John MacArthur's False Gospel Of Discipleship
by David J. Stewart | November 2016
Romans 4:5-6, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works.”
Pastor John MacArthur is one of the most dangerous men theologically in the world. The following quote is from his video sermon titled, “Are You Saved Or Self-Deceived?” ...
“The narrow gate is hard to find and hard to go through, because it demands denial of self, denial of self-righteousness, recognition of sin, full of repentance, submission to Christ, commitment to obey Him and follow Him no matter what the cost! It's hard to find that truth and hearing it, it's hard to act upon it, because of the love self and the love of sin, which is natural for the sinner! The true way to Heaven is hard to find.”
Dr. MacArthur is referring to the Scripture passage from Matthew 7:13-15, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Kindly, I believe John MacArthur is the wolf that the Bible warns us about. I just prayed for Mr. MacArthur. He looks so physically drained in his sermon videos. I know he carries many heavy burdens as a pastor. I am sad that he is doctrinally corrupt, because it means that he is not saved. No man is saved who denies that Jesus' blood is in Heaven sprinkled upon the Mercy Seat (Hebrews 9:12, 24; 12:24).
We are taught in 2nd Corinthians 11:3-4 that the Gospel is simple (i.e., “the simplicity that is in Christ”), and we are warned about false prophets who come to us preaching “ANOTHER GOSPEL.” 2nd Corinthians 11:3-4, “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.” You cannot be saved by “ANOTHER GOSPEL.” There is no pervert like the Gospel pervert!
The Holy Bible plainly defines “the Gospel” for us in 1st Corinthians 15:1-6, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.” The Gospel truth is that Jesus Christ DIED on the cross for our sins, He was BURIED in a tomb, and then miraculously He bodily RESURRECTED from the dead the third day, according to the Scriptures. This is “the simplicity that is in Christ.”
On the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:41, we read that 3,000 people “gladly received his word” and were saved. Then they partook of believer's baptism as a profession of their faith. They were added to the Church. In Acts 2:23 the apostle Peter told the crowd that they had crucified Jesus, the Christ. In Verse 24 Peter says that God raised up Jesus. In Acts 2:32 Peter tells them again that, “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.” In other words, Peter was preaching the Gospel (meaning, the “Good News”) to them. When the crowd heard the “Good News” of Christ crucified on a cross and risen, they gladly received (believed) that Word, and they were saved. 3,000 of them were saved in one day!!! Amen!
Now, how does Acts 2:14-41 compare to John MacArthur's complicated plan of salvation? According to John MacArthur's earlier quote, getting saved “demands denial of self, denial of self-righteousness, recognition of sin, full of repentance, submission to Christ, commitment to obey Him and follow Him no matter what the cost!” Is this what happened in Acts 2:14-41? Absolutely not! Does the Bible's definition of “the Gospel” in 1st Corinthians 15:1-6 mention ANY of the extra six requirements that Dr. MacArthur specifies? Only one: “recognition of sin.” Yes, a person MUST acknowledge that they are a sinner to be saved!
Romans 3:19 teaches that the PURPOSE of God's LAW is to show humanity our sinnership, and bring us to Christ to be saved by grace through faith alone. Romans 3:19-20, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” So RECOGNITION OF SIN is necessary to be saved, because we need to see our need for the Savior. All that means is that you must admit being a guilty sinner in the sight of God, so you will BELIEVE THE GOSPEL to be saved.
I often tell people that the hardest part about getting somebody saved is to first get them lost. Salvation requires submitting to the grace of God. We read in Romans 10:3-4, “For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” That's really what repentance and faith are, that is, submitting to God's righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ because you have judged yourself as being a guilty sinner.
Albeit, the other SIX requirements taught by John MacArthur are unbiblical.
Let's list the unbiblical things which Dr. MacArthur requires for salvation:
- Denial of self
- Denial of self-righteousness (this is Biblical. You must trust God's righteousness, not your own to save you)
- Recognition of sin (this requirement is Biblical. No one ever got saved who didn't realize he is a sinner.)
- Full of repentance
- Submission to Christ
- Commitment to obey Him
- Follow Him no matter what the cost!
