September 28, 2024 (Updated October 8, 2024)
This is turning somewhat into a series, maybe we will name it something creative like, Exposing Reformed Calvinist Big Eva Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing. We’ve done a a few already, such as Augustine, John Calvin, Martin Luther, Alistair Begg, Tim Keller, James White, John Piper, R.C. Sproul, The Getty’s, and perhaps John MacArthur (see also here), and Mike Hovland, but more to come, such as Doug Wilson, David Platt, Voddie Baucham, Paul Tripp, etc. The long list of reformed Calvinist neo-evangelical big Eva’s that keep exposing their true colors seems almost endless. One scandal after another and the year isn't over yet; and those that haven’t thus far are only better at hiding their sin from the unsuspecting. But their false doctrine, corruption of Scripture, allegiance to ungodly golden calf worship music, and other things, already expose them for who they really are, many moons ago. "Big Eva," by the way, is short for Big Evangelicalism, which refers to the mainstream evangelical industrial complex (i.e., "Christian" elites, celebrities, powerbrokers, authors, etc) that run the evangelical camp, especially in America, which is 100% neo-evangelicalism, neo-orthodoxy. Those that aren't Big Eva's in evangelicalism, are mostly eating at the table of Big Eva's.
Once again, another scandal hits the shores of reformed calvinism/neo-evangelicalism. Only recently it was Alistair Begg, and now Steven Lawson (others of recent times include Robert Morris, Tony Evans, Terren Dames, Ronnie Goines, Josiah Anthony, etc). Another mainstream “pastor” stepping down from the ministry in disgrace (though Begg didn't step down), exposing himself to be the dog and pig that he is. The Reformed Calvinist Big Eva Dr. Steven Lawson bites the dust after following the lusts of his flesh while hypocritically preaching, which must have been decreed by God, since God decrees everything in the world of reformed calvinists including evil. Yes, even the evil of Satan 😳 Calvinistic theology would have you believe that God predetermines everything that comes to pass, even the sinful decisions and actions people make. That means the adulterer Lawson must have been predestined in God’s foreknowledge for this fall from grace, predestined to commit adultery against his wife (a sin specifically mentioned as a work of the flesh that leads to hell, revealing an unregenerate condition: 1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21), predestined to destroy his "ministry" and give an occasion for the ungodly to blaspheme the name of God, predestined to betray his congregation and his wife and family, destroying his marriage in the process! It was all meant to be, because the Calvinist "God" allegedly predetermined this evil. W😳W. The mere thought of such wicked doctrine should be an insult to one’s cranium. But will Lawson admit to this publicly? Or the other top dogs? Never, of course, since that would spell the end of their dangerous reformed calvinistic adventure.
This all puts the blame on God, implying that God tempts people with evil, in contradiction to His Word: "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:" (Jam 1:13). In other words, God doesn't just "allow" these sinful actions, but rather God "makes" them happen. He brings them to pass. His is the architect behind the orchestration. This is why, among many further reasons, why Calvinism is hated and despised as false religion among professors of Christianity. It is a man made teaching that undermines the holiness of God, and the responsibility of man, and blasphemes the very character and nature of God.
Who was Steven Lawson? His short bio on X reads or read: “Theologian, Founder of @1Passion, Executive Editor @ExpositorMag, Teaching Fellow @Ligonier, & Professor @MastersSeminary, Lead Preacher at Trinity Bible Church of Dallas" up till a week ago. He is also a graduate of the heretical Dallas Theological Seminary which produces many heretics and infidels concerning the Word of God. Lawson is the latest reformed big man and big Eva to hit the manure pile running in the wrong direction. But was he ever not in the manure pile? Not according to Scripture.
Lawson, a man of 73 years, was caught recently in the sin of adultery, which allegedly went on for five years. Five years in an adulterous relationship with a girl nearly 50 years his age, while married with children and grand children, whilst playing the hypocrite behind the neo-evangelical reformed pulpit. She was a third of his age, and not from his own church either but from another state. Very likely a student at Master’s University, Johnny Macs institution, where Lawson was on faculty, where he likely took advantage of his position of power.
