The book, The Gospel According to Jesus, is the dissertation and defense by Dr. John MacArthur concerning the doctrine termed by some as “lordship salvation.” The book offers a compelling argument regarding the totality of Jesus’ claim to “follow Me.” In as much as some have argued that lordship salvation attempts to add to the free gift of grace by God, Dr. MacArthur sets forth the argument that the Gospel, although entirely a free gift, carries with it a demand that those who accept Christ as Savior cannot do so without accepting Him as Lord. It is in this argument that Dr. MacArthur claims that the submission to the lordship of Christ by the believer does not contain any merit or add works to the free gift of the Gospel, but is rather a integral part of the Gospel itself.
The book begins by setting forth the contemporary scene within evangelicalism concerning the doctrine of salvation. Dr. MacArthur states that an easy-believism has infiltrated the modern church whereby people are called to accept Christ as Savior without having to accept Him as Lord. He begins by articulating that Christ’s gospel “was a call to discipleship, a call to follow him in submissive obedience, not just a plea to make a decision or pray a prayer.” The Gospel then is more than just believing a set of facts or subscribing intellectually to who Christ is or what He has done. It is a call to enter through a narrow gate, to take up one’s cross and follow Him, to repent in a manner that leads to righteousness, and to forsake all and follow Him.
It is interesting that Dr. MacArthur in this book debunks the arguments by many leading dispensationalists, being a dispensationalist himself. He carefully (and I believe humbly) shows the error of the dispensational system being carried too far by such authors as Lewis Sperry Chafer and Charles Ryrie. He states that dispensationalism as a system is carried too far by such men who attempt to compartmentalize “truth to the point that they make unbiblical differentiations.” MacArthur goes on to state that errors have been made in drawing lines of distinction between salvation and discipleship, among other doctrines.
The picture that MacArthur paints of modern evangelicalism is a Church that is more willing to accept a profession of faith than challenge the genuineness of such faith as Jesus did. He shows how the rich young ruler had all the intellectual elements of faith but could not in the end deny everything and follow Christ. He moves on to show how Nicodemus struggled with the confrontation of his own spiritual bankruptcy because he lived within a system that did not account such personal inadequacy but rather looked to individual performance for acceptance in the eyes of God. He also defends Christ’s call to the woman at the well to worship God in spirit and in truth. This demand was not one of simply accepting the facts about Jesus, but accepting Jesus for who He truly is, the Lord of all, and worshipping Him as such.
The understanding of the severity of sin is critical to one’s coming to Christ. Jesus stated that He came to seek and save the lost. He came as a healer to the sick. MacArthur argues that people do not know they need healing until they recognize their sickness. Again and again in the Gospels we see Christ renounce the Pharisees and other Jewish religious leaders of his day for their attempt at righteousness. This was a shock to the culture as most people accepted the claims of righteousness by these men. They were intimidated by their claims. But Jesus showed how the righteousness of these men failed when he told of the Pharisee and the publican who came to pray. It was the publican who left justified, according to Jesus, because he recognized his own falseness, where the Pharisee who claimed a righteousness of his own left unjustified. MacArthur concludes “those who think they are good enough – those who do not understand the seriousness of sin – cannot respond to the gospel. They cannot be saved, for the gospel is a call to sinners to repent and be forgiven.”
The bottom line is that the work of salvation is completely the work of God. It begins and ends with him and the believer is only the beneficiary of His grace. The result of this divine work is an opening of the eyes whereby the individual now can understand truth. The result of this understanding is a life that moves toward righteousness. MacArthur denies that one must first clean up his life before trusting Christ. Rather, the fruit of trusting Christ is a life that is characterized by progressive spiritual growth. Jesus clearly challenged those who would want to simply agree with the facts of who He was. He demanded a denial of everything, not just a decision. True saving faith then does not back away from the conviction of sin and demand of holiness. Jesus “will not barter away his right to be Lord.” In other words, justification involves not only the belief in Jesus as Savior, but also the confession of Him as Lord. (Rom. 10:9) Those who fail to recognize and renounce their sinful state, Christ will turn away as He did the rich young ruler.
