Gospel Living

In this Q&A Ligonier panel, John MacArthur stands out as a dispensationalist among covenant theologians.  If you don't know what those terms mean, simply put, they represent different views on the end times.  Yet, these are not the root issues at hand. How can these men sit together on a panel, then, and what can we learn from them in our own church contexts? When our church was going through First John, we looked at John's commitment to hard-edged, black-and-white issues of truth walking in harmony with his call to love.  One illustration we used was that, while  truth gives us the right notes to play, love fine-tunes our hearts. Churches must be concerned about doctrine, and discussions can get heated among those who all share a love for the truth of God.  That, by the way, should not be seen as wrong somehow.   Doctrine does divide (as Sproul says), and the church that doesn't care about doctrine is a dead church. Still, we all must guard...

"For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake" (2 Cor 4:5). Video General Session 1 - John MacArthur - Shepherds’ Conference 2017 from Grace Community Church on Vimeo . Audio ( MP3 ) For more information visit www.shepherdsconference.org .

Here's an excellent excerpt from a recent Q & A with John MacArthur at Grace Community Church.  The question concerned how to deal with “transgendered” people: I've only had five minutes to get further into my next Mark devotional, so I'll have to push that back to Monday so I can get to work on Sunday's sermon.  I apologize for missing it, and I'm hoping to have a couple of days coming up to catch back up.  I also hope this helps you as you're thinking through this emotional cultural issue.

John MacArthur addresses the chapel at The Master's Seminary:

John MacArthur on Modern Prophets http://www.gty.org/Blog/B130903 Does the office of prophet still exist today? To the hordes of modern, self-appointed spokesmen for God, the answer to that question is a no-brainer. The office of prophet is alive and well in many charismatic churches today—it comes with a detailed job description and is taken with the utmost seriousness. Without a doubt, the enormous influence these "prophets" wield cannot be easily ignored. But does that influence legitimize the office of prophet in twenty-first century churches? In the following audio clip, John MacArthur sheds some much-needed biblical light on that subject. "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son" (Hebrews 1:1--2 ESV). It's no accident that the word "spoken" is in the past tense. God has conclusively spoken to His people through the testimony of His So...

John MacArthur on Identifying Your Spiritual Gift http://www.gty.org/Blog/B130827 Recognizing and exercising spiritual gifts is a confusing and difficult issue for many believers. At one end of the spectrum are Christians who may attend a church for many years without ever recognizing any spiritual gift. That causes passivity in the church and can lead to a disabled body of believers—one with severed limbs and missing organs (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:14 --25; Ephesians 4:11 --13). At the other end of the spectrum are professing Christians who presumptuously try to exercise gifts they don't possess. The havoc caused by such people is readily apparent in many charismatic churches—the abundance of self-appointed apostles and female preachers is a prime example. In this clip, John MacArthur discusses the truth about spiritual gifts. If you are a new creature in Christ, the Holy Spirit lives in you and has uniquely gifted you to serve the church. The Strange Fire conferenc...

John MacArthur on Blessings, Truth, & Charismatic Error http://www.gty.org/Blog/B130820 "Thou shalt not criticize" has effectively become the eleventh commandment of the modern church. Sadly, the allegiance of many charismatic leaders to that mindset has created a climate where false teaching thrives. Thankfully, there are also those who understand the biblical mandate to expose error for the sake of defending truth (Romans 16:17 ). We don't doubt there are faithful gospel preachers in the charismatic movement—men who see people coming to genuine saving faith through their consistent preaching of God's Word. But tragically, many of those men undermine the very gospel they preach by ignoring, or accommodating, the heretics in their movement who claim to speak for God. For that reason, the Strange Fire conference will provide a service to the charismatic community by addressing its need for biblical discernment—a need made desperate by the silence of ...