Update (Oct 8, 2024): Concerning the individual with whom Lawson committed adultery for five years, turns out (as reported by various sources) that she was a graduate of The Master’s University and attended Grace Community Church in the past (not necessarily during the events). This institution does not share the same location as The Master’s Seminary where Lawson served as a program head. This was precisely our prediction when posting this report on Sept 28, while possessing no proof at the time.
The church that Lawson pastored, and many others in the reformed calvinist and evangelical world, sugar coated his sin as an "inappropriate relationship" and that he merely fell into sin, misusing 1 Cor 10:12 for their own selfish purpose, to lessen and downplay the severity of the charge and the fact they were most possibly pastored by a wolf in sheep's clothing all these years (and that would be according to Lawson's own words, as noted under point 1).
Steven Lawson did NOT “fall into sin” as his defenders, and even some critics, would proclaim. No one falls into sin that commits adultery. He is an adulterer. The sinning that takes place prior to the adultery, for a long period of time already, even years in most cases, already exposes a serious hypocritical problem and the root of carnality, while Paul says “the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be,” (Rom 8:7), a text and context of scripture (Rom 8:1-9) where Paul is contrasting the saved (spiritual) with the false professors, the unsaved (carnal). The adultery simply finalized the consummation of sexual immorality occurring in that persons life already, predominantly internal prior to that (in their attempt to get away with it, having no fear of God), and what does Paul exclaim about it?
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall NOT inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor ADULTERERS, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU: BUT YE ARE WASHED, BUT YE ARE SANCTIFIED, BUT YE ARE JUSTIFIED in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor 6:9-11)
Gal 5:19-21 speaks more of the same, both of which passages are very clearly describing sins that the unsaved live in (we briefly exposit those verses here). The “doctrines of graces,” as reformed calvinists call them, and parrot repeatedly, didn’t seem to help Mr Lawson now did they. Or will they excuse his behaviour with the corrupted view of God’s sovereignty?
What is crucial in this exposure is that Lawson didn’t confess out of his own volition or admission, but was forced to do so after the girls father threatened to make it public. This is a major red flag and a mark of a wolf and false teacher. He didn’t get convicted to confess his sin and hypocrisy, because conviction comes from the Holy Spirit, who dwells not in the temple of a hypocrite. He only “repents” when his sin has found him out, in the same vein as the betrayer Judas Iscariot, who “when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,” (Matt 27:3). The only “repentance” that hypocrites like Lawson demonstrate is repentance towards self, a self-centred repentance that even might come with tears, worldly sorrow for having been caught in their sin (cf. 2 Cor 7:10-11), again, like Judas and others such as Esau (Heb 12:15-17), something witnessed countless times by this author concerning prisoners in maximum security penitentiaries. No genuine guilt, or remorse, or penitence, until its convenient, or forced.
But Steven Lawson’s problems are actually much deeper than being caught in the sin of adultery. This sin merely exposes what anyone with any discernment already knew: he is a hypocrite and false teacher (Matt 7:15-20; 2 Pet 2:1-3). Long before their immorality is exposed, false doctrine and corruption of Scripture and man-centred worship/living, and love for the spotlight already exposes men like him. A biblical testing mindset, Spirit-given discernment and judgment, and desire to obey God’s Word at whatsoever the cost, are the necessary tools in the good soldier of Jesus Christ’s toolbox to live godly, holy, and righteously in this present world and to “war a good warfare” (1 Tim 1:18-20) and “earnestly contend of the faith” (Ju 1:3). This soldier doesn't require some large egregious sin to be exposed to know that a professing teacher of God may in fact be a false teacher. Here are some of those things, though undoubtedly any fair amount of time spent going through his sermons and writings would reveal an encyclopedic-volume length of errors and heresies that I do not have time for. The following should be more than sufficient.
