Tag Archives: John MacArthur

The Gospel According To Jesus

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The following is a very short summary, and my comments, of the book The Gospel According to Jesus, by John MacArthur, written in 1988.

I remember that the book made quite a stir. But MacArthur was absolutely correct in what he said. And it got a lot of people thinking—about how the gospel should be presented and about salvation.

For a long time, preachers and evangelists have had a wrong view of the gospel and how to present it. Some very well-known theologians (like Lewis Sperry Chafer and Charles C. Ryrie) were saying that we should not expect new converts to begin a life of obedience to Christ right away; that they at first should receive Him as Savior and then later, when they are more mature, receive Him as Lord. They were saying that to expect converts to be disciples of Christ right away was asking too much.

And there was also a theology (according to 1 Cor. 2:15-3:3, by Chafer) that there is two classes of Christians: carnal and Spiritual. But MacArthur strongly disagrees with that. He says that carnal always refers to a non-believer. I believe this is right (but I didn’t always believe this). I know that there are levels of maturity for a believer, but he can never be carnal—living in sin; that is what carnal means. A Christian is to be Spirit-filled and be obedient to Christ; and when he is not he can and will eventually (with the help of the Holy Spirit) repent and start over.

Now let me get right to it. When a person comes to Christ a miracle takes place. He is born again. He becomes a new person. At the moment of conversion, he receives Christ for all that He is: God, Sovereign, Savior, and Lord.  

Let me back up. At first, when a person is saved he sees that he is a sinner; and so, he comes under conviction of sin; and then he repents of that sin. And then at the same time He experiences Christ calling him to a life of faith and obedience. So, he receives Christ as his Savior from sin and as his Lord (because He is Lord). Hence, when someone is saved, he is giving up his old life of sin and is born again into a new life of obedience to Christ. This is the gospel according to Jesus.

The Gospel According To Jesus

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This gospel demands our commitment, our obedience, our Lordship, and our turning from sin.

The title of this blog is the title of a book written by John MacArthur, Jr. in 1988. This book, I remember created quite a stir, and it is still having an impact. I have had it on my book shelf for a while and just now decided to read it again more seriously. This time I intend to blog through it.

The theme of the book is getting the true gospel clear—from Jesus’ teaching. It is also to refute the wrong, misguided way of salvation. MacArthur strongly refutes all those who bring “another gospel,” those who “distort the gospel of Christ” (Gal. 1:6-8).

In the first chapter MacArthur confronts all evangelists who have used gospel presentations such as …

  • “Accept Jesus as personal Savior”
  • “Ask Jesus into your heart”
  • “Invite Christ into your life”
  • “Make a decision for Christ”

MacArthur says that none of this terminology is biblical. And I have to admit that I have used all of it myself! It was how I was taught, how I heard it growing up in the 60’s and 70’s.

MacArthur rightly points out that “the gospel Jesus proclaimed was a call to discipleship, a call to follow Him in submissive obedience, not just a plea to make a decision or pray a prayer.” (p. 21)

Looking back at my own point of salvation, I am thankful that my counselor did it right. He pointed me to the Scriptures and also gave me the idea that conversion was the point where I was deciding to follow Jesus and to allow Him to be in the drivers’ seat.” That I was giving Him control of my life, that I was being submissive to Him, that I was beginning a new life of submission to His will.

But MacArthur points out that many evangelists of today, when they present the gospel, give no invitation to making spiritual commitments whatsoever, or to turn from sin. They insist that this would amount to human works and have nothing to do with faith (p. 22).

So apparently, some say that conversion is just a prayer said, just making a decision for Christ, and then letting Jesus bring that Lordship issue along later. Yes, I remember this being said. But it is wrong. Jesus demands Lordship and commitment from the start. He demands a life of obedience from the start. He says, follow Me!

We must believe that genuine assurance of salvation will come from seeing the Holy Spirit’s transforming work in the life—seeing the fruit. Hence, real salvation cannot be isolated from His work in us. There must be not only justification, but also regeneration and sanctification. Yes, there must be evidence of a holy life.

Hence, we must not dismiss holiness in the life. And we should not only point to a person’s salvation experience. We should not encourage a person to base his salvation assurance on the memory of a prayer, or walking an aisle, or speaking in tongues, or some other experience.

Faith that does not result in a righteous life is dead faith. A real and growing faith must have fruit—the fruit of righteousness, the fruit of the Holy Spirit. A true Christian must be able to look back and see that he has put aside his old life and is growing to be more like Christ, that he is growing to hate the world and to love God and His word. A true Christian loves to go to church and hear the word of God preached, and to sing songs of praise to God with others. A true Christian longs for heaven and to see Jesus; and he hates sin, sin in the world and sin in himself.

A Reprobate Mind

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Lately I have been wondering what is going on in some people’s minds—because of the things they do to themselves or the way they act (improperly). I think we may have a clue as to what brings on this kind of a mind by where it is talked about. Paul uses this word in Romans 1:28 and again in 2 Timothy 3:8. In both places he is addressing sin, out of control sin. And in Romans he addresses, in particular, homosexuality.

The Greek word, which is sometimes translated “depraved,” means “not passing the test.” It describes a mind that is useless or worthless and something that is discarded, like worthless metal. According to Wycliffe, it refers to a mind that is unapproved by God. It is a mind that will produce only that which is improper (things that are listed in Romans 1:29-31).

In the Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, it is suggested that when men thought fit to cast out the knowledge of God in their mind, God gave them over to an outcast or worthless mind. John MacArthur suggests, similarly, that when men abandon God, He will abandon them.

