What is the Heart of the Gospel? (2 Cor.5:21)-John MacArthur & Kirk Cameron

[theearstohear]

That is a pretty good explanation of gospel truth from MacArthur. One issue I would take is that he seems to make the work of Christ dependent upon faith, when in fact, faith is dependent upon the work of Christ, since it is the gift of God (Eph 2:8-9) and only the regenerate have it (Gal 5:22, II Thes 3:2, I John 5:1). More problematic for MacArthur is the fact that particular/effectual effectual redemption destroys the well-meant offer upon which his philosophy of ministry rests.

[razieel]

Jesus was the ransom that bound the strong man and paid our way out of the Kingdom of Darkness. God is not wroth with humanity. He loves humanity and wants to save us from the Darkness and its bondage. God is, however, wroth with those who distort His image and make vain imaginations concerning Him, ie. making Him out to be this angry, cruel devil god like Molech or Topheth who needs to be appeased with human sacrifices. Read Jeremiah.

[razieel]

It's all about two Kingdoms: The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Darkness. The boundary between the two kingdoms is the Law. Satan rules in the Kingdom of Darkness and by getting one human to transgress into his kingdom he got the right to claim dominion over all humanity. The only way for us to repay our debt and go back into the Kingdom of God is to keep all the Law, which none of us were able to do and thus all were kept captive in Sheol beyond the grave. Jesus, however, kept all the Law.

[KnochMusic]

The Gospel is simply; sin, death , forgiveness, life.

[jalnor]

I hope John MacArthur took the time during that interview to condemn the false teachings coming from TBN, on whose set he was gracing that day. How could MacArthur sit there in that TBN studio, among the golden furniture and red velvet accents without a reminder that he was sitting in the place of the scornful? I hope he obeyed the Lord and pointed those things out - otherwise he might have given the impression he was one with them and their sins by a endorsement of silence.

[lucasboden]

Evangelical Gospel - We are all sinners. God so loved the world that he came down to earth in human form and and lived a sinless life and became the sacrifrice for our sins. So that anyone who believes and accepts Jesus's sacrifice will be saved from Hell. (except for the gays and sexual perves) Of course the wallstreet republican christians get a free pass to Heaven even if they divorce and stuff. Jesus loves straight righteous people more than the gay sexual perves.

[JoeGolfKing]

It seems odd that MacArthur, who hates the "health and wealth" gospel, is here associating with Kirk Cameron, who appears regularly on TBN and seems to fully and heartily endorse TBN, the network that has all the prosperity preachers and faith healers who have "new revelations" about God.

[DIVINESOTERIOLOGY]

Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship

[chapdaddy]

So just to be clear, god killed god to appease the justice of god and now god no longer sees me but sees god?

[iamtamarichka]

Amazing Grace, indeed! 

[psburningman]

Christianity has been and will continue its decline ultimately being relegated to the archives of mythology. Hopefully I will have the privilege of witnessing it.

Yahweh, meet Zeus, Apollo, Athena....

[IAMTHATIAMONEable]

GOD became sin the curse on the cross HE took on our sins in HIS BODY; this is WORD!

[psburningman]

The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully. -Richard Dawkins

[dreamerd2004]

@psburningman HAHAHAHA! Your understanding of the God of the bible is fundementally flawed. There is nothing wrong with being Jealous, to be jealous is to desire what belongs to you. Like if you saw your girlfriend with another man. God was never envious; which is, to desire something that doesn't belong to him. God created people to have a relationship with him and to give him the worship he is due. God is perfectly Just, nobody that died in the Old testament deserved to live, in fact

[psburningman]

@dreamerd2004 said, "God is perfectly Just, nobody that died in the Old testament deserved to live" ..... Killin' in the name of the lord. Kill, death, damnation, hell, guilt, death, burn, rightous killing, etc, etc, etc... I rest my case!

[dreamerd2004]

@psburningman The wages of sin is death. That is an eternal decree: the only reason why anyone is alive is because of God's grace.

[psburningman]

@dreamerd2004

So the ultimate power in the universe, one who is "mature" and wise is prone to petty teenage human emotions ?