1. Lawson is a hypocrite.
Time after time Steven Lawson has regularly preached against the sin of sexual immorality and adultery, especially in light of the role of a minister of God, but also otherwise, that sexual immorality is evidence that the person is not a true believer, that they are unsaved and on the wide path to eternal damnation. He said these things within the last five years, during the same time he was having "inappropriate" sexual immorality with another lady, not his wife. In other words, while he was guilty of it himself, demonstrating the precise hypocrisy of self-righteousness and the unsaved hypocrites such as the Pharisees (exposed for the same problem by Paul in Rom 2). I do agree with Lawson's analysis because that is what Scripture teaches (e.g., 1 Cor 6:9-11; Gal 5:19-21) but it also exposes Steven Lawson, in his own words, as being unsaved, not a true believer, on the broad path to the eternal lake of fire, a hypocrite and of course a dog and a pig. He fits the profile.
"For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." (2 Pet 2:20-22).
The false teacher of 2 Peter 2, has never been saved. The scriptures make that clear, including here in 2 Pet 2, where such are contrasted with just Lot throughout the chapter. They come close to salvation “through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,” and “have known the way of righteousness,” and have “the holy commandment delivered unto them” but knowledge is not enough; and rather than repenting, which involves all three faculties of man (intellect, volition and emotion), they turn from Gods reproving and convicting work, back unto the vomit and the mire. They didn’t overcome because overcoming occurs at the very moment of the new birth (1 Jn 2:13-14; 4:4; 5:4; Rev 2 & 3). For some, they can keep their secret sins hidden so judgment follows after (1 Tim 5:24; Matt 7:13-14), while others can live “clean” morally, while their false doctrine and wresting of Scripture exposes their unregeneracy (e.g. Rom 16:17-18; 2 Pet 3:16-17; 2 Jn 1:9-11; 3 Jn 1:9-11; etc) — but all such are equally unregenerate and false teachers.
After Joel Osteen claimed on Larry King Live that he didn't know if Jews, Moslems and other religions would go to heaven, obviously ashamed of Jesus Christ and His gospel, and zero courage and boldness that comes from the indwelling Spirit of God, two reasons among truck loads why we know Osteen is a heretic and wolf in sheep's clothing (Olson "correcting" his error after the show, doesn't count or matter), Steven Lawson mentioned this in a sermon and then loudly proclaimed (while slapping the pulpit), "Give us some men that know the truth!!" Again, it's a hypocrite in his disposition that would state this, for did he not know that adultery was sin? That saved people don't live after adultery? Or that the true born again believer is dead to sin, sin has no more dominion over him, and that the servant of Christ must reckon these things (for they are true, Rom 6)? He obviously does not know the truth!
This awful hypocrisy is illustrated by Lawson in a sermon preached some time ago, unsure as to the exact date, but it really doesn’t matter, unless he changed his position on sexual immorality, that it’s now permissible. Obviously externally he never did that, he could never do that considering the spotlight, but internally is a whole different story. Anyway, he speaks about the minister who disqualifies and derails himself through sexual immorality:
“Twenty six times I documented how sexual immorality will destroy your life and destroy your ministry and destroy your family. . . . You are the fool of all fools, for 15 seconds of gratification. And now you are no longer a pastor. And now you have a job at the drug store. And now you are out in the streets. You have a paper route. What a fool you are. An entire life of ministry, for 20 seconds of sin.”
It's not just 20 seconds of sin. The physical act of adultery is the consummation of much planning and years of other sexual immorality. Always. And yes, it will destroy your life:
But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away." (Pr 6:32-33)
In another interview done by someone on the street in from his church, Lawson says,
"If you are not pursing holiness, you are not on the path to heaven. You are self-deceived."
In other words, not a true believer. That of course means Steven Lawson was a deceiver and an unbeliever, which the Bible concurs with.
The final sermon Lawson preached was on Sept 15 and the news would break on Sept 19. The sermon that he preached on that day, titled "Defining True Greatness," is rather fishy considering the timing and what he said in the sermon. He makes comments about not judging a person based on "one weak moment," which can be found at the 16:50 mark of that sermon. Lawson already knew what was coming down the pike and is clearly attempting to obfuscate his sin as a hiccup or a moment of weakness in his broader legacy (sort of like what his church is doing now, and others, in calling it simply an "inappropriate relationship"). In the sermon he belittles John the Baptist for his weakness in questioning whether Christ was the Messiah, reflecting another egregious moment in this man's heretical doctrine, which I have no doubt lace all his sermons on a weekly basis. Worse, what he said here goes completely against what he has said in the past, now attempting to sugar coat the sin while prior emphasizing the horribleness of the sin.
