This is the latest book from John MacArthur, who has written more than 150 books. I think my dad owned most of them. I, myself, have somewhat of a love/hate relationship with MacArthur. I consistently use his study Bible and I listen to him almost every day on the radio, but I would also agree with those who sarcastically refer to his radio program as Grace to No One. MacArthur definitely loves the Bible, I'm just not so sure that he actually loves people.
This book has two angles:
1- attack the Emerging Church, specifically Rob Bell, Brian McLaren, Tony Campolo, Doug Pagitt, Chris Seay, Mark Driscoll, Donald Miller, Rick McKinley, Rick Warren, and T.D. Jakes.
2 - recount the past occurrences of apostasy in the church.
MacArthur recounts the apostasies of the Judaizers, the Gnostics, Sabellianism, and the Arians, relying heavily upon the book of Jude for his scriptural references. He also spends a significant portion of the book responding to Brian McLaren's various theological viewpoints. He could very well have titled this book, The Book of Jude: Why Brian McLaren is Wrong.
Let me be clear that I agree with much of what MacAthur says in this book, but I think that he goes too far in his openly hostile attitude and broad strokes of the sword. Much like his attack on the seeker-sensitive movement, MacArthur just doesn't know when to quit. In his zeal for knowledge and truth, he is often blinded to his own haughtiness as the self-appointed defender of the faith. Granted MacArthur is getting old, 68, but I've been listening to him, courtesy of my dad, for the past two decades and he has always been like this.
If I said that Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life, and Mark Driscoll's Radical Reformission have had more impact on my life than any other extra-Biblical book, then I've just thrown myself straight into a hand basket destined for hell according to MacArthur. Well, I'd rather spend that time with Rick and Mark, than with the humorless, stodgy, elitist John MacArthur.
8 comments:
I love you as a bro, and I appreciate where you stand.
But you are aligning yourself with some wolves.
Anyone who would refer to God as "Sex God" and shoot
down somebody who preaches with a bullhorn is not walking in accordance to the Scriptures. Rick Warren has folded a couple of times on Larry King Live, when
it came to saying that Jesus was the only way. He is holding hands with Bono, the Pope, Muslim leaders who kill Christians. He has lied on several occasions.
Tony Campolo denies that Jesus is the only way and approves of Homosexuals. I fear for these men and half of the guys that you have links to on your
blog site.
"...But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded." (2 Chr.15:7)
dude thanks for commenting on my blog, i totally agree with you about the Mac daddy macarthur........i will stop by again!
Having met MacArthur, I would disagree that he doesn't love people. He literally spends hours with students at The Master's Seminary and I have known him to spend hours after conferences talking with pastors. While he comes across, from the pulpit and his writings, as being abrasive, he is not that way at all.
Frankly, I loved his book. Like you I agreed with him nearly on every point. Having not read many of the books that he quotes from the emergent church, I could not tell you if he is taking them out of context but if the statements are true than by all means, I stand with him in the battle for truth.
Sorry, but that is the equivalent of saying, "We know that Jesus loved people because He spent so much time with His disciples."
True Gospel-GOOD; False Gospel-BAD.
Preacher of Righteousness-GOOD; False Prophet-BAD;
Narrow Gate-GOOD; Broad Gate-BAD. Fundamental Bible
Believing Church-GOOD; Emergent Church-BAD! Preaching
Truth-GOOD; Planting Trees-BAD! KJV-GOOD; TNIV-BAD!
Praying in Jesus's Name-GOOD!
Praying the Rosary-BAD!
Obedience to Scripture-GOOD; Compromise-BAD!
Repentance-GOOD; Carnal Living-BAD!
Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord" shall enter
the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My
father in heaven.
[Many will say to me, "Lord, Lord have we not planted
trees, washed cars, cleaned toilets, and watered down
the Gospel in Your Name." "Lord, Lord have we not
called You 'Sex God' and use vulgar language in Your
name." "Lord, Lord have we not softened the Gospel
message and approved of homosexuals, Catholics, and
Muslims in Your name." "Have we not gone into Hooka
Bars and Rave Clubs in Your name."] Then I will
declare to them "I never knew you; Depart from me you
who practice lawlessness. (Matthew 7:13-15; 21)
Does he really lump Rick Warren and TD Jakes in with the Emergent crowd?
ShaneBertou
Lewis! I would have to concur with your description of Macarthur. Love must of his stuff...hate how he and Piper push their reformed theology instead of just teaching Scripture...
yes Lewis...it was me...I have read chapters 1 & 2 of "Don't Waste Your Life" by Piper like 6 times in an attempt to finish the book...just can't seem to do it. What I meant was it seems like all the podcasts and articles I have read from him go something like, "Why the Calvinist doctrine of (fill in the blank) is the best thing since sliced bread." Not that it is wrong or bad; I'm just like, "Preach the Bible bro...leave Calvin and reformed theology out of it...just teach the Word for what it is." Again, not that he doesn't, because he does. He is just always forcing his slant on Scripture down people's throats. It just gets old. Of course if I was 100% reformed I guess I would eat it up...
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