Mr. MacArthur is a false prophet! Only two of those seven things that he requires for salvation are a part of the Gospel. If denial of self, denial of self-righteousness, full repentance (MacArthur errantly defines repentance as turning away from sinful behavior), submitting to Christ as Lord, and following Jesus, were all required to be saved, then the apostle Paul would have included them in his definition of “the Gospel” (1st Corinthians 15:1, “brethren, I declare unto you the gospel”), but he didn't. If any of these six things were required to be saved, then they would have been mentioned in Peter's Gospel preaching at Pentecost, but he didn't. The apostle Paul said in Galatians 3:2, “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” Amen! We are saved by placing our faith in the Gospel when we hear it. Hebrews 4:2, “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.”
Evangelist Alexander Marshal Gets Repentance Right
One of my favorite quotes is from Evangelist Alexander Marshall (1846-1928), who correctly taught the Biblical meaning of repentance unto salvation...
“I HAVE NOT REPENTED ENOUGH”
What do you mean? “I am not sorry enough for my sins.”
And if you were very sorry, would God be more willing to save you than He is now? “I think so.”
Then you are completely mistaken.
“But does it not say, unless we repent we shall perish?”
Yes; but what do you think is the Scriptural significance of “repentance”? If you say “sorrow for sin” you are wrong. It does not mean sorrow for sin: it means a CHANGE OF MIND (Matt. 21:29). This change will doubtless produce sorrow; but sorrow and repentance are two very different things (Heb. 12:17. margin, and II Cor. 7:9). When God calls on you to “repent, and believe the Gospel,” He wishes you to lay aside your wrong thoughts, and believe the glad tidings that He proclaims to you. Formerly you may have imagined that you were required to feel very sorry before being saved. Change your mind. You may have supposed you must first “feel” some great change in order to know you were saved. Change your mind. First believe in God's great love to you, as revealed in His gospel, and you will KNOW that you have eternal life (John 5:24).
SOURCE: The Horrible Misrepresentation of Evangelist Alexander Marshall
Yes, that is excellent. Brother Marshall is 100% correct! Don't miss it! Biblical “repentance” is the Greek noun, metanoia, which means, “a change of mind.” Or in the beautiful words of Alexander Marshall, God wishes for us “TO LAY ASIDE YOUR WRONG THOUGHTS, AND BELIEVE THE GLAD TIDINGS THAT HE PROCLAIMS TO YOU.” Boy that's good stuff! This is true repentance unto salvation, which is a change of mind unto the Gospel itself. For a wonderful explanation of Biblical repentance, please read “THE GREAT MEANING OF 'METANOIA.'” Amen!
Sinners Are Saved By Faith in the Gospel
John MacArthur has it wrong! MacArthur makes the following heretical statements, which are based upon his Calvinist views that God predestinates and chooses who will be saved...
“Faith doesn't produce regeneration. Repentance doesn't produce regeneration. That regeneration comes first. And only when you're made alive can you repent.”
In sharp contrast, the Holy Bible teaches that we are saved by faith. Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” We are saved the moment that we place our faith in the seed of the Word of God (i.e., the Gospel). 1st Peter 1:23, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” According to MacArthur, a person cannot be saved unless God first gives them the new birth, and only then can they repent and put their faith in Jesus Christ. That is backwards. The new birth cannot happen until a sinner believes the Gospel.
God Pity the Deceived Church and Pastor Who Support John MacArthur
Life is short, Hell is hot, and eternity is a long time. It matters what we believe! Our doctrine determines our destiny. Mr. MacArthur is a dangerous false teacher, who is a Gospel pervert. I say that kindly. I have nothing personal against Dr. MacArthur, but his own words condemn him. It is gross theological incompetence for MacArthur to say that Jesus' blood is precious, while trampling it underfoot as being an unholy thing, saying that Christ's blood soaked into the dirt at Calvary and stayed there. The Old Testament is very clear that the Tabernacle high priest had to apply the lamb's blood in the holy place to the mercy seat. The book of Hebrews clearly teaches that Christ is our heavenly High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16).