The idea of turning and following Christ does not mean that one will be perfect. Rather, as MacArthur defends, “the mark of a true disciple is not that he never sins, but rather that when he does sin he inevitably returns to the Lord to receive cleansing and forgiveness.” Those who profess Christ with their mouth but fail to display the fruit of righteousness in their life should question the genuineness of their faith. However, many today work to affirm the faith of those who have “made a decision” or “walked an aisle” leading them to recall an experience rather than looking for the evidence of the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. The Gospel of Christ is a call to discipleship and should therefore display the fruit of discipleship. Those who claim to be Christians should look for such fruit in their lives, in the same spirit of spiritual bankruptcy that Christ demanded in His gospel claims.
In Chapter 10, MacArthur exegetes the parable of the various soils in Matthew 13:3-9. He argues the only seeds that represent true believers in this parable are the ones that produce fruit. The seeds do not represent believers, as some argue. According to Jesus in a parallel account of this parable, the seed is the Word of God. (Luke 8:11) Therefore the sower is one who spreads the Word. His method is not faulty and the seed is not faulty. It is the soil that represents the individual and only one soil produces germination that leads to fruit. The soil that produces germination that does not lead to fruit represents the individual who responds positively to the gospel claims but fails to possess true saving faith. The evidence of true saving faith is always fruit! (John 15:8; Rom. 7:4; Eph. 2:10)
Repentance is at the heart of the Gospel. However, in modern day evangelicalism many leaders have devalued the true biblical meaning of this word. Because the literal meaning of the Greek word for repentance, metanoia, means a “change of mind”, many have limited its meaning to just involve the intellect. But as MacArthur points out, “it always speaks of a change of purpose and a turning from sin.” It involves three elements, “a turning to God; a turning from evil; and the intent to serve God.” True repentance cannot be just an intellectual exercise. It not only involves the whole person, it results in evidence in the whole person. It is also not just a one-time event, but characterizes a life-long commitment by true believers who when they sin readily confess and seek cleansing. (1 John 1:9) MacArthur illustrates the emphasis on true repentance in his mentioning of the parable of the two sons found in Matthew 21:28-31. The second son disobeyed in word and then repented and obeyed in deed, while the first son agreed to obey in word but disobeyed in deed. It is the repentant son who represents the true believer.
There are many who profess Christ with their mouths but by their actions they deny Him. (Titus 1:15-16) These are they who Christ spoke of who He will deny in the final judgment even though they have done many things in His name. The ones who obey are those who profess true faith because they have entered through the narrow gate. In this entering, they have denied all they have or have done and they have recognized their own inadequacy. They have embraced the offense of the cross and they follow Christ. On the contrary, many leaders in Christianity today have removed this offense and presented a gospel that “promises a wonderful, comfortable plan for everyone’s life.” Who can read the accounts in the New Testament either in the Gospels or the epistles and claim that the Christian life is to be one of ease? That would require a lobotomy!
In conclusion, I have found that I agree with Dr. MacArthur’s arguments. I have found them to be clear, logical, and most importantly, biblically based. I must admit that I have been taught over the years that MacArthur’s doctrine of lordship salvation was faulty. Based on my own ignorance I have even accepted what others have told me. However, after actually reading this book I find that my discomfort with Christ’s claims found in the Gospels were justified. Although His Gospel is free and by grace alone, it’s demands are weighty. This is not a contradiction with his claim that His load is easy and His burden is light. Rather, it shows how apart from Him the requirements are quite heavy and hard. But through His redemptive work and divine salvation in the life of the believer, these requirements become quite possible and lead to an abundant life. I now recognize my past errors in my evangelistic efforts. I recognize my errors in my teaching as I have before attempted to lighten the requirements to “forsake all” and “take up a cross”. I recognize my errors in my own understanding of several parables. And so I realize how I must now more clearly and more accurately articulate the union in justification of belief in one’s heart and confession with one’s mouth that Jesus is Lord. His Lordship cannot be removed because He is Lord. To believe Him as Savior cannot be separated from belief in Him as Lord. The bar is set very high. In fact, the bar is perfection. MacArthur’s argument can be summed up well in this one statement: “perfection is the standard; direction is the test.” True believers will display fruit that glorifies God. Anyone who does not should thoroughly examine himself and evaluate his direction. Sola de Gloria!