He is one of the greatest Baptists ever, and well known for being a soul winner and for his "Calvinism is the Gospel"A Sermon
(No. 1850)
Intended for reading on Lord's-Day, July 26th, 1885,
Delivered by
C. H. SPURGEON,
At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington,
On the evening of June 7th, 1885
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."- Jhn 3:16
[snip]
To-night, we have to talk about the love of God: "God so loved the world." That love of God is a very wonderful thing, especially when we see it set upon a lost, ruined, guilty world. What was there in the world that God should love it? There was nothing lovable in it. No fragrant flower grew in that arid desert. Enmity to him, hatred to his truth, disregard of his law, rebellion against his commandments; those were the thorns and briars which covered the waste land; but no desirable thing blossomed there. Yet, "God loved the world," says the text; "so" loved it, that even the writer of the book of John could not tell us how much; but so greatly, so divinely, did he love it that he gave his Son, his only Son, to redeem the world from perishing, and to gather out of it a people to his praise.
[snip]
I. The first is the GIFT: "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son." I Men who love much will give much, and you may usually measure the truth of love by its self-denials and sacrifices. That love which spares nothing, but spends itself to help and bless its object, is love indeed, and not the mere name of it. Little love forgets to bring water for the feet, but great love breaks its box of alabaster and lavishes its precious ointment.
[snip]
II. Now notice secondly, and, I think I may say, with equal admiration, the love of God in THE PLAN OF SALVATION. He has put it thus: "that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The way of salvation is extremely simple to understand, and exceedingly easy to practise, when once the heart is made willing and obedient. The method of the covenant of grace differs as much from that of the covenant of works as light from darkness. It is not said that God has given his Son to all who will keep his law, for that we could not do, and therefore the gift would have been available to none of us. Nor is it said that he has given his Son to all that experience terrible despair and bitter remorse, for that is not felt by many who nevertheless are the Lord's own people. But the great God has given his own Son, that "whosoever believeth in him" should not perish. Faith, however slender, saves the soul. Trust in Christ is the certain way of eternal happiness.
[snip]
III. Thirdly, the love of God shines forth with transcendent brightness in a third point, namely, in THE PERSONS FOR WHOM THIS PLAN IS AVAILABLE, and for whom this gift is given. They are described in these words-"Whosoever believeth in him." There is in the text a word which has no limit-"God so loved the world"; but then comes in the descriptive limit, which I beg you to notice with care: "He gave his Only Begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him might not perish." God did not so love the world that any man who does not believe in Christ shall be saved; neither did God so give his Son that any man shall be saved who refuses to believe in him. See how it is put-"God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish." Here is the compass of the love: while every unbeliever is excluded, every believer is included.
[snip]
IV. Now fourthly, another beam of divine love is to be seen in the negative blessing here stated, namely, in THE DELIVERANCE implied in the words, "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish."
I understand that word to mean that whosoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ shall not perish, though he is ready to perish. His sins would cause him to perish, but he shall never perish. At first he has a little hope in Christ, but its existence is feeble. It will soon die out, will it not? No, his faith shall not perish, for this promise covers it-"Whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish." The penitent has believed in Jesus, and therefore he has begun to be a Christian; "Oh," cries an enemy, "let him alone: he will soon be back among us; he will soon be as careless as ever." Listen. "Whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish," and therefore he will not return to his former state. This proves the final perseverance of the saints; for if the believer ceased to be a believer he would perish; and as he cannot perish, it is clear that he will continue a believer. If thou believest in Jesus, thou shalt never leave off believing in him; for that would be to perish. If thou believest in him, thou shalt never delight in thine old sins; for that would be to perish. If thou believest in him, thou shalt never lose spiritual life. How canst thou lose that which is everlasting? If thou wert to lose it, it would prove that it was not everlasting, and thou wouldst perish; and thus thou wouldst make this word to be of no effect. Whosoever with his heart believeth in Christ is a saved man, not for to-night only, but for all the nights that ever shall be, and for that dread night of death, and for that solemn eternity which draws so near. "Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish;" but he shall have a life that cannot die, a justification that cannot be disputed, an acceptance which shall never cease.
[snip]
V. The last commendation of his love lies in the positive-IN THE POSSESSION. I shall have to go in a measure over the same ground again, let me therefore be the shorter. God gives to every man that believes in Christ everlasting life. The moment thou believest there trembles into thy bosom a vital spark of heavenly flame which never shall be quenched. In that same moment when thou dost cast thyself on Christ, Christ comes to thee in the living and incorruptible word which liveth and abideth for ever. Though there should drop into thy heart but one drop of the heavenly water of life, remember this,-he hath said it who cannot lie,-"The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." When I first received everlasting life I had no idea what a treasure had come to me. I knew that I had obtained something very extraordinary, but of its superlative value I was not aware. I did but look to Christ in the little chapel, and I received eternal life. I looked to Jesus, and he looked on me; and we were one for ever. That moment my joy surpassed all bounds, just as my sorrow had aforetime driven me to an extreme of grief. I was perfectly at rest in Christ, satisfied with him, and my heart was glad; but I did not know that this grace was everlasting life till I began to read in the Scriptures, and to know more fully the value of the jewel which God had given me.
