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The Doctrines of Grace in John
How does God love the world? Debates about Reformed theology and the Five Points of Calvinism almost always include the use of John 3:16 as a proof text against the Reformed position. Yet when we consider this famous verse in the context of John’s entire Gospel, we see that the love of God that leads to salvation is reserved only for those whom the Father has given unto His Son. In this series, Steven Lawson demonstrates that the Gospel of John offers one of the clearest presentations of the doctrines of grace in all of Scripture, revealing that salvation is all of God from beginning to end. Standard-definition DVD. Twelve 23–minute messages, including Spanish navigation and dubbed equivalent.
Audio CD
First published September 1, 2013
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About the author
Steven J. Lawson
82 books314 followersDr. Steven J. Lawson is the Senior Pastor of Christ Fellowship Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama, having served as a pastor in Arkansas and Alabama for the past twenty-nine years. He is a graduate of Texas Tech University (B.B.A.), Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.), and Reformed Theological Seminary (D. Min.)
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 31, 2021
This is the 3rd time I've listened to this sermon series—it's that good!
February 7, 2014
If you have never considered the doctrines of grace or you are firmly established in their understanding this is for you. It was an excellent encouragement to my soul and caused me great joy in my God. The sovereignty of God is of supreme importance. God is sovereign, and this includes sovereignty in all parts of our salvation. I highly recommend this book for the edification of your soul. I saw Steve Lawson preach a number of years ago and loved how he handled the text in John 10 on the Good Shepherd. He is careful in handling the text throughout the Gospel of John to show a clear and consistent theology. Praise God for his sovereignty! Listened on my iPod.
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January 27, 2024Furthering my studies of Calvinism and all it entails, and I am having trouble wrapping my head around it all. Perhaps God's unceasing grace is too overwhelming for me at present. I will keep studying and praying on it. In any case, this is a great and extremely thorough study of The Gospel According to John.
"Twas grace that taught my heart to fear/And grace my fears relieved/How precious did that grace appear/ The hour I first believed!" - John Newton
"Amazing love how can it be
That you my King should die for me? " - Chris Tomlin
44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. (John 6:44, NIV)
"Twas grace that taught my heart to fear/And grace my fears relieved/How precious did that grace appear/ The hour I first believed!" - John Newton
"Amazing love how can it be
That you my King should die for me? " - Chris Tomlin
44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. (John 6:44, NIV)
February 23, 2022
This is a wonderful exposition by Dr. Lawson, and I could have easily listened to all of it straight through. He does a great job at using Scripture as the foundation and source for all of his teaching. The pacing between the chapters is perfect, and is an easy listen for anyone.
March 20, 2020
Grab your Bible, a pen and highlighter and just soak it in.
October 28, 2022
Enjoyable but not that engaging. I cannot say I found it the most engaging study of the five points of Calvinism. Plus, Lawson uses a completely different choice of names for each point.
December 26, 2025
Such a great and in depth study that takes us through the text with additional context!
June 25, 2022
This is not technically a review but it is the story of how these Steve Lawson CDs affected me in a very negative way. (I listened to every single one and took copious notes.) But, this is also the story of how God used another book to break through the veil of my misunderstanding and shattered the glass wall that I was trying desperately to peer through. I experienced great freedom and peace and my soul was baptized in the assurance of love and security that pour forth from the God who always has and always will stubbornly love us. God lit a fire in my belly and gave me a great passion for Him and for people in the world. This happened but was previously missing in my life even though God had saved me from a very early age. I’d be honored for you to read about it if you feel so inclined.
https://lovesmagnificentobsession.blo...
Here is the piece about these CDs:
“Well, half a dozen years and a couple kids into my marriage, audio discs were given to me with genuine loving intention – Steve Lawson and the 5 Points of Calvinism. I pushed them off for several months fearfully knowing they would send me farther into my tunnel of doubt. (Calvinism essentially teaches that God’s divine will is always carried out, that humans cannot reject Him, that there can be no free will, and that He alone chooses to save some people, allowing the rest to pass into a death of eternal torment.) There came a last straw where I decided to listen and discover what had caused the belief sway in 30+ year views of God in those close to me. Focused listening, copious notetaking, and much research - those were some of my darkest weeks, turned months. With a preciously treasured newborn in my arms, analogies abounded of parent-child relationships, taking this confusing and unheard-of-to-me view of God and picturing it played out in humanity. (After all, humans are created in the image of God.) Even in man’s depraved state, and my severely limited understanding of God – in every analogy – earthly fathers, came out appearing far more loving than the god put forth by the Calvinist. To me, this was scandalous and nowhere resembled the God I had grown up with, come to love, and who I knew through Jesus. Listening to those discs brought stomach turning alarm, apprehension, crushing disappointment, horror, and shock about the God I had always known as the one who “so loved the WORLD that He gave His only begotten Son that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” I was appalled and yet confused as this was coming from those most influential in my life. The Scriptural proof texts appeared to be there, but I did not believe it; could not believe it. How, after having read through my whole Bible multiple times over 2+ decades, did I never once get the impression that God only saves those He chooses and allows/sends the rest to hell; that He only loves a few; that He only died for a few; that - for lack of better wording - the rest of us are screwed! Really?! Not my God! My God, in His very nature is love, to His very core, in His very DNA. My God takes “no pleasure in the death of the wicked” and “is not willing that ANY should perish” but that “they turn from their ways and live.” My God “shows no partiality” but “came to seek and to save the lost.” He is in the business of rescuing humans – creatures He fiercely, deeply, passionately, and stubbornly loves. That includes me, and you, and everyone before, after, and in between.