I think that this situation will occur mostly in people who have corrupted themselves with sexual sin, because it is sexual sin that destroys a person at the deepest level like no other sin. It takes control of the whole person. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:18, this sin goes against our own body. Satan loves to attack people and nations with sexual sin, and homosexual sin, because it will destroy from within.

As far as God giving up on people or giving them over to a reprobate mind, it may seem cruel and unloving to God; however, we have to remember that God will not force anyone to obey Him. He gives us all free will. He has warned us of sin and its corrupting nature. And He wants us to come to Him and trust Him; but He will not force us.

Again, a warning has come to us of the corrupting nature of sin, and especially sexual sin. And though God uses the word reprobate only in the context of out-of-control sin (like in Romans one), I think in the end all those who do not choose salvation by the Savior, will they not all be reprobates? For God will indeed say to them “I never knew you.” And He will say to them, “You rejected Me so I have rejected you.”

John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church in 2020

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I’m sure many of you have heard stories of what has been going on at Grace Community Church (GCC) in Sun Valley, California, near Los Angeles. To put it mildly, they have been under attack. But, as I heard John MacArthur say today, 2020 has been a very clarifying year; the forces that have come against them have give them a great clarity (of what is really going on in the world and with Satan against the Church; and what is the churches purpose in the world).

My notes are very sporadic, but I will try to give you what was said in John MacArthur’s sermon. I will break it down into five parts.

GCC Has Been Under A Massive Assault

  • Since the spring of 2020 GCC was forbidden to meet together, to sing together, or to have any fellowship meetings. But they did it anyway, probably citing Acts 5:28-29, saying “we must obey God rather than men.”
  • GCC has been fined every Sunday since August, and has had nine court hearings. But so far, no judge has dared to convict the church. 
  • In October four church employees out of about 300 tested positive for Covid-19, and the media declare it “an outbreak.” But since then, they had to detract that declaration as untrue. Four cases are not an outbreak.

GCC Has Seen More Growth Than Ever Before

  • In the last ten months the offering plate at GCC has not been passed, yet during that time frame more money has come in the history of the church.
  • GCC has had a greater ministry with the police department than ever before.
  • In 2020, 25,000 MacArthur Study Bibles went out to prisons. A new record.
  • GCC have done weddings and funerals
  • GCC has grown in numbers because of covid-19.

The Churches Continuing Purpose

  • Though the new administration says they will support religious freedom, MacArthur says religious freedom sends people to hell—because being free to worship as we choose is not biblical. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life.” There is no other way to believe than through Jesus. We should support only the truth.
  • The churches purpose is to support the truth and to expose all lies as lies.

Many Churches Are Compromising

  • The shift of evangelical leadership is to compromise, because of the social justice issue. But social justice is not equal justice. Social justice is now working to give money to homosexuals and to abortion clinics and to let criminals out of jail and to invite criminals and drugs into our country in the name of social justice.

The Future of the Church

  • MacArthur said “We don’t win down here. But we win on the eternal battle field.”
  • We are entering into an era of injustice and death for the church.
  • Christianity is about two deaths: we died with Christ when we were saved; and we die to self and to the world when we live in the world as a Christian.

John MacArthur Says Open your Church

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In this video, https://video.foxnews.com/v/6199606162001#sp=news-clips, John MacArthur, a popular California pastor, points our that the rate of covid-19 infection in California, at .000015%, is ridiculously low and not a reason to call off church. He said that they have been holding church services as they normally do. His church holds 8,000 on a Sunday and the church has been packed. No one wares masks or social distances. But he reports that for the last 7 months no one has gotten sick from covid. No one!

When asked why the government insists on the lock-down of churches in California, but permits BLM marches and riots, he stated simply that they favor one over the other. And he also insists that the constitution favors religious freedom; and that is why he feels that he is right in allowing his church to continue meeting as usual.

I’m not sure that I would be as bold as MacArthur, but I’m impressed by his stance. I heard him say one time that if the government puts him in jail, he will accept it as God’s will. He said that he always wanted to have a prison ministry.

Breaking News Tidbits from Don Stewart

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I just recently got to know Don Stewart. He has written quite a few books, mainly on bible prophecy and current events. I have been listening to his daily Breaking News podcast. It’s quite informative and I thought I would pass a few of his News tidbits on to you. Most of it is not word for word, but is accurate.

Minneapolis crime wave. Minneapolis city council is alarmed by a surg in crime (assaults, robbery, and homicides) months after voting to defund the police. This is news that is close to me. Though I don’t live in the city, I’m not far from the city limits.

Coronavirus made in a lab. A Dr Li-Meng Yan, a Chinese virologist, said that Covid-19 was made in a lab in Wuhan, China; and she has evidence to show it. Recently she has been black listed from Twitter. Apparently, many, especially Chinese people, are quite upset with her for spilling the beans.

AG Barr has made a controversial comment. William Barr said recently that the Nation-wide stay-at-home-orders to prevent the spread of Coronavirus have been the greatest intrusion on civil liberties in American history other than slavery.Don Stewart made a point especially about many churches not being able to meet. John MacArthur has been in the news a lot lately and has been threatened with fines and even jail time. MacArthur jokingly shrugged it off saying that he always wanted to be involved in a prison ministry. Personally, I think John MacArthur is a bold warrior for the Lord, and I usually always trust what he says in his messages.

Oregon protests and riots have backfired. According to recent polls, two-thirds of Oregon voters disapprove of BLM and protests; and Trump has a higher rating in Oregon than their own governor and mayors. It would be so good for Oregon to get some new, republican leaders installed.