Steve Lawson’s sin was in part a relationship, which always takes time to cultivate. Lawson did not accidentally fall into sin or into an “inappropriate relationship.” It was not just "one weak moment." This had to have been a secret sin, that of adultery, and it took place over a period of five years. That’s a lot more than 20 seconds. Was Lawson pursuing holiness during those five years?!
Lawson's actions prove he was an unsaved charlatan, masquerading as a wolf in sheep's clothing. Scripture is clear about this (Matt 7:15-20; 1 Cor 6:9-11; Gal 5:19-21). He was a hypocrite, in other words, according to his own preaching.
Scripture gives no hope to the hypocrite, which Reformed Calvinism and Evangelicalism is absolutely loaded with. We cover many here at 20/20 including The Getty's. There is no example anywhere in Scripture of a hypocrite being genuinely converted, including in Matt 7:1-5. This nature/character is reserved solely for the lost, specifically false pretenders (see Job 8:13; 13:16; 15:34; 17:8; 20:5; 27:8; 36:13; Ps. 35:16; Pr. 11:19; Is. 9:17; 10:6; 33:14; Matt. 6:1-5, 16; 7:1-5; 15:7; 16:3; 22:18; 23:13, 14, 15, 18, 23, 15, 27, 29; 24:51; Lk. 11:38-52; 13:15). Matt 23 on its own clarifies the matter rather clearly, where Jesus warns with exclamation points, emphasizing the seriousness of the matter!
"But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. . . . Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. . . . Ye fools and blind: . . . Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. . . . Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” (Matt 23:13, 15, 17, 19, 25-28)
Calvinism represents the Pharisees and Scribes fairly well. Not because they have strict Biblical standards of Christian living or hold confident, sound dogmatic positions (they don't have any of these), but rather because of their self-righteousness and hypocrisy. That is why we are seeing time after time these heretics living in immorality or slipping into apostasy while in leadership positions.
Truly saved people don't only "KNOW" the truth, head knowledge, but they "LIVE" the truth, for obedience is a massive evidence of salvation (e.g. Jn 14:14-23; 1 Jn 2:3-5; Rev 22:15).
"Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." (1 Tim 4:16)
"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Ti 2:11-14)
2. Lawson is a promoter of a false gospel.
The theology and soteriology of the Reformed Calvinist is wrapped up in the false TULIP (covered in the folLowing report: Trampling Calvinisms False TULIP) which stems from their false sovereignty of God and other reformed theology. This is the reformed theology “gospel,” which is just that and not the Biblical gospel. It’s not the gospel of Jesus Christ, even though they make that claim. Their false soteriology includes false regeneration (monergism) and the TULIP false "doctrines of grace” (i.e. Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints). Lawsons Calvinistic five-point heresy that includes unconditional election and "double-predestination,” the doctrine that God allegedly chooses some people to be saved and others to be damned, led to him being removed (along with “the entire full-time ministerial staff, including their assistants, as well as the organist and the pianst [sic],") from an independent baptist church of sorts in Alabama that he pastored (source).
Though we would agree with Lawson’s soteriology in part, as far as surrendering to Christ and the cost of salvation, along with the Biblical fact that the call to discipleship in the Bible is a call to salvation (we cover these subjects in these reports: Lordship Salvation is Salvation and In Mark 8:34-38, Is Jesus Teaching How to be Saved or How to be A Better Christian? and The Call to Discipleship is a Call to Salvation and more), one disagreement (besides the TULIP) would be in how one arrives at this junction of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible doesn’t teach the heresy of monogenism, which Lawson embraces. We aren’t regenerated or born again before we are saved, as Calvinism supposes. That is a false gospel that removes man’s will and part out of salvation. Though he is close to the truth with his soteriology concerning this matter (again, not the TULIP), some of which he says almost implies a works gospel. For instance, the endurance and perseverance of the Calvinist becomes a laborious matter of paranoia, for if they stop enduring, they must’ve not been saved. This is the backwards mentality. The true believer on the other hand does not require to exert such labour on the back of paranoia or fear because he knows he is saved, and thus joyfully and happily slaves for His Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ based upon that secure and assured position of rest. His spirit bears witness with Gods Spirit that he is a child of God, because he is led of the Spirit (Rom 8:14, 16). The difference might seem trivial; it’s not. It’s really a divergence of true salvation and false salvation.