John MacArthur on What It Means to Do Greater Works Than Jesus http://www.gty.org/Blog/B130813 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father" (John 14:12 ). Many charismatic teachers look to the above verse to validate their teaching. They see it as a proof text for the notion that present-day believers can perform miraculous signs and wonders—even more spectacular than Jesus Himself. Reinhard Bonnke, who claims to have raised the dead, is one prominent charismatic who subscribes to that view, and has even written a book offering his interpretation of what Jesus meant by "greater works." But Bonnke's view not only contradicts church history, it also defies Jesus' teaching in Scripture. In the following audio clip, John MacArthur explains the true, and far more profound, meaning of John 14:12 . One of the great tragedies of the cha...

John MacArthur on Identifying False Teachers http://www.gty.org/Blog/B130723 "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them." -- Romans 16:17 , KJV Identifying and confronting false teachers is extremely unpopular today. But Scripture calls Christians to discern truth from error, providing guidelines for identifying and dealing with those who try to corrupt Christ's church with false doctrine. John MacArthur elaborates on this in the following audio. Governments recognize the necessity of protecting their citizens. The church should be even more vigilant against spiritual terrorists, especially in light of what's at stake—people's souls. The Strange Fire conference will equip believers to spot false teachers and their destructive heresies. For more information about Strange Fire, please visit the conference website http://www.tmstrangefire.org . In anti...

John MacArthur's Major Concern with the Charismatic Movement http://www.gty.org/Blog/B130709 The charismatic movement claims that it is the movement of the Holy Spirit, but there's a serious problem with that assertion according to John MacArthur. In the following video, John explains what that problem is and how to address it. Before you can determine whether the Holy Spirit is at work in your life, you need to rightly understand who He is and what He does. And God's infallible Word is the only reliable place to find that understanding. A major goal of the Strange Fire conference is to equip believers to discern the Spirit's work in their lives and the surrounding world. For more information about Strange Fire, please visit the conference website. http://www.tmstrangefire.org In anticipation of the sold-out Truth Matters' Strange Fire Conference taking place October 16-18, 2013, we will be looking at each of the promo videos.  God bless!

What Does It Really Mean to Worship God in Spirit and Truth? http://www.gty.org/Blog/B130716 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24 ). That frequently quoted verse has become a popular proof text for charismatic doctrine. In fact, a recent article in Charisma magazine used it as biblical support for speaking in tongues as a form of "spirit-to-Spirit communication with God." But do Jesus' words in John 4:24 really affirm sign gifts as necessary parts of our worship? In the following audio, John MacArthur explains the true meaning of worshiping God in spirit and truth. God calls His people to be worshipers—people who revere Him with all of their adoration and affection. The Strange Fire conference is designed to encourage true spiritual worship by defining it rightly. For more information about Strange Fire, please visit the conference website http://www.tmstrangefire.org . In anticipation of the so...

John MacArthur on Is Spirit Baptism a One-Time Event? http://www.gty.org/Blog/B130625 At the heart of the controversy over charismatic theology and practice is a simple question: What is the nature and purpose of the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Is Spirit baptism an internal, one-time event that occurs at the moment of salvation, or is it a subsequent event that's manifest through ecstatic expressions of tongues, signs, and special revelation? In the following audio clip, John MacArthur explains from the Bible the nature of Spirit baptism, and how it is brought about in the lives of believers. By categorizing Christian conversion and baptism in the Holy Spirit as two separate works of God, charismatics have created for themselves two separate classes of Christians. The Strange Fire conference will bring necessary correction to this false dichotomy by carefully examining what Scripture teaches about the work of the Spirit. For more information about Strange Fire, pl...

John MacArthur on Providing Cover to Charismatics http://www.gty.org/Blog/B130618 Today there is widespread hesitancy among many evangelical leaders to criticize the claims of charismatic theology. While many of these leaders are not charismatics themselves, they are open and sympathetic to the supernatural claims prevalent in the movement. In the following video, John MacArthur speaks to genuine believers who subscribe to that open-but-cautious perspective on the charismatic movement. He also addresses the need for all believers to exercise biblical discernment. Being reluctant to criticize charismatic theology may seem like a safe, middle-ground approach for noncharismatic leaders. But as John pointed out, their silence has given cover to false teachers. One of the goals of the Strange Fire conference is to awaken open-but-cautious believers to that reality, and encourage them to be strong voices of discernment. For more information about Strange Fire, visit the con...

