JOHN MACARTHUR: GRACE to YOU TOO by J. Lee Grady

\\Fundamentalist pastor John MacArthur is a gifted preacher, author
and lover of Scripture. His Grace to You radio program points
countless people to the Bible, and his Master's Seminary trains
hundreds of ministry leaders. He´s a staunch Calvinist, but that
doesn´t make him any less my brother in Christ.

Unfortunately, MacArthur can´t say the same about me-and
that´s sad. In his new book Strange Fire, he declares in no uncertain
terms that anyone who embraces any form of charismatic or
Pentecostal theology does not worship the true God.

My brother in Christ has written me off.

In John MacArthur´s rigid world, anybody who has sought prayer
for healing, claimed a miracle, received a prayer language, prophesied,
sensed God speaking to them, felt God´s presence in an emotional
way or fallen down on the floor after receiving prayer has already
stepped out of the bounds of orthodoxy.

MacArthur says charismatics think they worship God but that
actually we are worshipping a golden calf. "Every day millions of
charismatics offer praise to a patently false image of the Holy
Spirit," MacArthur says early in the book. "No other movement
has done more damage to the cause of the gospel."

He doesn´t just write off fringe elements of our movement; he
skewers the original founders of Pentecostalism and even goes
after Baptist author Henry Blackaby for teaching that God can
speak to people today.

MacArthur, who is 74, urges evangelical Christians to engage in
a "collective war" to stop the spread of the charismatic movement,
which he describes as a "deadly virus," a "deviant mutation of the
truth" and a "Trojan horse" that has infiltrated mainstream
Christianity. MacArthur writes, "Charismatic theology has turned
the evangelical church into a cesspool of error and a breeding
ground for false teachers."

No one familiar with MacArthur is surprised by Strange Fire, since
it is really a rehashed version of his 1993 book Charismatic Chaos.
Unfortunately, some charismatics have given MacArthur plenty of
new ammunition to support his case that we are all a bunch of
sleazy con artists and spiritual bimbos. Our movement is new and
fraught with problems, so MacArthur doesn´t have to look hard to
find examples of troublesome doctrine. But instead of offering
fatherly correction, he pulls out his sword and hacks away.

I´m no five-point Calvinist, but I will make five points here in response
to MacArthur´s book:

1. Not all charismatics and Pentecostals have embraced errors or
excesses. To MacArthur´s credit, he quotes charismatic leaders
who have addressed legitimate abuses and errors in our movement.
But then he writes us off with a broad brush. Actually, the majority
of our movement is not in error, even though we all know of doctrines
and practices that need correction. There are millions of healthy
charismatic and Pentecostal churches around the world that are
winning the lost, launching missionary endeavors and helping the
poor. And charismatics and Pentecostals are fueling the global
growth of Christianity-even with our flaws.

2. We must leave room for the present-day power of God. MacArthur
believes God´s miracle-working power stopped around 100 A.D.
He says healing, tongues, prophecy, visions and other supernatural
manifestations described in the New Testament don´t work today.
MacArthur is particularly irked that charismatics emphasize
speaking in tongues (which he calls "gibberish"); he also complains
that we have a "perverse obsession with physical health" (in other
words, if you get sick, just accept it because God doesn´t heal
anymore). But the New Testament doesn´t tell us that heaven
flipped a switch and turned off the Spirit´s power. That is
MacArthur´s opinion, not a biblical doctrine.

3. The church needs a fresh emphasis on the Holy Spirit.
MacArthur says charismatics are guilty of an unhealthy focus
on the Holy Spirit. He claims that the Spirit points only to Jesus
and that we shouldn´t seek the Spirit´s power or presence because
He likes to stay in the background. My question: If that is true,
why did Jesus teach so much about the Holy Spirit? And why is
the Spirit´s powerful work so clearly highlighted in the book of
Acts and the epistles? It´s true that the Spirit wants all the credit
to go to Jesus, but we are making a huge mistake if we ignore
the Spirit or limit His power. The church today needs God´s power
like never before.

4. There is a difference between biblical correction and judgmentalism.
Anyone who reads this column knows I speak out regularly about
whacky practices in our movement-from prosperity doctrines to
necromancy to adulterous pastors who say God told them to divorce
one wife so they could marry another. I believe we must address
sin in the camp. But there is a difference between confronting
specific sins and condemning a whole movement to hell. John
MacArthur´s book has crossed that line.

5. We should love MacArthur anyway. Strange Fire lists numerous
ways charismatics are misusing or abusing the Holy Spirit, in
MacArthur´s view. But he forgets to mention that one of the
important works of the Holy Spirit is to unify and connect the
Christian community in deep fellowship. The New Testament
urges us to "preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace"
(Eph. 4:3, NASB), and we are also told that love is part of the
fruit of the Holy Spirit. But Strange Fire was not written out of a
heart of love.

Still, there is no need to retaliate against MacArthur. He is our
brother because we all believe in and worship the same Savior.
The best thing we can do in response to this extremely unkind
book is to love our brother in spite of his unfortunate bias against us

Greg,
Thank you for posting these gracious and loving brothers such as J. Lee Grady and Michael Brown, who realize that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."(Ephesians 6:12)
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy".(John 10:10)
If we give in to the enemy's ways we will not love one another which was Jesus' mandate to his disciples: "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you." (John 5:12)

We are being tested.
Sister Leslie

Yes, there is no reason to retaliate against MacArthur. However, an observation of his activity if you don't mind.

From Greg's post:
"MacArthur, who is 74, urges evangelical Christians to engage in a "collective war" to stop the spread of the charismatic movement, which he describes as a "deadly virus," a "deviant mutation of the truth" and a "Trojan horse" that has infiltrated mainstream Christianity."

MacArthur is a living example of engaging in activity that Jesus forbade.

Jesus said this in Matthew 13:27-30.

So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, NAY; LEST WHILE YE GATHER UP THE TARES, YE ROOT UP ALSO THE WHEAT WITH THEM. LET BOTH GROW TOGETHER UNTIL THE HARVEST: AND IN THE TIME OF HARVEST I WILL SAY TO THE REAPERS, GATHER YE TOGETHER FIRST THE TARES, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

JESUS said NAY! MacArthur is ignoring this as he has built most of his ministry for most of his life on being a REAPER who is "waging war on Charismatic (and all Pentecostals for that matter". Man does not have the knowledge or wisdom to be a REAPER, yet some think they do.

No one has to do anything, and no one should do anything except stay out of God's way with regard to MacArthur. Pray for him as the Spirit leads, and even Pentecostals know that they don't have to avenge themselves or even defend themselves. We are all answerable to God, and so is MacArthur. Jesus Christ won't let anything destructive happen to His Church.

in my 11 years of following Jesus, being brought up as a Jew in the synagogue, all I've read and studied are the Whole Bible, and missionary biographies, as well as listening to men, who I regard as ....dear servants of the LORD, specifically Len ravenhill and Duncan Campbell. I enjoy reading, The life of Brainerd, the diaries of John Sung....that's it. I've had one assembly I've attended.

AND this website, WHERE I learned of Len and Duncan...Praise God for that. but the forum?

so much division, but Grace, because in our ways, we're all broken....but lately it's made me very curious about "church history"....because in the last year, in light of REALLY grasping John 17, i'm of the FIRM CONVICTION that 'denominations' are utter rebellion to Jesus...and the first "denomination" was the "holy" roman catholic church....and from there?.....HELL....the crusades, inquitions, "state" churches, burning "hereticks"....I seen so many folk speaking of "Christians being persecuted TODAY, and I think..."well, look at your forefathers, pretty adapt at "Christian killing Christian".

I've JUST started getting into the depth of "church history", I can only take small bites, because ever since 315 and then 380 AD, reading of this nightmare, causes me grief beyond grief.....1700 years of failure?....and to this very day, to read some of the just fruitless religious arguments...or to search for an assembly, that's NOT a country club of the upright and moral, and a place one can MEET GOD....just EVEN a "church" that has a weekly prayer meeting!!!....

I love Messiah Jesus, nothing, God forbid will change that. God has given me the gift of Faith, simple childlike.....but 1700 years of "this"?!?

God ingrafts the nations into the Vine, tearing out natural vines in the process, and the ingrafted vines grow such unwholesome, bitter, unnatural fruit?....and that's the kind of Gratitude shown God, shown His Son who bore the Cross?...and don't for a second think i'm "judizing".

tear into me if you want to, but how any follower of Jesus can gaze back on these last 1700 years of "church history", and NOT be filled with utter shame and grief is .....not being real.

Something has GOT to change.

Sree,

I never heard Zac attacking "speaking in tongues" or those who do or saying they are not Christians. There is much more to unify on (Jesus Christ) but some find it important to define who is or is not a Christian.

A good place to start your research.

uh huh...well, I've studied that, and I've read of Stephens "defense", and how he was murdered....now i'm curious about the roman church, and the crusades, and the inquistions.....and how the crusaders on their way to "liberate' the holy land would stumble upon villages of Jews, who would be murdered, with shouts of "you killed our god, now we kill you"...I also find it fascinating, how a man like Luther, the first "protestant', his last paper was entitled "on Jews and their lies"......and that's not even touching on the heresy trials.

Here is another response from Leonard Ravenhill's son,
David Ravenhill on his blog "The Anvil" October 24.

http://davidravenhill.wordpress.com/

L

Like the part in his blog where he says "Can you imagine John MacArthur confronting the prophets of Baal on Mt Carmel?"

furthering that thought,can you imagine John MacArthur's reaction to ravens bearing him food?

first , he'd probably being shooing them off in fright, at first, then he'd be digging in the pockets of his $1,000 suit for his purell hand sanitizer....and bedtime in the cave?.....shaking like a leaf, and bitter because he has to sleep on stone....alone.

ah, the lot of the 21st century neo-Pharisee..."pastor appreciation week"....."pastor, in love, your flock has got together and bought you a one week vacation in Cancun so you can refresh, and come back with a "renewed" vision for YOUR ministry".

and we wonder why, most Americans sit perched on Sundays in front of the TV, watching football...rooting and screaming at the HITS..."wow, what a hit he leveled at so and so!!!"