Concerning this partial agreement, it’s important for readers to understand That Lordship Salvation Does Not Proceed from Calvinism. When the Scriptures speak of denying self, losing one’s life, taking up the cross, forsaking all, and following Christ, such as found in the four Gospels preached by Christ, notably: Matt. 10:32-39; 16:24-26; Mk. 8:34-38; 10:21; Lk. 9:23-26, 57-62; 14:25-15:32; Jn. 12:24-25, the subject is a call to salvation. The call to discipleship is a call to salvation. They are one and the same. No, this is NOT some kind of merging of works and faith. Jesus was not teaching a false gospel to His audiences, which were almost predominately unsaved. When Christ preached to the lost multitudes and professing believers and disciples that followed Him, He was always preaching His Gospel (the first four Books are rightly called The Gospels), including the above passages. He wasn’t teaching lost people how to be better Christians. He was teaching them how to become Christians, followers of Him. Every true born again believer is a disciple of Christ (and it starts at, and with, salvation), though not every disciple is a born again believer. We explore some of the apostles salvation in this report, which illustrates this point: The Biblically Recorded Testimonies of Salvation of Some of the Apostles; Not a Call to Higher Christian Living
Reformed Calvinists and evangelicals claim to put a great and special emphasis on the gospel, but it's a farce. Their gospel is mostly corrupt and convoluted.
Also confusing the gospel by evangelical reformed Calvinists is their strong approbation of the Church "Fathers" and Protestant Reformers, among others heretics and apostates. Many of these endorse Martin Luther and John Calvin, including Steven Lawson, despite their gospel amendments, which brings us to the next point.
3. Lawson is a promoter of heretics who purvey false gospels of works.
Such as who? John Calvin, Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, R.C. Sproul (and undoubtedly others), all of which embraced the same false works gospel of Roman Catholicism. The Gospel Coalition (TGC) is also a heretical organization that Lawson participates with, as is Ligonier's Ministry.
In his sermon on his assigned theme, “justification by faith” at the 2017 G3 Conference, lawson used Martin Luther as his example, treating Luther as the greatest example ever of justification by faith. But is this actually true? Lawson among many evangelicals use him for an example of justification by faith, and yet Luther believed in a false gospel of works that included baptismal regeneration as you will continue to read in Lutheran theology. The damnable heresy of baptismal regeneration has probably been the cause of more people ending in Hell than any other false doctrine, which happens to the very same false gospel that he embraced under Roman Catholicism.
Consider some quotes by Luther himself on salvation by baptism (CAPS emphasis by editor):
Luther called “[baptism] A NEW BIRTH by which we are . . . loosed from sin, death, and hell, and become children of life, heirs of all the gifts of God, God’s own children, and brethren of Christ.” (Luther, Works, 53:103).
“I call to You for this CHILD, Your servant, who prays for the gift of Your baptism and desires Your eternal grace through spiritual regeneration:" … "The almighty God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given birth to you a second time through water and the Holy Spirit and has FORGIVEN YOU ALL YOUR SIN ,…” ( Luther's Baptismal Booklet, 1523)
“To put it most simply, the power, effect, benefit, fruit, and PURPOSE OF BAPTISM IS TO SAVE. NO IS BAPTIZED IN ORDER TO BECOME A PRINCE, BUT AS THE WORDS SAY, ‘TO BE SAVED’. To be saved, we know, is nothing else than to be delivered from sin, death, and the devil and to enter into the kingdom of Christ and live with him forever." (Luther's Larger Catechism, 1529).
