MacArthur's 4th distinctive of LS

[canadyjd]

Since the other threads have little response (therefore, amazing agreement with the statements therein?), let's move on to #4:

You can find it at:
http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2439

Fourth, Scripture teaches that real faith inevitably produces a changed life (2 Cor. 5:17). Salvation includes a transformation of the inner person (Gal. 2:20). The nature of the Christian is new and different (Rom. 6:6). The unbroken pattern of sin and enmity with God will not continue when a person is born again (1 John 3:9-10). Those with genuine faith follow Christ (John 10:27), love their brothers (1 John 3:14), obey God's commandments (1 John 2:3; John 15:14), do the will of God (Matt. 12:50), abide in God's Word (John 8:31), keep God's Word (John 17:6), do good works (Eph. 2:10), and continue in the faith (Col. 1:21-23; Heb. 3:14). In contrast, easy-believism teaches that although some spiritual fruit is inevitable, that fruit might not be visible to others and Christians can even lapse into a state of permanent spiritual barrenness.

I see MacArthur's major point as being that salvation will always produce a transformed life. Any objections to that?

peace to youraying:

 

[skypair]

Since the other threads have little response (therefore, amazing agreement with the statements therein?), let's move on to #4:

You can find it at:
http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2439


I see MacArthur's major point as being that salvation will always produce a transformed life. Any objections to that?

peace to youraying:

No objections. The only objection would be whether we SEE that transformation when WE want to see it. We are such an impatient lot that often we dismiss someone as unsaved when God is growing on them.

skypair

 

[webdog]

No objections. The only objection would be whether we SEE that transformation when WE want to see it. We are such an impatient lot that often we dismiss someone as unsaved when God is growing on them.

skypair

I agree. We need to define what JM means by "transformed life".

 

[skypair]

And too...

I think JM is setting up "easy believism" in much the same way that I set up "the gospel of election." That is, it is NOT a gospel that is proclaimed but it can be manufactured from some theologies. He just needs to make sure to delineate who he is talking about -- Arminians? I don't know anyone who subscribes to that anymore. Baptists? We teach that sinners must turn control of their lives over to God in repentance (not over to JM, BTW). Why doth JM protest what the potter does with the clay? :laugh:

skypair

 

[canadyjd]

I agree. We need to define what JM means by "transformed life".

He says what he means by transformation:

The unbroken pattern of sin and enmity with God will not continue when a person is born again (1 John 3:9-10). Those with genuine faith follow Christ (John 10:27), love their brothers (1 John 3:14), obey God's commandments (1 John 2:3; John 15:14), do the will of God (Matt. 12:50), abide in God's Word (John 8:31), keep God's Word (John 17:6), do good works (Eph. 2:10), and continue in the faith

peace to youraying:

 

[webdog]

He says what he means by transformation:

peace to youraying:

I know of true believers who struggle in all of those areas. Are they not saved according to JM?

 

[canadyjd]

I know of true believers who struggle in all of those areas. Are they not saved according to JM?

If you go back to the foundations of belief which MacArthur states prior to giving his distinctives of Lordship Salvation, he acknowledges that believers can and do sin, and sometimes horribly.

They simply will not continue in an unbroken pattern of behavior, based on the I John passage.

peace to youraying:

 

[JustChristian]

I know of true believers who struggle in all of those areas. Are they not saved according to JM?

He's saying the same thing that Jesus said to Nicodemus.

Jhn 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Jhn 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
Jhn 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Jhn 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.