The Old Testament tabernacle was a pattern of the heavenly Tabernacle. Hebrews 9:23, “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.” Hebrews 9:12, 9:24 and 12:24 teach that Jesus entered into the heavenly holy place BY HIS OWN BLOOD! In his corrupt 'The MacArthur Study Bible' published by Nelson Publishers, MacArthur says that the phrase “BY HIS BLOOD” really refers to Christ's death. It does not! If God meant DEATH, then He would have said DEATH. Remember, God is the divine Author of the Holy Bible, men only penned what God inspired them to write! You decide for yourself. Are you going to believe MacArthur's heretical religious theories, or believe the inspired Word of God?
John MacArthur is Caught Between Grace And Works
Dr. MacArthur's perverted Gospel combines salvation with discipleship. Here are some excellent quotes discerning the difference between salvation and discipleship...
The following excellent information by Dr. Hank Lindstrom is from the helpful Christian website, GetGodsGift.Org...
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Here are some excellent, doctrinally sound, helpful, Biblical sermons . . .
Dr. Hank Lindstrom |
Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold |
Also, please listen to Dr. Jack Hyles' excellent MP3 sermon titled, “Steps To Sanctification; Or, The Root Of All Heresy,” in which he explains the difference between the saved, crucified, resurrected and ascended life. I mean no unkindness to John MacArthur, God knows my heart. I am simply contending for the Christian faith as Jude 1:3 teaches believers to do. There is nothing more important than the clarity of the Gospel, the blood of Jesus applied to the heavenly Mercy Seat, and the pure Words of God in the King James Bible. Dr. MacArthur is wrong on all of these important doctrines, and many more, like predestination. According to Mr. MacArthur, salvation is an adult decision and children cannot be saved. MacArthur shares the same errant “turn from sin” and “change your life” view of repentance as do satanic Mormons and Seventh-day Adventists. MacArthur says it is HARD TO BELIEVE!; whereas the Word of God calls the Gospel, “the simplicity that is in Christ” (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4).
I hate to say it, but I must. I'd say that at least half of the independent Baptist churches in America are of the Devil. They support and promote heretic Dr. John MacArthur. They claim to prefer the King James Bible, but openly tolerate and refuse to expose the Devil's corrupt Alexandrian Bible revisions. They support manmade heathen Israel, which effectively means they are supporting the sinister New World Order, support the preemptive bombing of the Arab people's, and support for satanic Judaism and the Talmud. These are apostate Baptist churches, deceived by Satan as Revelation 12:9 foretold, “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Have you believed a lie? Southern Baptist Churches are all corrupted, of whom Evangelist Paul Washer is one of their most popular ministers, who openly teaches that works are required to get to Heaven.
Another awesome resource which helps to clarify and defend the Gospel is Michael P. Bowen's intriguing book, “I NEVER KNEW YOU.” Here are some highlights from the book.
The Biblical Gospel is that Christ DIED on the cross for your sins. He was BURIED. Three days later He miraculously RESURRECTED bodily from the dead, which was witnessed by several hundred people (1st Corinthians 15:1-6). So where in the world does John MacArthur come up with six addition requirements to be saved? That is exactly the same error of the wicked that the Church of Christ makes, teaching a SIX STEP plan of salvation. My friend, there is only one step (and it's not really a step) to be saved, which is to simply BELIEVE THE GOSPEL!!!
“Faith is the only
righteous thing that I can do!”
—Pastor
Jack Hyles, a quote from the MP3 sermon titled:
“God's
Reversal Of Psalm 51”
END OF ARTICLE
If you're not DEAD, God's not DONE!!!
“AMERICA'S PULPITS
HAVE BECOME WEAK!”
—Pastor
Jeff Owens, “Unloved
Preachers”
—Dr.
Jack Hyles (a great quote from the classic sermon, “
Psalms 116:15, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”
“The only inspired Words of God
are in the King James Bible!”
—Dr.
Jack Hyles (an
awesome quote —Dr.
Jack Hyles (THE
REAL BATTLE!”)
BATTLE OF THE AGES (MP3 by Dr. Hyles, “The King James Bible crowd is going to come out on top!”)
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