[psburningman]

"I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours."

[RUSavedByGraceAlone]

@psburningman-God says in His Bible that we are all theists made in God's image, but the only way one embraces the truth of God is by God's regenerating work into a person's heart through His Gospel (where the spiritual blind receives spiritual sight and the spiritual dead is made spiritually alive in Christ) whereas the unregenerate person naturally suppresses God's truth in unrighteousness and is by nature an idol factory creating other gods in their own image that they are comfortable with.

[RUSavedByGraceAlone]

@psburningman-Life on this earth is very short and no one knows when they will breathe their last breath. I beg you to investigate the claims of Christianity, especially of Reformed faith, which I am convinced is most faithful interpretation of God's Word. I challenge you read the entire book of the Gospel of John which reveals who Jesus truly is. But before you read, ask Jesus out loud "If you are truly God in the flesh and Savior of the world, open my heart and mind to understand it clearly."

[dreamerd2004]

@psburningman The reason why I acknowledge the Christian God as the only true because he is capable of actually impacting reality. The Christian God isn't some inept distant diety who cannot proove his existence, he is both willing and able to reveal himself to anyone at any time. You may ask Why he hasn't revealed himself to me, the answer is simple its because you cannot see your need of him. You think your need lies elsewhere; possibly in economic well being, accruing knowledge or

[psburningman]

@dreamerd2004: Lemme see if I got this straight.... I'm guilty before I'm born, I have to spend the rest of this life in gratitude to some celestial dictator, and if for some bizarre reason dont embrace the program then, again, its my fault for not believing?!!?!??.... The "program" wants you to be off balance and full of fear, doubt, and uncertainty.... but in the meantime just contribute to the weekly plate and vote the way we tell you to.

[dreamerd2004]

@psburningman Sin is an hereditary disease. Some people are born with sickle cell anaemia, some people are born with cystic fibrosis, some people are born with huntingtons disease and some people are born with muscular dystrophy. WE ARE ALL BORN WITH THE LIFE THREATENING SIN DISEASE. WE ALL HAVE IT, IF YOU HAVE'NT THEN YOU ONE UNIQUE HUMAN BEING. Just like any disease if not properly treated the affected person will end up in a very bad way.

[psburningman]

@dreamerd2004 And some people are born with a delusional condition that compels them to believe in mythological stories.

[dreamerd2004]

@psburningman Yes I know. Some people think that this universe was created without any intelligence involved whatsoever, can you actually believe that? That's a myth if I ever heard one.

[dreamerd2004]

@psburningman indulging in some form of pleasure. The God of the bible is as real as the computer screen your looking at in fact his verity exceeds that of the transient. Essentially if you want to know the God of the bible then get on your knees and genuinely ask and he will reveal himself to you and he will show you much grace, and love clemency, if not just live your own way and suffer the consequences in the end.

[rpavich]

@psburningman

that's a lame argument....the "one less god" argument. It doesn't address any of the issues at all...at best it's a cool sounding "sound byte"....

[psburningman]

Atheist to Christian, "You deserve to be free and happy."

Christian to Atheist, "You deserve to burn in hell forever."

[RUSavedByGraceAlone]

@psburningman Unfortunately, the entire fallen human race, including me, deserves to spend eternity in the torment of hell for just punishment for breaking God's law. But God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, from heaven to earth for the ultimate purpose of taking upon Himself the full wrath and punishment for all of the (past, present, and future) sins of those who put the hope and trust, not on their own works, but only in Christ's finished work on the cross for their salvation. Amazing love!

[TheTula995]

@RUSavedByGraceAlone

Amen

[TheTula995]

@RUSavedByGraceAlone

So true...

[psburningman]

@RUSavedByGraceAlone In other words......Sit down, shut up, and drink the kool-aid.

[dreamerd2004]

@psburningman Misconception # 1 - The bible teaches that men are only deserving of the wages of their sin, which is death, but its by the grace of God that they are legally deemed righteous or vindicated.

