Paul's Passing Thoughts

Many are totally confused by MacArthur’s recent behavior, especially his association with embattled CJ Mahaney. Once again in 2012, as in every year since 2005, MacArthur will once again stand under the bright lights of the Resolved Rock Concert Conference and lend full Reformation credibility to one of the premier heretics of our day. His scathing assessment of Charismatic theology in Charismatic Chaos notwithstanding (Mahaney is a “Reformed Charismatic”), MacArthur has been recently found comfortable in his hypocrisy; which includes giving John Piper a pass on excluding repentance from his presentation of the gospel while rebuking others for doing the same.

MacArthur has clearly bought into the many problematic teachings of New Calvinism including the backdoor devaluing of the Father and the Holy Spirit in context of “emphasis.” In the forward to Rick Holland’s book, Uneclipsing The Son, MacArthur puts forth the same idea in said book: an equal emphasis on the other members of the Trinity in regard to salvation hinders sanctification. Emphasis is a hermeneutic; unlike horseshoes and hand grenades, there are no points for being close to Christ—He is everything, and “focusing” on anything else is to reject Christ completely and hinder sanctification.

All perplexing, until you realize that this is what Calvin, Luther, and Augustine believed. “Christ alone” in the Five Solas really means, Christ alone. Apparently, in MacArthur’s mind, these three giants of the faith are too big to fail, regardless of what Scripture teaches. Therefore, he has jumped on the New Calvinist bandwagon with both feet because they are a true representation of Reformation theology (at least in regard to Calvin, Luther, and Augustine).

And to me, this clears up everything. However, the Reformers were mere men, and all men look small when their wisdom is compared to “every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Even the apostle Paul constantly pleaded that he would be held to the standard of Scripture. At this year’s Resolved Conference, much will be made of these “great” men and what they said. Conspicuously missing will be the litany of quotations by these men that are an outrageous contradiction to the plain sense of Scripture.

paul