[snip]
C. H. Spurgeon :: Immeasurable Love
Is Charles Spurgeon "mainstream"?
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J. Macarthur on John 3:16
- Thread starter Reynolds
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He is one of the greatest Baptists ever, and well known for being a soul winner and for his "Calvinism is the Gospel"
Who is "a Calvin"?
So the answer to this question...Can you describe one of the ideas that makes his teaching profound to you?...is...no...you cannot describe one idea from John MacArthur regarding your OP. Got it.
How do we know? You have never posted what John MacArthur actually said.
George Antonios
Well-Known Member
A Calvinist can still be a soul-winner, because, thank God Almighty, some of them will yield to the goading of the Holy Ghost within them to overcome their intellectual folly and witness anyway. Every witnessing Calvinist denies his Calvinism in practice. Thank God.
or that they really agree that God will move in a sovereign way when Gospel is taught/preached to save out his own!
The point of the O.P. is his doctrinal disagreements with our resident Calvinists. Why mist something be profound?
Listen for yourself. Its his current series.
I do not have to call him,I speak to him face to face.
We agree on the doctrines of grace 100%, so your statement is a falsehood.
RM was who I told to phone him.
Now... Reformed asked you to explain what is mainstream Calvinism.
We are waiting for you to clarify what you mean by that. Take your time, post links, verses ,sermons.
Let's see what you have to offer Reynolds.
Let RM. Speak for himself.
Sigh you need to go back and read the conversation that had nothing to do with you. You have gotten nothing right.
Listen for yourself. Its his current series.
Who is R.M.? Do you mean John Macarthur?
I will get into the specifics butr first lets go to an easy one. You call Double Predestination all kinds of nasty names. Unless you have changed, you definitely disagree with it. You and J.M. agree 100% on doctrines of grace?
Double-Predestination Biblical
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MacArthur is intriguing. He will at times sound almost Arminian, but will quickly sound Calvinsit the next day. He will affirm the TULIP, however. He just explains it in a more nuanced way, and seems to accept there are tensions in Scripture that no one can perfectly understand.
If it's an old series, I believe I heard that one. It's multipart, and you'll see what I mean. Unless it's a new one.
Yes........ and no.
SavedByGrace
Well-Known Member
John Calvin on John 3:16
"That whosoever believeth on him may not perish. It is a remarkable commendation of faith, that it frees us from everlasting destruction. For he intended expressly to state that, though we appear to have been born to death, undoubted deliverance is offered to us by the faith of Christ; and, therefore, that we ought not to fear death, which otherwise hangs over us. And he has employed the universal term whosoever, both to invite all indiscriminately to partake of life, and to cut off every excuse from unbelievers. Such is also the import of the term World, which he formerly used; for though nothing will be found inthe world that is worthy of the favor of God, yet he shows himself to be reconciled to the whole world, when he invites all men without exception to the faith of Christ, which is nothing else than an entrance into life."
John MacArthur might be a "Calvinist". But John Calvin was most certainly NOT!!!
"That whosoever believeth on him may not perish. It is a remarkable commendation of faith, that it frees us from everlasting destruction. For he intended expressly to state that, though we appear to have been born to death, undoubted deliverance is offered to us by the faith of Christ; and, therefore, that we ought not to fear death, which otherwise hangs over us. And he has employed the universal term whosoever, both to invite all indiscriminately to partake of life, and to cut off every excuse from unbelievers. Such is also the import of the term World, which he formerly used; for though nothing will be found inthe world that is worthy of the favor of God, yet he shows himself to be reconciled to the whole world, when he invites all men without exception to the faith of Christ, which is nothing else than an entrance into life."
John MacArthur might be a "Calvinist". But John Calvin was most certainly NOT!!!
It is an old series, but its the one currently running.
J.M. pretty much says the same in this series.
atpollard
Well-Known Member
There is no REQUIREMENT for anything to be profound, you just commented that something was ...
... so he was asking what you found "profound". Other than saying MacArthur teaches different than the Calvinists on BB, you really have not given any indication how, so it was not a completely unreasonable question.
atpollard
Well-Known Member
RevMitchell (capitalization added to clarify abbreviation)
I just find the general handling of terms and definitions different.
atpollard
Well-Known Member
As long as we are dropping names, I never even saw John MacArthur in person.
I did see Simon and Garfunkel live at their reunion concert in Central Park.
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