Misconception # 2 : No true Christian can or will ever become an atheist. Its like being hit by a truck, surviving and then saying I don't believe trucks exist.

[PureGraceEvangelism]

To all those who are brand new Christians & those who have been justified by faith please DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS GARBAGE! This is a religous spirit & has led many to doubt their salvation, exchange their faith which satan is greatly after for a lie, to "prove" your saved via Washer, Piper, Macarthur & the like. Keep your Armor on please!!! I have videos that challenge these heretical teachings of TULIP Calvinism, Armenianism & the like The wrath Washer is exhibiting is not of God but of the flesh

[RUSavedByGraceAlone]

@PureGraceEvangelism Could you please explain why Washer, Piper, and MacArthur does not preach pure grace? Because their whole ministry is focused on putting amazing back into grace and assured believers that they are secured by God's grace through the gift of faith so that no one can boast of their works righteousness (Eph.2:8-9; Titus3:4-7). Salvation is credited to God alone and secured by the hands of God alone (John10:28-29). Please advise what is your understanding of pure grace.

[RUSavedByGraceAlone]

@PureGraceEvangelism In order to embrace the good news of the Gospel of grace, you first need to understand the bad news of the sinfulness of our sin and the wrath of God. You cannot have the cure without knowing the problem. You will not know that you need a Savior without first knowing that there is the problem of sin that separates you from God. Washer preaches first the Law and then Gospel. If you listen to the rest of the message you will hear the sweetness of the pure Gospel of grace.

[Talithapraiz]

Being a skeptic and mocker is easy. It is easy to spend time disproving what one cannot understand or experience with ones senses. It is far harder and more challenging to study research and think critically about what one believes and what other beliefs are available.

[DreamsofMajesty]

scribd (dot) com/nb812

[Chibithy]

I am Jesus, who is God, therefore I want everyone to drink the Kool-Aid. My word is sovereign, you must obey, lest I throw thou into fire and eternal damnation. Don't forget to sign your unwilling children up for VBS ;) or i'll have Satan turn their skins inside out over a roaring fire.

[RUSavedByGraceAlone]

@Chibithy What would Jesus have to do to prove that He is God and our Creator? (John1:1-3,10-13; 20:27-29; Col.1:1-16-17; 2:9-10; Rev.4:11). Stopped the storm by His command? (Matt.8:23-27); Gave sight to the blind? (Luke 7:21); Raised the dead to life? (John11:37-44); Was raised from the dead? (1Cor.15:1-8) If the Bible claims to be God’s inspired Word and that Jesus created the universe out of nothing by the power of His command (Gen.1:1-31), then Jesus’s miracles prove that He is in fact God.

[Chibithy]

@RUSavedByGraceAlone Circular logic: The bible is the word of god, because the bible tells me so, the bible is infallible. Now if you're not gullible or naive members of a church/cult would find a way to break your rationality (i.e. Peer pressure, harassment based on false guilt & emotion, the old'Jesus is your only option con, etc.). It's all a very interesting game, but dangerous when malevolent people learn your cons and exploit the "light of truth" to ruin the lives of hundreds of people.

[RUSavedByGraceAlone]

@Chibithy I was an unbeliever for 23 years with doubts about Christianity like you until I heard the Gospel of God’s amazing grace where God removed the scales from my eyes and changed the disposition of my heart from hatred to love for God. I have a challenge for you: Please read from the Bible the Gospel of John in its entirety with an open mind and ask God prior to reading it:“If you are truly God, then clearly reveal Yourself to me in your Bible.” You have nothing to lose, but a lot to gain.

[Chibithy]

@RUSavedByGraceAlone You must be truly enlightened. Reading the gospels in various views through out my life and I never thought of opening my mind and letting the Benevolent all Almight to interpret his bible. Gee golly I guess my first genuine and blind belief in God's power just wasn't to make him real. I REALLY had to let go.

[UnrealHelix]

@RUSavedByGraceAlone Awesome

[HenrikAlexM]

@Chibithy Circular logic is unavoidable when we're dealing with where we place our ultimate authority. RU places their ultimate authority in the Bible, so everything it says is true, so even when the Bible says that it is true, that is good enough evidence because the basis was that the Bible is the ultimate authority.

