Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Gospel According to Jesus, The by John F. MacArthur ISBN: 0-310-39491-0 Publisher: Zondervan Pub. Date: 18 March, 1994 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.85 (55 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A Vital Work, especially for the megachurch movement
Comment: In my opinion, John MacArthur has hit a homerun with this book. If it were up to me, this book would be required reading for every pastor in America, but particularly pastors of megachurches, since an increasing number of megachurches are slipping into the easy believism that MacArthur successfully refutes here.
In a nutshell, MacArthur attempts to take on the concept that people can make allegedly sincere professions of faith in Christ and then be considered a Christian with certain eternal security even if their life bears no good fruit after their supposed conversion. This is an important question, both from a theological standpoint as well as from a Christian living perspective. An increasing number of churches, particularly a number of megachurches, have appeared to shy away from topics that remind people of the reality of sin, the need for repentance and forgiveness, and the important desire of being obedient to God and His Word because such sentiments are increasingly unpopular within the realm of comfortable Christianity. MacArthur argues that good works are not a precondition of salvation, thus affirming the historic Protestant position of salvation by faith alone in Jesus Christ and relying on His grace. But having affirmed this position, MacArthur then goes into fabulous Biblical detail concerning the FRUITS by which genuine salvation can be measured. Critics of MacArthur's book have argued that MacArthur is preaching a works based salvation, but I think it's clear that MacArthur is not doing that. What he is saying is exactly what the Bible says, and what the historic Christian church has long affirmed - that salvation is by faith alone in Jesus Christ, and that genuine faith in Christ will produce good works via the influence of the Holy Spirit that is indicative of genuine salvation and the genuinely changed life that the Bible repeatedly speaks of for people who are truly converted. If critics want to call this a works based salvation, I believe this to be a serious oversight of the clear distinctions MacArthur makes between salvation by faith, versus the logical and Biblically outlined fruits of genuine salvation.
MacArthur further demonstrates that those who affirm easy believism and decry this as a works based salvation stand on extremely problematic ground relative to their own position on salvation. MacArthur points out that it is highly dubious to offer an easy believism salvation that basically states that as long as we make some kind of supposedly sincere affirmation of Jesus, we can then claim we are saved while continuing to live an unsaved life and not worry about whether our salvation is certain or not. This is an extraordinarily cheap form of salvation as a matter of Christian living. And I also believe it is catastrophic as a matter of theology. If all are agreed that the Holy Spirit enters a person's life upon faith in Christ, and all are agreed that the Holy Spirit is fully divine, how do the proponents of easy believism reconcile the notion that someone who is supposedly right with God and who has the Holy Spirit in them can continue to live an apostate life? What does that say about the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit if the Spirit can enter someone, but not change them? It seems to me that to believe in the concept of the 'carnal Christian' who never repents, never seeks forgiveness, never acknowledges sin, and never seeks to be obedient to God - all the while claiming that the Holy Spirit is in this person, almost automatically forces an argument for the impotence of the Holy Spirit as a matter of theology. Not only does this not make sense and cheapens both the Christian life and the Christian God, it results in a different gospel.
In conclusion, I believe that MacArthur has written an important book that is well documented Biblically. The Bible does not teach the concept of apostate Christians, it does not teach easy believism. It does teach that salvation is by faith, and that when a person makes a truly sincere profession of faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit will enter that person, and change that person over time by conforming him/her to the image of God. It does not teach that someone can make a profession in Christ at some point, and then God leaves that person alone to continue living a life that doesn't look any different from the life they lived prior to professing Christ. Nowhere does the Bible say that. So I am very happy to see MacArthur meticulously deconstruct the tenets of easy believism in favor of what both Jesus and the apostles repeatedly affirmed throughout the New Testament about the nature of salvation and living the Christian life.
Rating: 5
Summary: Read the reviews and you'll see the need for this message
Comment: Does the word "antinomian" mean anything to you? This book does a solid job of dismantling the gospel according to Zane Hodges, the author referred to by many one star reviewers. Hodges' bare-assent salvation message is rebuked, by name, in MacArthur's book "The Gospel According to Jesus" and in the subsequent volume, "Faith Works: The Gospel According to the Apostles." MacArthur exposes this culturally enslaved, man-centered heresy with great care, a false gospel that I like to simplify as the "Hate God But Swipe The Gift" error.
But the boxing ring in which this brawl is being waged is mediocre, as the debate is generally confined to dispensationalist circles. If one peers into the conservative Reformed circles, this issue doesn't really exist, because the Reformed emphasis on God-centeredness, obedience, and the perseverence of the elect guarantees that, in a nutshell, "If you LOVE me, you will keep my commandments." Check out the description of "LOVE" in First Corinthians 13, apply it to your (alleged) relationship with God, and see if you too have attempted to take a gift from a God you hate (and supposedly don't ever have to love, even through your last breath). But as MacArthur reminds his readers, "The faithful ARE faithful."
Imagine this pathetic scenario: upon hearing a sermon on loving God, or sanctification, or crucifying your flesh with its passions and desires, you reject that message in your heart (because Lord Zane said you can -- and you sure as heck will obey him), and then after the service you dart your way up to the preacher and ask: "Aww, but do we HAVE TO in order to still be saved?" Buddy, you ain't.
Rating: 1
Summary: Stick to the theology
Comment: In his most recent books, Dr MacArthur has stuck to the theology and subject being presented. However, when he wrote GATJ and his follow up book Faith that Works, Dr MacArthur took the time to include his criticism of the so-called proponents of "easy-believism." Like others, when doing this, he included straw arguments, misquotes, and misrepresentations though he footnoted every one well enough to check almost each statement, which saved me much time in research. I will be including Dr MacArthur's examples as well as a couple of others when I complete my research and book. (Summer 2005--WJB Publishing)
In comparison, Hank Henegraph (Christian Research Institute) gives great examples of well written books and articles that are careful in argument and stay away from misrepresentation and misquotes.
 |
Title: Saved Without a Doubt (The Macarthur Study Series) by John MacArthur, John McArthur ISBN: 1564760170 Publisher: Chariot Victor Books Pub. Date: October, 1992 List Price(USD): $11.99 |
 |
Title: Ashamed of the Gospel: When the Church Becomes Like the World by John F. MacArthur ISBN: 1581342888 Publisher: Good News Pub Pub. Date: April, 2001 List Price(USD): $14.99 |
 |
Title: Hard To Believe : The High Cost and Infinite Value of Following Jesus by John MacArthur ISBN: 0785263454 Publisher: Thomas Nelson Pub. Date: 13 November, 2003 List Price(USD): $22.99 |
 |
Title: Charismatic Chaos by John F., Jr. MacArthur ISBN: 0310575729 Publisher: Zondervan Pub. Date: 22 July, 1993 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
 |
Title: The Gospel According To The Apostles by John MacArthur ISBN: 0849942128 Publisher: Word Publishing Pub. Date: 30 May, 2000 List Price(USD): $12.99 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
