Well today I wanted to produce a short video which responds to someone that I
consider a friend, John McArthur. John said that any deviation from the gospel
of grace is a damning lie to be cursed, and I would agree with him
wholeheartedly. But I want to have you listen to what he has to say, and then
let's make some clarifications.
When I heard this clip, I thought, "You know, I have to
do a short video and discuss this clip because, I think it leaves a
false impression in the minds of people.
Now I take no pleasure in debating John. He's a friend. I've spent some
great days playing golf with him. I've had some very very meaningful
discussions over dinner. John is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet, and
I've certainly had him of the Bible Answer Man broadcast. I considered it an
honor to have been asked to speak at the dedication of MacArthur chapel at
Masters seminary. But John's misunderstanding, with respect to
soteriology, ought to be addressed for the sake of the gospel. Now let me make
just a few preliminary remarks. I mean to his credit, I should say that John
substantially gets the number of Orthodox Christians right. But those who
are familiar with church history are immediately alerted to the fact that
Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism don't have the
exact same doctrine. Not only that, but there are many significant differences
between Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.
For example, Orthodoxy rejects purgatory. Orthodoxy rejects papal infallibility.
Orthodoxy rejects the Immaculate Conception as it was defined at least by
Pope Pius the 9th. And unlike Protestantism, which shares a common
history and geography with Catholicism, Orthodoxy was not part of the Western
narrative. What I mean is they didn't have a reformation, they didn't
participate in the selling of indulgences, and they don't subscribe to
such dogmas as limbo or the celibacy of the priesthood. And let me
also provide a little context for what MacArthur mistakes as the "rag" infused
with life" that was placed on my head. In reality, no "rag" was ever placed on my head.
Instead, during chrismation, or what is known in the Western churches
"confirmation," a stole - an epitrachelion - part of the ministerial vestment, a symbol to
ministers of the body of Christ that they're supposed to live and act solely
as faithful shepherds of Christ's flock was placed on my head, and you've
got to remember that this is in concert with what the Apostle Paul said.
I think it was Acts chapter 20 where he said, "Keep watch over yourselves, and all the flock
of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers of these shepherds of the
Church of God which he bought with his own blood because I know that after I
leave, savage wolves are gonna come in among you, and they're not going to spare
the flock. Even from among your own number of men are
going to arise. They will distort truth in order to draw away disciples after themselves.
And so be on your guard, and remember that for three years I never stop
warning each one of you night and day with tears, and I think that's what John
is doing. I mean he really, really cares about the gospel, and I'm glad that he does.
So let me make a quick comment on his representation of the Orthodox view
of faith and works in context he is quoting an orthodox writing which says,
"We believe a man to be not justified through faith alone, but through faith
which works through love. That is to say through faith and works
And that, says John, that is a false gospel. It is not to be joined, it's
a gospel that must be cursed. Well what McArthur here is quoting is
something that was said by a 17th century patriarch of Jerusalem who is
simply reiterating what James the bread of our Lord says in Sacred Scripture.
Most of you know this text by heart. Remember James, he says "What use is it my
brothers? What use is it if someone says he has faith, but he has no works?
Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing,
is in need of daily food, and then one of you says to them, "go in peace, be warmed, and be
filled," and yet you don't give them what is necessary for their body,
well, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead. Because faith
without works is by itself.
But of course someone may counter that
saying, "You have faith, and I have works. Well show me your faith without the
works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
And then James famously says you believe there's one God or that God is one?
You do well. The demons, of course,
also believe that, and they shudder.
But are you willing to recognize, you foolish
fellow, that faith without works is useless?
Was not Abraham our Father
justified by works when Abraham offered up Isaac, his son, on the altar?
And so, James goes on to say, "You see that faith was working with his works and as
result of the works, faith was perfected.
And the scripture was fulfilled which
says - and here James is quoting for the Old Testament - it says
that Abraham believed God, and so it was reckoned to him as righteousness.
And then he was called the "friend of God." You see that a man is justified by works, and
not by faith alone.
Again, that's not me, that's James.
In the same way, was not
Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and
sent them out by another way? For just as the body without the Spirit is dead, so
also faith without works is dead.
Now again I want to emphasize that these
are not my words. These are words from the book of James. I think I've quoted
them correctly. Now we've just passed the Reformation quincentenary which is the
marking of 500 years of debate between Protestants and Roman Catholics
respecting their dichotomization of faith and works.
And this is a debate that would not, could not, so much as have been imagined in the
Eastern Orthodox tradition. Indeed, St. Mark the ascetic - he's a guy that is far
beyond me - he is said to have memorized the whole the scripture is one whose
sermons are regarded as preeminent in the literature of the church. He offers
perhaps the clearest statement in early church literature. It's back in the 5th
century that demonstrates that believers are not made righteous by good works,
rather that true faith will manifest itself in good works, and that without
good works, one does not have genuine saving faith. He had a treatise; it was
titled on those who think they are made righteous by works and in the treatise
he achieves remarkable balance between Jesus and Paul and James of balance we
desperately need. Let me read what he has to say in that treatise he says when
Scripture says, "He will reward every man according to his works," do not imagine
that works in themselves merit either hell or the kingdom. On the contrary,
Christ rewards each man according to whether his works are done with faith or
without faith in himself. He is not a dealer bound by contract, but God our
Creator and Redeemer. So let me make one more point in all of that. In light of
that I should note that the patriarch of Jerusalem was in the
broader context.
He was seeking to refute the patriarch of Constantinople, who was
attempting to incorporate Calvinistic determinism into Orthodox theology.
In other words, in the confession McArthur quotes from the patriarch was
concerned with Calvin's belief - his belief that God "arranges all things by
his sovereign counsel. And he does that in such a way that individuals are born
who are doomed from the womb to certain death. That some are preordained to
eternal life, and others to eternal damnation. And accordingly, as each has
been created for one or the other of those ends," says Calvin,
"he's been predestined to life or death." And Calvin, of course, famously also said,
"God does not only foresee the fall of the first man and in him the ruin of his
posterity, but also at his own pleasure arranged it."
Now while it would be imprudent for me to inject myself into intramural Calvinist debates, I content
myself here to merely remind everyone watching that God himself says in Sacred
Scripture, "I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they
turn from their wicked ways and live."
Well I'm gonna leave it at that with a
reminder that we should stand together with Christians around the world, United
in the essentials of the historic Christian faith. In essentials unity, in non
essentials liberty, in all things charity. What CS Lewis talked about when he
talked about mere christianity. And I also want to maybe quote here as well
the precious words of Holy Scripture. these are words that I've memorized as a
brand new believer and they're always in my memory trace. "It is by grace that you
have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves.
It is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's
handiwork created in Christ Jesus to do good works, good works which God prepared
in advance for us to do. At the end of the day, I'm as deeply committed today as
I have ever been to memorize the Scripture. To meditate upon Scripture.
and to mine the sacred Scriptures for all their substantial worth. I will also
continue to pray for God's richest blessings on John MacArthur. He has a
tremendous ministry, and he's got wonderful loved ones, and I again
continue to keep them in my thoughts and prayers. I hope we have many, many more
years to reach out, as he has so wonderfully with his teaching, and with
his passion. And again as I said at the very beginning he is just a great guy.
I really like John, and sometimes his bark is worse than his bite. If you ever
spend any time with him personally, you'll find that he's a true gentleman.
So thanks for listening in to this video. I want to set the record straight as
always. Do remember that this kind of information you can find on the web at
Equip.org, on YouTube, on Facebook, the Bible Answer Man Facebook page and in many
other places I'm sure. Thanks for listening to my short comments on
this very significant issue.