Where do you place the ultimate authority? Logic? Yourself? it's all circular logic.

"It is only “logical” that “logic” should be the ultimate authority."

[psburningman]

@RUSavedByGraceAlone The Gospels were written 4 decades after the legend of christ. Not one was a first hand account. In a court of law this is called HEARSAY and is dismissed.

Christianity was created by men to control other men.

[RUSavedByGraceAlone]

@Chibithy Jesus came down from heaven to resolve our greatest problem: the guilt of our sins that we have committed in word, thought, and deed. His sovereign plan was to be our Substitute to earn and merit for us the perfect (sinless) obedience or righteousness that is demanded by God’s Law, to die on the cross to pay-in-full the debt of all of our sins (past, present, and future) that we could not pay, and to be raised from the dead to conquer sin and death for our justification before God.

[Chibithy]

Respond to this video... Like I haven't heard that wonderful fairy tale before. You must have this prepare for everyone who comments on your videos.

[RUSavedByGraceAlone]

@Chibithy I only want the best for you, which is eternal salvation. Imagine you are trapped in a burning building and someone rescues you from pending death, but loses his life in the process. How would you feel toward this person? Grateful? Yes, this is how we feel toward Jesus who saved and rescued us 2000 years ago from the wrath and eternal punishment to come by His perfect life, atoning death, and victorious resurrection. Life is short in comparison to eternity that awaits all of us.

[Chibithy]

@RUSavedByGraceAlone Your right, absolutely I never thought of it like that before. You're a genius.

[Chibithy]

@RUSavedByGraceAlone I can say I entertained the ideas of the bible but it all turned out the same as with all other religions, cults, and occult practices. Religions are like different blends of tea, it's just a matter of which you prefer, there is no "true tea" that everyone must accept. It is all just bias fun.

[RUSavedByGraceAlone]

@Chibithy The difference between world religions and Christianity is that world religions are based on doing good works to gain entrance into heaven whereas Christianity is based on trusting (faith) alone in the finished work and perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ alone by God’s amazing grace alone for our eternal salvation, which is a free gift from God, not earned or merited by works. Also, Jesus is the only One whose grave is empty, because He rose from the dead, conquering sin and death.

[Chibithy]

@RUSavedByGraceAlone How could have I never seen it before, that's truly amazing.

[HenrikAlexM]

@Chibithy hmm I see what you're saying, but Christianity is different. It's the only "religion" where God is reaching out to man (faith based salvation). all of the other religions had man reaching out to God (works based salvation).

[motykdot]

Great stuff but is this on tbn?

[polopowers1]

Christ died for the curse of broken law, as a Man.He treated Him as if He committed every sin of every man ever done?.God treated Christ as the punishment of broken law but not as a Man who became sin in the flesh .This is really bad doctrine.First John quotes Christ as undefiled and then describes Christ becoming sinful flesh, this never happened.You will not allow your Holy One to see corruption. If Christ became sin He became corruptible flesh.He was raised incorruptible.

[polopowers1]

Sad

[polopowers1]

Anyone who says God died on the cross is in great error.Christ died only as a man,His Spirit was always one with God ,Christ being God

[standfirminthetruth]

I mean no disrespect but it seems you are way over thinking this. Jesus is fully God and fully man. He became human so He could make atonement for our sins. As He hung on the cross He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit - John 19:30. He died (His body died but as we know His spirit did not.) but on the third day He arose, bodily, Jusus will always be fully God and fully man. It seems you've taken what John MacArthur meant out of context.

[standfirminthetruth]

Jesus will always be fully God and fully man (hypostatic union). The gospel message is so simple and pure that even a child can understand, please don't make it harder then what it is. I've enjoyed this back and forth and now I must move on.

[polopowers1]

Jesus died as the curse of sin but He was not treated as if He were sin everyman who ever sinned committed,that is heresy.Jesus bore the sin curse but not for everyone only the elect.Therefore God did not treat Him as if He were the sin of every man.

