, what makes you think that God cannot save you to the end if He saved you in the first place?
What a sad commentary on the hyper anti reformed only build a strawman and then proceed to light it.
The Biblical answer , so therefore the reformed view is yes to both.
Was he determined to sin or did he freely sin? According to his preaching everything that happens was ordained or decreed by God. So, my question to Lawson is: Did God ordain him to sin? According to his nefarious theology (Calvinism or determinism), God determined such an evil to happened. Who's wrong then?
You're going to use this tragic event to attack reformed theology, really? No one is saying we're not responsible for our actions or that we have no choice.
Im sorry to tell you that Calvinists use to attack the theology of fallen preachers all the time. Not that they don’t have a point, but pride comes before the fall and Calvinists don’t lack theological arrogance.
These narcissists are out of control and unbiblical. So God made adam not knowing what was going to happen?
@@chardon8871 who told you that? I don’t know ANY Christian who believes that God doesn’t know all things beforehand. Prognosis means to know before. Doesn’t equal determinism. Or do you think God made Adam sin?
@an_nie_dyc1386 please enlighten me, really. How did you obtain your salvation. How did you save yourself.
@@chardon8871 Jesus saved me, another thing every single Christian on this planet believes.
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
A. Yes because God decreed it from before the e foundations of the earth for His ultimate glory.
B. God forbid!
You need to read more, listen more and talk less.
Uh oh, here come the Arminians to attack Calvinism due to this scandal. The Crucifixion was foreordained by God and it was accounted as sin conducted by wicked men with their wicked hands. (Acts 2:23).
Calvinists would say, that he was determined and culpable. Nobody knows how , but they would tell you that the Bible says it; and that would close the case in their minds.
Let GOD be the judge!
God allows all things, satan is under God's control. The fault is always man, from the Fall onwards - not God
I’d like to see this man exegete Isaiah 10. God sent the Assyrians to punish disobedient Israel and still held the Assyrians culpable for their sinful acts against God’s (then) chosen nation: the Assyrians were not actively trying to obey God by attacking Israel! You may not be able to use your own human understanding to find how this is not a contradiction, but a true Christian is to affirm this is not a contradiction, because the bible states both are true: God sent them, and He’ll judge them for going and attacking. Keep telling people to read their bibles, Calvary Chapels. You’ll start having to answer these tough questions.
Sir, you clearly misunderstand the biblical view of the sovereignty of God. You need to educate yourself more thoroughly from Scripture on this before you talk about it further.
Calvinism: " clearly misunderstand the biblical view of the sovereignty of God." He was referencing the claims of Lawson etc - which as you mention is not the biblical view
Calvinist, don’t ignore this reasoning. You know God is not responsible for your sin. That would be a horrifying thing.
I think both.
God predestined him to do that? Hhehehhehe
They don’t call him Steve the stud for nothin!!
He is nothing to look at. I never cared for him.
In what theological world do we assert that God decrees ALL things? That's absurd...
5 Point Calvinism.
You need a better toupee----
Steve was not a Pastor in texas he,s 100 percent fake. There no free chose. God choose and none idiot can. Your not his if you believe free will.
Yup - This guy is just hiding a bad motive under a good one. He wants to bash Reformed Theology under the guise of calling out Lawson - all for the good of Christianity, of course. Wasn't it Jesus Christ who said "I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it"? I believe that would also include Steve Lawson's tragic sin.
So go ahead - the louder you and your ilk yelp and beat your chests calling out RT, the more I'm convinced it's your anger and rebellion surfacing against the Holy Spirit whose convicting you that you're wrong about RT and your stilted view of God's Sovereignty. You hold on to your precious perception of mans' total free will at your own peril. The Bible says that dead men can't raise themselves.
Just remember what Paul the Apostle DIDN'T say:
"So there I was on my way to kill Christians...
When I used my free will to become one."
Semper Reformada. 🫡