“Now here in Baptism there is brought free to every man's door just such a priceless medicine which SWALLOWS UP DEATH AND SAVES THE LIVES OF ALL MEN. . . . AND IF I AM BAPTIZED, I HAVE THE PROMISE THAT I SHALL BE SAVED AND HAVE ETERNAL LIFE, both in soul and body. . . . NO GREATER JEWEL, THEREFORE, CAN ADORN OUR BODY AND SOUL THAN BAPTISM, FOR THROUGH IT WE OBTAIN PERFECT HOLINESS AND SALVATION, which no other kind of life and no work on earth can acquire.” (ibid, pp. 85-86).
“Moreover, it is solemnly and strictly commanded that WE MUST BE BAPTIZED OR WE SHALL NOT BE SAVED.” (ibid, pp. 80-81).
“WHAT DOES BAPTISM GIVE OR PROFIT? IT WORKS FORGIVENESS OF SINS, DELIVERS FROM DEATH AND THE DEVIL, AND GIVES ETERNAL SALVATION TO ALL WHO BELIEVE THIS, … How can water do such great things? It is not the water indeed that does them, but the word of God which is in and with the water, and faith, which trusts such word of God in the water. For without the word of God the water is simple water But with the word of God it is a baptism, that is, a gracious water of life and a washing of regeneration in the Holy Ghost,…” (Luther's Small Catechism, 1529).
Luther obviously denied salvation by grace and faith alone in favour of adding baptism to salvation, believing that water baptism produces regeneration/salvation, that one can only become a Christian through this means. The actual facts contradict Luthers claim to have been “justified by faith.” He embraced a works-gospel, which is “another gospel” (Gal 1:6-9; 2 Cor 11:4). All these things in the Lutheran Catechism were written years after he left the Roman Catholic Church. So whatever Luther meant by “man is saved by faith and not by works,” its obviously not what the Bible teaches. He is exalted as a popular example of embracing justification by faith alone through grace alone, whereas the truth as we have seen clearly is a rejection of the true gospel of Christ and an embracement of justification by works.
Why do men like Lawson and so many others keep giving him a pedestal? Could it because they lack the discernment to tell the difference? That they are in fact promoters of a false gospel and wolves in sheep clothing (Matt 7:15; Ac 20:29-30), just like Luther was? Naturally, this was not the only heresy that Luther embraced, considering a false gospel means a false profession of faith which means being off on sound doctrine in general as well. Luther was literally loaded with heresy, including the 95 theses that he nailed to the church door.
Baptismal regeneration wasn't it for a Luther's false gospel. He also taught that communion was necessary for maintenance of salvation; that through communion, one received forgiveness of sins that threatened one's relationship with Christ. Consider a few quotes:
”For here in the sacrament [Communion] you receive from Christ's lips the forgiveness of sins, which contains and conveys God's grace and Spirit with all his gifts, protection, defence, and power against death and the devil and all evils" (The Large Catechism, p. 98).
In his Catechism he taught that communion “is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under bread and wine for us Christians to eat and to drink, established by Christ Himself.” (Formula of Concord, 1577).
“We believe, teach, and confess that in the Lord’s Supper the body and blood of Christ are truly and substantially present, and that they are truly distributed and taken together with the bread and wine. . . . That the right hand of God is everywhere; and that Christ, in respect of his humanity, is truly and in very deed seated thereat.” (Articles I, V).
Luther’s view of the Lord’s Supper, consubstantiation, is even further a damnable heresy and practically identical to Rome’s transubstantiation.
We cover much more proof of this here: Martin Luther — A True Born Again Believer or a Wolf in Sheep's Clothing?
What about John Calvin? He wrote in his Institutes (4:17:1, 4:15:3, 4):
"God, regenerating us in baptism, ingrafts us into the fellowship of his Church, and makes us his by adoption . . . whatever time we are baptized, we are washed and purified . . . forgiveness, which at our first regeneration we receive by baptism alone . . . forgiveness has reference to baptism."