[standfirminthetruth]

No one that I know has ever explained 2 Cor. 5:21 as clear as John MacArthur!Jesus was treated as sin because He took OUR sin upon Him and bore OUR guilt. Though, He was guiltless, He was treated as sin because of OUR sin that was upon Him and therefore He bore the wrath of God in OUR place. John also makes it clear that Jesus died for all who already believe and all who would come to believe MEANING the elect.

[polopowers1]

God did not die on the cross.Though Jesus is God .God cannot be seperated and still be God One,Father ,Son, Holy Spirit.Jesus died as a man not as God .

[standfirminthetruth]

I don't think you are hearing John MacArthur correctly. Yes, the trinity is: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Jesus, who IS the Son of God and He IS GOD for He is equal with God, Phil. 2:6, it is He who died on the cross for our sins. John M. only said what was scripturally true when he explained 2 Cor. 5:21.

[polopowers1]

@standfirminthetruth Are you saying God died on the cross yes or no?

[standfirminthetruth]

@polopowers1 - Jesus, the second person of the God-head (trinity) died on the cross. It was not God the Father but God the Son who died on that cross. They are one, as Jesus said in the Bible, "I and the Father are one." - John 10:30, also you can look up John 17:22, and John 1:1. Hope this answers your question.

[polopowers1]

@standfirminthetruth . God cannot die in the Son and still be God.There is no God with the Son dying as God.God cannot be separate in Virtue and perpetual in Nature absent of One of the God Head. Christ was always One with God in Spirit and is eternal God. His body and blood were offered as the sin offering.If the Son died as God God is not perpetual any longer because there is no God without the Son.God never died on the Cross only the Son in body.This is a great error for many who say God died

[splang]

Imputation is the heart of the Gospel. We are born (imputed, credited, reckoned) with Adams sin. Our sin is imputed, credited, reckoned) to Christ. In His resurrection His righteousness is (imputed, credited, reckoned) to our account. Thank You Jesus...

[gbwisconsin]

I've always liked Kirk Cameron since "Growing Pains"; John MacArthur is one of my great heroes of the Christian faith. I wonder if this interview was at Trinity Broadcasting. The False-Prosperity-Gospel Kool-Aid drinkers at TBN don't deserve to even step onthe same ground as John MacArthur.

[WITJessica09]

Right on, Pastor!!

[roberts11000]

Mr Macarther has violated The Reformation, John Calvin himself called the Premillennialism of John MAcarther to be the height of foolishness. When add to that Macarthers dispensationalism, which Calvin didn't respond to cause it wasn't invented till the 1800s including Pre-trip ratpure, hes in no place to claim the Reformation.

[standfirminthetruth]

What are you takling about? I am sorry but you make no sense.

[polopowers1]

@standfirminthetruth Sad response but understandable

[RMCDisciple]

Where did I question their salvation? In what post? I simply said they are not Christians You can get up in the morning and call yourself the Easter Bunny but that doesn't make it so..

[lucasboden]

Johnny Mac doesn't even believe what he just preached especially when he questions the salvation of people like Obama, Billy Graham, Joel Osteen....J Mac acts like he is Jesus Christ.

[RMCDisciple]

@lucasboden Obama,and Osteen are both universalists who deny that Christ is the only way to God. Judge them by their fruit.

[lucasboden]

I do not disagree with you that Obama and Osteen's belief is not necessarily biblical, but I do not question their faith in Christ nor their salvation. That is only left to God.

If you judge them by their fruits, I see more love in their followers than with Macarthur's followers.

[RMCDisciple]

@lucasboden Can a person with an unbilical belief in Christ's finished work on the cross actually have saving faith in Jesus Christ?

The Lord warns us against the egoistically selfish character of non-Christian, pagan love. In such egoistic love, the main element is the personal "I," and our self gratification which we receive from this feeling.

"How to be a better YOU" ? "Your best life now"? What kind of love is this and who gets the glory?

[lucasboden]

It is not the correct belief or correct religion or correct theology that saves.