Reeling! . . . . . . that is where I was left – with warring ideas in my head, scrambling to find truth about my God. If this was true, then based on all my internal and external struggles, I found myself quick in the shoes of those “not chosen.” Without a solid assurance of my own salvation, if God doesn’t love everyone, how could I ever be certain that He loved me? Dark shadows loomed over me; over the very lives of the cherished children that I was raising. Why on earth would I dare have children if I believed there was a chance that the Creator would choose to save one and allow/send the other to hell?! No way! (I even imagined how this logic could lead those who also believe in the “age of accountability,” to kill their babies in order to manipulate God into saving them.) In my simple, still-skewed understanding of God’s love, this was impossible to fathom and accept. It would have been best had none of us been born. I denied this view and yet continued to struggle with it due to the great many well-respected Christians who believe this way.”
https://lovesmagnificentobsession.blo...
https://lovesmagnificentobsession.blo...
Here is the piece about these CDs:
“Well, half a dozen years and a couple kids into my marriage, audio discs were given to me with genuine loving intention – Steve Lawson and the 5 Points of Calvinism. I pushed them off for several months fearfully knowing they would send me farther into my tunnel of doubt. (Calvinism essentially teaches that God’s divine will is always carried out, that humans cannot reject Him, that there can be no free will, and that He alone chooses to save some people, allowing the rest to pass into a death of eternal torment.) There came a last straw where I decided to listen and discover what had caused the belief sway in 30+ year views of God in those close to me. Focused listening, copious notetaking, and much research - those were some of my darkest weeks, turned months. With a preciously treasured newborn in my arms, analogies abounded of parent-child relationships, taking this confusing and unheard-of-to-me view of God and picturing it played out in humanity. (After all, humans are created in the image of God.) Even in man’s depraved state, and my severely limited understanding of God – in every analogy – earthly fathers, came out appearing far more loving than the god put forth by the Calvinist. To me, this was scandalous and nowhere resembled the God I had grown up with, come to love, and who I knew through Jesus. Listening to those discs brought stomach turning alarm, apprehension, crushing disappointment, horror, and shock about the God I had always known as the one who “so loved the WORLD that He gave His only begotten Son that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” I was appalled and yet confused as this was coming from those most influential in my life. The Scriptural proof texts appeared to be there, but I did not believe it; could not believe it. How, after having read through my whole Bible multiple times over 2+ decades, did I never once get the impression that God only saves those He chooses and allows/sends the rest to hell; that He only loves a few; that He only died for a few; that - for lack of better wording - the rest of us are screwed! Really?! Not my God! My God, in His very nature is love, to His very core, in His very DNA. My God takes “no pleasure in the death of the wicked” and “is not willing that ANY should perish” but that “they turn from their ways and live.” My God “shows no partiality” but “came to seek and to save the lost.” He is in the business of rescuing humans – creatures He fiercely, deeply, passionately, and stubbornly loves. That includes me, and you, and everyone before, after, and in between.
Reeling! . . . . . . that is where I was left – with warring ideas in my head, scrambling to find truth about my God. If this was true, then based on all my internal and external struggles, I found myself quick in the shoes of those “not chosen.” Without a solid assurance of my own salvation, if God doesn’t love everyone, how could I ever be certain that He loved me? Dark shadows loomed over me; over the very lives of the cherished children that I was raising. Why on earth would I dare have children if I believed there was a chance that the Creator would choose to save one and allow/send the other to hell?! No way! (I even imagined how this logic could lead those who also believe in the “age of accountability,” to kill their babies in order to manipulate God into saving them.) In my simple, still-skewed understanding of God’s love, this was impossible to fathom and accept. It would have been best had none of us been born. I denied this view and yet continued to struggle with it due to the great many well-respected Christians who believe this way.”
https://lovesmagnificentobsession.blo...
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews