The Gospel Delusion - Part 2

The Gospel Delusion

A review of John MacArthur's The Gospel According To Jesus 20^th Anniversary Edition

Part 2: Not Just Hard, Impossible.

Please read Part 1: The Obligatory Introduction first.

Dr. MacArthur argues for a salvation that is hard on the believer. His work talks about all the requirements, “strings” perhaps, of true Salvation. He goes on about the demands that Jesus makes on a sinner that must be met in exchange for Salvation. As though Salvation is some sort of barter system(1) In his preface he says that modern evangelicalism has aimed at making the the Gospel sound as easy and appealing as possible and then describes Jesus' way of presenting the Gospel as “making salvation sound well-nigh impossible” (2) and quotes Mark 10:17-26 as his support for this, and then continues with “because for fallen sinners who are trying to save themselves, it is impossible.(v. 27)” Which is funny because it is the truth of his continued thought that impeaches his point. Jesus doesn't make salvation sound hard, He tells people that it is impossible for a man to be saved by or through his own effort. This does not contrast what Dr. MacArthur says about modern Gospel presentations making salvation sound easy... it actually agrees with it. In the Scripture cited the Lord shows “The Rich Young Ruler” that no one is “good” except God, that even though the man thinks he's kept the Law from his youth he can not actually do good enough to be acceptable to God. No matter how he prepares and presents himself, he'll never be “good enough.” His astonished listeners ask “then who can be saved?” Answering, the Lord says what is impossible for man is possible with God. The Lord isn't suggesting that Salvation is hard for a man. The Lord isn't attaching “strings” (see Part 1) to the deal. In fact when some, who thought Salvation was to be earned, asked the Lord what they must do He told them to believe. John 6:28-29

A portion of Scripture that will play prominently in the minds of those who evaluate Dr. MacArthur's work using Scripture is Romans 4:5-8. Why? Because in this short section the Apostle Paul makes it absolutely clear that faith/belief is not a work, and that salvation is totally and completely separate from works.

5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 7 “ Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; 8 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin.” NKJV

It is absolutely clear that we are Justified without works. Not that works don't just enter into the earning of Justification, or the process of Justification but that Justification happens totally and completely without works. This means that if one believes unto salvation and never does a good work but dies that he in fact was saved. His faith may have been “useless” or unprofitable as in James 2:1ff, and he will will be judged under the Law of Liberty and suffer loss of reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ but he will have been Justified and accounted just as Righteous as any other Saint who ever has or ever will live. Rom 8:1, 2 Cor 5:10, 1 Cor 3:11-14

Salvation isn't just hard for a sinner, it's impossible. Jesus doesn't make it “sound well-nigh impossible” as Dr. MacArthur would have us believe. Jesus states that actually is impossible for us. Would it be the Lord's council to try or earnestly strive for something that He, the God of the Universe, clearly states is impossible? I think not.

But the Lord doesn't stop at telling us that it is impossible for us to be saved by how we prepare and present our selves to Him. Thankfully, He went on to say that what is impossible for us is easy for Him because He is all powerful. Mark 10:27

But why is Salvation impossible for us? Is it because we are hopelessly fallen, “totally depraved” beings? When the Lord presented the Gospel that saves, He began to show His followers that He must suffer, die, and be raised from the grave to life again. Mat 16:21 For this is what is required of the sinner if they are to live again. For every one who doesn't continue to do all that is written in the Book of The Law is cursed. Everyone who is not perfectly righteous is cursed, and bound for Eternity in the Lake of Fire. Deut 27:26, Gal 3:10. In fact since sinners are under a curse, if we wanted to attain Eternal Life apart from Christ's full provision we would have to die and raise to life again ourselves. And all would agree that this is impossible for a mere mortal man to accomplish. The mortal part kinda makes the concept absolutely clear doesn't it? And we read the very same thing in Rom 6:23 with the added clarity that salvation is a “gift” not something that is worked for.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. NKJV

The Apostle Paul tells us that we are baptized into Christ's death and resurrection. This is how Salvation is accomplished for the sinner. Christ became sin for us, He was cursed, and He died for us. So the sinner positionally dies and raises to life again when we are baptized into Christ's death and resurrection. The Law is then established, as the just requirements of it are fulfilled in the sinner's death. Rom 6:1ff, Rom 3:31, Rom 8:1-4, Rom 2:25-27

As Dr. MacArthur's argument progresses he surmises that the sinner needs to become worthy of salvation to actually be saved. But sin doesn't require a change in the way we behave. Sin requires us to die. The sinner who comes to God with the slightest thought of saying “I'm trying to be worthy Lord” does not yet understand the Gospel. We present ourselves as wholly needing the Sacrifice of Christ Jesus on the Cross to atone for our sin. When we come to God with that as our only reason for confidence to stand before Him, so that we can come confidently before the Throne of Grace expecting mercy, then we will be saved. Heb 4:14-16 Just like “The Rich Young Ruler” we can not ever be good enough to approach God. We come baptized into Christ's death and resurrection by Grace through our having received the Gospel or when we come before Him we will receive only destruction.

Part 3: That Old-Time Modern Gospel

References:

All references (unless otherwise stated) are from The Gospel According To Jesus: What is authentic faith? Revised & Expanded Anniversary Edition By John MacArthur Copyright 2008

1. http://indefenseofthegospel.blogspot.com/2008/07/is-lordship-salvation-barter-system.html

2. Pg 10