It is the living Christ who saves.

People can disagree and debate with someone on theology, but no one including Johnny Mac or I or you has the authority to say someone is condemned if they believe such and such no matter how much they think they know the Bible.

[RMCDisciple]

@lucasboden Back up the truck Chuck. The Bible says that satan will come as an angel of light and his agents as ministers of righteousness. I'll go out on a limb here and say that satan claiming to be a "Christian" is damned.

Doctrine matters friend.

[lucasboden]

obama, joel osteen, billy graham are not satan. they are imperfect beings just like you and me who have accepted Jesus as their Savior.

Who are you to say that these people are satan's agents?

[RMCDisciple]

@lucasboden Simply name the name of Christ and you are automatically a Christian? Any heretical teaching that spews out thereafter is covered by the blood of Christ? I disagree and while love does cover a multitude of sins it apparently doesn't cover them all.

[lucasboden]

Teaching and theology doesn't require forgiveness and salvation. People do.

You have the authority like anyone else to condemn bad teachings and theology, but you nor I have absolutely zero authority to claim someone is or isn't saved.

[tabitha2644]

@RMCDisciple

AMEN! brother doctrine matters, we must enter by the narrow road which leads to life. We know them by their fruits. If they deny CHRIST is the only way or preach another JESUS they are false and not part of the kindgom of GOD however we must pray for their repentance.

[RMCDisciple]

@tabitha2644 Thank you Sister. The Apostle Paula,d John named names and I don't believe we should fear do so either. We should defend the Gospel.

Have you listened to John MacArthur's sermon on the narrow gate and the broad way? Very good teaching.

I do certainly pray for their repentence and I must repent myself from coming across too harshly in my posts.



Peace

[gettalifenow]

Remember in Jesus' time there were many false teachers and Jesus warned of them and confronted pharisees and saducees...

Just because most preachers say this or that about bible verses does not make it true.

LOOK AT 2 COR 11:14-15

[gettalifenow]

The most corrupted/misdefined words in Christianity = gospel, grace, salvation.

The GOSPEL is the good news of God's grace, or favor, by which man may be released from the condemnation of sin, and enabled to render acceptable obedience to the moral law.

[gettalifenow]

Look at Rom 5:10 and then Rom 1:16 before you look at Eph 2:8-10

John Mac is a false teacher and if you don't think so, u r deceived like JESUS said would happen in MATT 24:24

[gettalifenow]

The latter part needs to be explained..."that we might be made the righteousness of God...IN him"

This is the essence o fthe gospel is restoration.

Jesus' death can be a substitute for all on Earth yet, without trust, repentence, response and yielding to God's grace and will.......IT IS WORTHLESS..like it will be for MILLIONS of Earthlings.

[gettalifenow]

That verse does not explain the gospel..it explains reconciliation..notice the preceeding verse. Verse 21 explains 1/2 of the gospel. John MacArthur preaches a legalistic gospel and is really a MAtt 5:19 cursed preacher. Many people wow him because they don't know what the gospel is.

[QuakeCityRockers]

Great Job I love that verse but more accurately it is the great doctrine of Substitution & IMPUTATION!!! Romans 4:5

[IWANTTOBELIEVE15]

A MASTERPIECE!!!!

[MereMessenger]

Simply beautiful

[youratm]

Yes this is the Gospel, But Please take down the icons

[kathleenbreeze]

bberchin, AMEN!!  PURE, SIMPLE, MIGHTY & POWERFUL~WOW

[Newagegamer3018]

Praise God he is more then GOOD!

[slappy1234567]

When we've been there ten thousand years!

[bberchin]

Yes! Yes! Yes! The gospel pure, simple, mighty and powerful in 1:25. Awesome. Thank you for this post!

[warven04]

Outstanding, just speaking the truth without apology or appeal to entertainment. Boring for the pagan, sweet words of life for the redeemed!

[truthseekno9]

The gospel explained in one verse! Kudos!

[WaitingforChrist]

Amen! Amen! Amen!

[YoungCalvinist08]

Truth! Truth! Thanks for posting!