Can Believers Bind Satan? http://www.gty.org/Blog/B130528 There is pervasive confusion among many modern evangelical churches—especially those that are charismatic—regarding Satan's activities and operations. Modern worship anthems that are focused on spiritual warfare tell Christians to go to "the enemy's camp" and take "back what he stole" from them. Prayers are offered up to put hedges around believers. Furthermore, it is widely thought that the louder and more fervent the prayer, the more effective it is for binding Satan. But is this really the true role of Christians in the realm of spiritual warfare? In the following audio, John MacArthur shares from his own experiences with bizarre spiritual warfare and provides valuable biblical insight into how Christians should, and should not, respond to the satanic realm. The Strange Fire conference will provide much-needed clarity and correction to the mass confusion on the evangelical landsc...

Why Confront False Teachers? http://www.gty.org/Blog/B130507 The issue of false teaching and the question of how to address it is a present reality for every believer. Many Christians choose to respond with silence rather than incur the wrath of a world that demands tolerance. But is silence the best reaction to doctrinal error? In the following audio clip, John MacArthur examines Christ's confrontations with false teachers, how His example clashes with our polite society, and what it means to fight for the truth. As we look forward to the Strange Fire conference in October at which John MacArthur and several other outstanding preachers will follow Christ's example by confronting the errors and excesses of the charismatic movement. You can view this or any of our other Strange Fire media at the conference website. http://www.tmstrangefire.org In anticipation of the sold-out Truth Matters' Strange Fire Conference taking place October 16-18, 2013, we will...

Description: John MacArthur's Encouragement to Faithful Pentecostals http://www.gty.org/blog/B130520 The Strange Fire conference will boldly and thoroughly deal with prosperity preachers, faith healers, and many of the other familiar charismatic aberrations and blasphemies of the Holy Spirit. At the same time, John MacArthur knows there are those in charismatic and Pentecostal churches who love Christ, serve His people, and—like John—are disturbed by the sinful excesses they see dominating the charismatic movement. In the following video, John has a heartfelt message for those folks. We look forward to joining with you in our common love for the Lord and His truth, as we both expose those who would abuse and blaspheme the Holy Spirit, and set forth a right understanding of the Spirit. For more information on Strange Fire, visit our conference website. In anticipation of the sold-out Truth Matters' Strange Fire Conference taking place October 16-18, 2013, we w...

Description: John MacArthur on The Dangers of Demoting Scripture http://www.gty.org/Blog/B130514 How dangerous would it be to leave the spiritual operations of Christ's church to the opinions, feelings, and personal preferences of its leaders? Can you imagine the uncertainty and instability of not having an ultimate standard of authority on all matters of faith and practice? Yet that is precisely what we see in every fellowship that demotes the Bible from its rightful place of authority. It's easy to spot the anarchy that follows the outright rejection of God's Word. But reducing Scripture's authority to merely one voice among many creates a hollow, deceptive veneer of biblical fidelity. In the following video, John MacArthur explains the centrality of Scripture in all facets of Christian life. He also discusses the propensity of the charismatic movement to elevate personal experience at the expense of biblical truth. http://www.tmstrangefire.org The ...

We might add to this question, Would you encourage a charismatic to watch the video downloads from the conference? John MacArthur: Would you invite a charismatic to the Strange Fire conference? http://www.gty.org/Blog/B130424 In anticipation of the sold-out Truth Matters' Strange Fire Conference taking place October 16-18, 2013, we will be looking at each of the promo videos.  God bless!

What Does It Mean to Be "Led by the Spirit"? http://www.gty.org/Blog/B130423 In anticipation of the sold-out Truth Matters' Strange Fire Conference taking place October 16-18, 2013, we will be looking at each of the promo videos.  God bless!