In October 2019, Grace to You Ministries organized a conference celebrating John MacArthur’s 50 years of ministry. During the conference, Todd Friel interviewed JMac and went over the numerous controversies JMac faced during his career. One of these controversies arose because of his book The Gospel According to Jesus: What is Authentic Faith. I had never heard of it before, and I was curious to know why it created such a huge controversy. So I got a copy, and here we are.
About the author
“John MacArthur is the pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and the president of the Master’s College and Seminary. He has written more than 150 books, including the notes in the MacArthur Study Bible. And he is heard daily around the world on the radio program Grace to You.”
About the book
Simply put, The Gospel According to Jesus, is an unadulterated presentation of the gospel based on the Holy Scriptures. Many Christians do not know the gospel and what it means to be saved due to the watered-down message prevalent in churches today. They falsely believe they can confess Jesus as their Savior yet deny Him as Lord.
So in his book, John MacArthur uses the very words and teachings of Jesus to dispel the lies of easy-believism and to make a case for lordship salvation.
JMac said the purpose behind this book is to “deal with the biblical accounts of Jesus’ major evangelistic encounters and His teachings on the way of salvation.”
He accomplishes in six main parts.
In part one titled “Today’s Gospel: Good News or Bad,” JMac lays out the foundation of the book and the issues he will address. In part two titled, “Jesus Heralds His Gospel,” he explores various encounters of Jesus with sinners and what He said regarding their salvation.
In part three, titled “Jesus illustrates His Gospel,” JMac explained Jesus’ parables about salvation and the implications of His words. Next, in part four titled, “Jesus explains His Gospel,” JMac defines all the aspects of the gospel like justification, the nature of faith, lordship of Christ, and more.
Part five titled, “Jesus fulfills His Gospel,” has only one chapter, and it shows how Jesus fulfilled His Gospel. The last section consists of three appendices. In the first two, John MacArthur proved that the most influential figures in Church history, such as the apostles, the church fathers, the reformers, and the puritans, all believed and affirmed lordship salvation. The last appendix features answers to common questions.
My thoughts
John MacArthur did a fantastic job of presenting the biblical account of the gospel. He masterfully ripped apart the errors of easy-believism using the Word of God and proposed his arguments for lordship salvation based on a careful exegesis of the Scriptures.
I think the book’s faithfulness to Scriptures was its most notable strength. Reading it almost felt like a Bible study or commentary on the Gospel of Matthew. I also liked how John MacArthur divided the book and featured different ways Jesus proclaimed His gospel. Even though The Gospel According to Jesus covered a complex topic, it was easy to read and understand.
The only weakness I could identify with this book is that it felt a bit repetitive at times.
Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It challenged me in many ways and gave me a better understanding of the gospel and the lordship of Christ.
I have always confessed Jesus as my Lord, but I never fully understood the magnitude of what I was acknowledging. The lordship of Chris is an utter and complete surrender to Jesus in all aspects of your life. I got convicted when John MacArthur explained that we do not make Jesus our Lord; He is already Lord. Instead, we acknowledge that He is rightfully Lord and submit to His authority.
I used to say that I made Jesus the Lord of my life, now I feel incredibly arrogant and silly to think it was ever up to me to give that role.
The book also had me examine my faith because I got converted after “accepting Jesus into my life,” and I did not know fully grasped the gospel when I was saved. But John MacArthur pointed out that one does not need to understand the complexity of the Gospel before receiving salvation.
However, there should evidence of repentance and good works to assure us because faith without works is dead. (Do note JMac is not advocating for works-based salvation).
My recommendation
I highly recommend all Christians read this book.
There is an epidemy of false converts in the church. I know because I was one. And a false profession of faith is a root cause of the issue. Too many evangelicals believe they can live in unrepentant sin and still have salvation because they once made a decision for Christ or recited the sinner’s prayer.
But there is no profession of faith in Christ apart from repentance and acknowledgment of his lordship.
So if you want to know the gospel according to Jesus and what authentic faith looks like, read this book! It will bless you. But I must warn you, unlike the popular fluffy feel-good gospel in many churches today, this book will not tickle your ears. It will either convict you or offend you.
I am deeply thankful for John MacArthur’s ministry and his unwavering stance on the truth regardless of who it offends.
Favorite Quotes
Jesus is Lord. That is the single, central, foundational, and distinguishing article of Christianity. It is also the first essential confession of faith every true Christian must make.
Chapter 1: What does Jesus Mean When He Says, “Follow Me?”
Yielding completely to Christ’s lordship is that vital an element of true saving faith, and therefore the proclamation of His lordship is an absolutely necessary component of the true gospel.
Chapter 1: What does Jesus Mean When He Says, “Follow Me?”
Works are not necessary to earn salvation. But true salvation wrought by God will not fail to produce the good works that are its fruit.
Chapter 2: A Look at the Issues
True worship occurs not on a mountain or in a temple, but in the inner person.
Chapter 4: He demands True Worship
Any message that fails to define and confront the severity of personal sin is a deficient gospel.
Chapter 5: He receives Sinners but Refuses the Righteous
It is absurd to suggest that a person can encounter the Holy God of Scripture and be saved without also coming to grips with the heinousness of sin and consequently longing to turn from it.
Chapter 5: He receives Sinners but Refuses the Righteous
The truth of the gospel according to Jesus is that the only ones who are eligible for salvation are those who realize they are sinners and are willing to repent.
Chapter 5: He receives Sinners but Refuses the Righteous
Unbelievers are told that if they invite Jesus into their hearts, accept Him as personal Savior, or believe the facts of the gospel, that is all there is to it. The aftermath is appalling failure, as seen in the lives of millions who have professed faith in Christ with no consequent impact on their behavior.
Chapter 7: He Challenges an Eager Seeker
A true Christian might temporarily fear to stand up for the Lord but would never willingly sell Him out. Inevitably, true disciples will falter, but when they fall into sin, they will seek cleansing. They won’t wallow in the mire (2 Peter 2:22). Their faith is neither fragile nor temporary; it is a dynamic and ever-growing commitment to the Savior.
Chapter 9: He Condemns a Hardened Heart
If a profession of faith in Christ does not grow out of a deep sense of lostness; if it is not accompanied by an inner conviction of sin; if it does not include a tremendous desire for the Lord to cleanse and purify and lead; if it does not involve a willingness to deny self, to sacrifice, and to suffer for Christ’s sake, then it is without a proper root. It is only a matter of time before the flourishing growth withers and dies.
Chapter 11: The Soils
All who believe the Word of God will agree that Jesus is Lord. He is ever and always Lord, whether or not anyone acknowledges His lordship or surrenders to His authority.
Chapter 23: The Lordship of Christ
When we come to Jesus for salvaton, we come to the One who is Lord over all. Any message that omits this truth cannot be called the gospel. It is a defective message that presents a savior who is not Lord, a redeemer who does not demonstrate authority over sin, a weakened, sickly messiah who cannot command those He rescues.
Chapter 23: The Lordship of Christ