He also wrote (1547 Antidote to the Council of Trent, Reply to the 1st Decree of the 5th Session):
"We assert that the whole guilt of sin is taken away in baptism, so that the remains of sin still existing are not imputed. That this may be more clear, let my readers call to mind that there is a twofold grace in baptism, for therein both remission of sins and regeneration are offered to us. We teach that full remission is made . . . by baptism . . . the guilt is effaced [and] it is null in regard to imputation. Nothing is plainer than this doctrine."
Calvin wrote these things and many more, and was also responsible for the murder of dozens of professing Christians, but yet that doesn't stop men like Steven Lawson and John MacArthur, Steve's boss and buddy over at Masters, from raving on Calvin as an incredible Christian man, going on and on about him as a great preacher, with Lawson even writing an entire book on this heretic and ravening wolf in sheep's clothing. Unbelievable. Then it is really not all that difficult to understand why Reformed Calvinism is loaded with false believers, heretics, and ungodly men like Steven Lawson.
In the smoking gun report, The Pagan, Gnostic Origin of Calvinism, we expose where Calvin's damnable doctrines derived from.
4. Lawson is a promoter of Reformed Theology and Calvinism, which is mostly heresy.
Lawson is (or was) also a leading voice in Reformed theology, which purveys a number of serious heresies. The universal church heresy, corrupted and damnable doctrines of grace, the unBiblical five points of Calvinism which is a false gospel, and unscriptural sovereignty of God. The “doctrines of grace” that he staunching defends are found in the five points of the TULIP and are thoroughly heretical.
In an interview the question was asked of Steven Lawson,
“Reformed theology and Calvinism are certainly minority view points, why are so many Christians against and actively against these concepts?”
Lawson answers,
“They don’t know the Bible. It’s not because they know too much about the Bible that they have come to this position. It’s because they know to little about the Bible.”
Oh really, is that how it works. The truth actually is the very opposite. The more you study and read the Bible, the more you know that Calvinism and reformed theology is not only unscriptural, it is also heretical. People don't become Calvinists through the Bible but through Calvinistic material. Always. Truly born again believers on the other hand become Baptists through the Word of God.
Let's park on Calvinism's sovereignty of God doctrine for a moment. Calvinism has actually become (of course only hypothetically or in a Calvinistic thought experiment) sovereign over God's sovereignty. Lawson is always touting God's sovereignty, but I wonder how this will all play into Calvinisms sovereignty? Will they admit that God brought about the adultery, since all things are predetermined by Him, including all things evil? After all, Lawson hates the free will of man, even though it's everywhere from Gen 1 to Rev 22 in Scripture. He once said, "The free will is a pagan goddess that the church has worshipped for far too long." I guess that means all the apostles, all the prophets, all the other saints, and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, were believing in a "pagan goddess." Yikes. Calvinism's doctrines are indeed the "doctrines of devils" (1 Tim 4:1).
I want actual sovereignty, not a made-up kind that poses as glorifying God more. Calvinism doesn't only do that but it also corrupts and blasphemes God's character. There is no conflict between the Biblical version of Gods sovereignty and man’s free will. Because God is in control, possesses all power, He can accomplish what He wants in any way that He wants. God uses His power to accomplish His will. That doesn't mean God determines everything. The Bible doesn't read that way. I'm not saying that God couldn't determine everything. He has the power to do anything He wants to do. However, everything can be in His control without His controlling everything. If God is not controlling everything, that doesn't mean He isn't in control. God is in total charge. Many verses teach this. However, it's also easy to see that He exercises that sovereignty, that charge or control, by also allowing man free will. Many, many verses teach this. Here is a few among thousands: Pr 1:20-32; Isa 1:18-20; Matt 21:28-32; 23:37-39; 1 Cor 2:8; Rev 22:17; Lk 13:1-5, 23-24; Jn 3:15-21; Rom 1:18-19; 2:1-5; Heb 2:1-4; etc. These passages make it extremely and perspicuously clear that man has a free will, even when lost (e.g. Is 1:18-20; Matt 21:28-32; 23:37-39; Lk 13:23-30; Rom 2:1-5; 1 Cor 2:8; Heb 2:1-4).