"Yeah!!!".

Fox s Book of Martyrs may be a decent NT era place to start

thank you, and while I grieve for those dear souls, my heart grieves even more, at the complicity of the "church" in what is known as the Shoah:

"The biblical word Shoah (שואה) (also spelled Sho'ah and Shoa), meaning "calamity", became the standard Hebrew term for the Holocaust as early as the 1940s, especially in Europe and Israel.[16] Shoah is preferred by many Jews for a number of reasons, including the theologically offensive nature of the word "holocaust", which they take to refer to the Greek pagan custom.[17]"

"Michael Berenbaum writes that Germany became a "genocidal state."[12]

"Every arm of the country's sophisticated bureaucracy was involved in the killing process. Parish churches and the Interior Ministry supplied birth records showing who was Jewish; the Post Office delivered the deportation and denaturalization orders; the Finance Ministry confiscated Jewish property; German firms fired Jewish workers and disenfranchised Jewish stockholders."

PARISH CHURCHES...

"Saul Friedländer writes that: "Not one social group, not one religious community, not one scholarly institution or professional association in Germany and throughout Europe declared its solidarity with the Jews."[19] He writes that some Christian churches declared that converted Jews should be regarded as part of the flock, but even then only up to a point. Friedländer argues that this makes the Holocaust distinctive because antisemitic policies were able to unfold without the interference of countervailing forces of the kind normally found in advanced societies, such as industry, small businesses, churches, and other vested interests and lobby groups."

"NOT ONE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY".....and what a neat way to practice "evangelism": "He writes that some Christian churches declared that converted Jews should be regarded as part of the flock, but even then only up to a point."

I wonder what that "point" was....I suspect it was to deny you were a Jew, EVEN IF, you apprehended that Jesus is Messiah...I myself was once told by an elder in the "church", that I was no longer a "Jew", because I followed Jesus.

"Besides conservative antisemitism, there existed in Germany a rather silent anti-Judaism within the Catholic Church, which had a certain impact on immunising the Catholic population against the escalating persecution. The famous protest of the Catholic Church against the euthanasia program was, therefore, not accompanied by any protest against the Holocaust."

( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoah )

lets see how the "church" fared during this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_and_antisemitism

"Patristic bishops of the patristic era such as Augustine argued that the Jews should be left alive and suffering as a perpetual reminder of their murder of Christ. Other Church Fathers, such as John Chrysostom went longer in their condemnation. Ephraim the Syrian wrote polemics against Jews in the 4th century, including the repeated accusation that Satan dwells among them as a partner. These writings were directed at Christians who were being proselytized by Jews and who Ephraim feared were slipping back into the religion of Judaism; thus he portrayed the Jews as enemies of Christianity, like Satan, to emphasize the contrast between the two religions, namely, that Christianity was Godly and true and Judaism was Satanic and false. Like John Chrysostom, his objective was to dissuade Christians from reverting to Judaism by emphasizing what he saw as the wickedness of the Jews and their religion.[11][12]"

"protestant reformation?
"Martin Luther at first made overtures towards the Jews, believing that the "evils" of Catholicism had prevented their conversion to Christianity. When his call to convert to his version of Christianity was unsuccessful, he became hostile to them.

In his book On the Jews and their Lies, he excoriates them as "venomous beasts, vipers, disgusting scum, canders, devils incarnate." He provided detailed recommendations for a pogrom against them, calling for their permanent oppression and expulsion, writing "Their private houses must be destroyed and devastated, they could be lodged in stables. Let the magistrates burn their synagogues and let whatever escapes be covered with sand and mud. Let them force to work, and if this avails nothing, we will be compelled to expel them like dogs in order not to expose ourselves to incurring divine wrath and eternal damnation from the Jews and their lies." At one point he wrote: "...we are at fault in not slaying them..." a passage that "may be termed the first work of modern antisemitism, and a giant step forward on the road to the Holocaust."[17]

Luther's harsh comments about the Jews are seen by many as a continuation of medieval Christian antisemitism. In his final sermon shortly before his death, however, Luther preached: "We want to treat them with Christian love and to pray for them, so that they might become converted and would receive the Lord."[18]

"Josel of Rosheim, who tried to help the Jews of Saxony, wrote in his memoir that their situation was "due to that priest whose name was Martin Luther ”” may his body and soul be bound up in hell!! ”” who wrote and issued many heretical books in which he said that whoever would help the Jews was doomed to perdition."[8] Robert Ashley Michael, Professor Emeritus of European History at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth writes that Josel asked the city of Strasbourg to forbid the sale of Luther's anti-Jewish works; they refused initially, but relented when a Lutheran pastor in Hochfelden argued in a sermon that his parishioners should murder Jews.[9]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_and_antisemitism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_and_antisemitism

reading this literally sickens me, and i'm done with this post....done with men like John MacArthur....

I follow The Way, I follow Messiah.