Calvinistic doctrine fits into what Jesus stated in Matt 22:29, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.”
This is just one example of how what Jesus says and teaches clashes with a Calvinistic view of soteriology. The points of Calvinism don't glorify God more than how He wants to be glorified. God doesn't get glorified more by misrepresentations of Himself. I contend that Calvinism has become (of course only hypothetically or in a Calvinistic thought experiment) sovereign over God's sovereignty. I want actual sovereignty, not a made-up kind that poses as glorifying God more. Salvation is of the Lord. That, I have no doubt. It can't be more "of the Lord" than the Lord Himself makes it.
Worse than the misrepresentation, Calvinist view on Gods sovereignty is blasphemous.
Keep reading here on Calvinism’s Sovereignty over God’s Sovereignty
I call on anyone who has received or obtained or borrowed the false Calvinist view of Divine sovereignty and soteriology to repent. Leave it behind. Forsake it. It is a cultic view formulated to allure its adherents as prey. Your acceptance of an utterly corrupt, false view of Divine sovereignty and soteriology does not bode well for your justification or glorification. In fact, vast majority who embrace this perversion of God's character and the corrupt TULIP gospel, are not saved at all. They have believed a lie, and now are blinded to their self-deception (2 Cor 4:3-4). The need is genuine repentance and true faith, which they can read about here.
Concerning other issues with Calvinistic false doctrine, please read here:
5. Other Issues of Lawson.
Ecumenicalism, unBIblical and ungodly worldly contemporary worship music (which we cover in a number of reports at 20/20, including this one), allegiance to the blasphemous Critical Text and her offspring, horrendous scipture wresting, hypocrisies, severe man-centredness and putting men on pedestals, and many further issues covered in other reports that expose reformed calvinism and evangelicalism and would apply likewise to Steven Lawson.
Conclusion
Mere repentance from his immoral sin is certainly not sufficient, since it reveals a dog and a pig (2 Pet 2:20-22), an unsaved person according to Lawson's own words. How about the many false doctrines and associations with false teachers? The latter is actually a lot worse than the former. False doctrine, especially a false gospel, and association with false teachers will influence and lead people to eternal damnation.
I believe it is the new birth that is missing altogether in men like Lawson. I believe the Bible speaks clearly to that. His repentance should be geared to genuine conversion. The "grace" he has embraced, an extension of the Calvinistic "doctrines of grace," is perverted and contrary to God's grace, but he can know the true grace of God if he will only humble himself before Almighty God with a broken and poor contrite heart/spirit, acknowledging his false religion and vain attempts to earn eternal life with God through self-righteousness, and genuinely repent, turning from his sinful and self-righteous ways and dead religion, unto God and receiving Jesus Christ as both his Saviour and Lord.
Lest he repents and is genuinely converted to Christ, he will spend eternity in the “mist of darkness for ever,” in unquenchable torment in the “furnace of fire” (2 Pet 2:17; Ju 1:13; Matt 13:42, 52), where the “worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.” (Is 66:24).
As for those who follow men like Lawson, and other reformed Calvinists and Big Eva's, you need to genuinely repent and stop aligning with those who for the most part are teachers on the broad path to destruction and eternal damnation (Matt 7:13-14). It's going to be destructive on your children. It doesn't speak well of people that do that. These false teachers need help, real help. That's what you should be offering if you were in the business of producing faithful wounds of a friend (Pr 27:6). When I say “help” I speak of spiritual help for their unregenerate condition. But the sad truth is, majority of people that read and follow this spiritual garbage have never been born again themselves. They are unregenerate just like Lawson, waiting fallaciously and irreducibly upon God to regenerate or monergize them so they can be saved—in alignment with their corrupted Calvinist TULIP doctrine—but that will never happen under that heresy. This is the reason why they embrace such doctrine and reject Gods promise of perfect preservation of His Word and place man's authority over Gods authority and cannot discern between “the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error” (1 Jn 4:1) and thus are “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;” (Eph 4:14).
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