In his latest letter (October 14, 2022), John MacArthur is absolutely correct in stating that "Man's pride and the love of his own ingenuity get in the way." In his arrogant pride, man believes that "after all the centuries" he has "refined doctrine" by his constant use of proof text methodology. It is just sad that MacArthur is not aware of his own "false approaches to truth" that "intrude on, confuse, and debilitate" the congregation.
As I exposed before, in the days of the early Congregation ("Church"), there was a religious group who strongly disputed the Congregation's stance on salvation and works. This religious group taught that man is totally depraved, that we are saved solely by grace, that works play no role in our salvation, and that we cannot lose our salvation once we obtain it. This religious group was labeled as heretics by the early Christians.
You might be thinking, "This group of 'heretics' were the real Christians while these 'orthodox' Christians were really heretics." However, such a conclusion is impossible. Who was this religious group?
The Gnostics!
If you think the Gnostics were "true Christians," observe what the apostle John said about them: "Many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist" (2 John 7).
If our evangelical doctrine of salvation is true, we are faced with the uncomfortable reality that this doctrine was first taught by "deceivers and antichrists" before it was taught by Luther, Calvin, and others. According to MacArthur's own beliefs, he would be considered a heretic by the early Christians. MacArthur believes man is totally depraved. MacArthur believes we are saved solely by grace. MacArthur believes that works play no role in our salvation. MacArthur believes that we cannot lose our salvation once we obtain it. MacArthur also believes in Jewish myths, such as found in the Dispensational proof texting of Scripture.
MacArthur is ignorant enough to believe that we, being 1,900 years removed from the lives of the apostles, teach doctrine that is the most accurate to the apostles, compared with the early Christians, who were within a few decades of their lives. Yet, a simple comparison of what he believes and teaches would render him a heretic according to their own beliefs and teachings. Is MacArthur so arrogant and proud as to claim that the early Christians had it wrong? That they were not as intelligent and "educated" as we are? Maybe MacArthur needs a re-education in what Jesus said: "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants" (Matt. 11:25).
With all his schooling, it is of little doubt that MacArthur thinks of himself as "wise and intelligent," and those without his high fallootin education as "ordinary and uneducated." It is extremely sad how God "has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and...the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong" (1 Cor. 1:27), and people like MacArthur blindly think the reverse. People like MacArthur have to attend years of schooling in order to become "wise and intelligent" concerning the Scriptures, and yet intellectual "babes" can understand matters of the kingdom better than cerebral academics.
We need to rid ourselves of the fallacious idea that former generations were nothing but ignorant hillbilly hicks that did not know anything and that we, because of our technological advancement, are somehow more intelligent than they were. Nine times out of ten when you compare past generations, they were more intelligent than we are today. We have forgotten everything they knew how to do. Can men, without machinery, build the pyramids today? Or any of the Incan architecture? Since we cannot do the things they once did, perhaps we should keep our mouths shut and humble ourselves before their accomplishments. The early Christians had a better grasp on the faith than "educated" Bible teachers like to give them credit for. To most modern preachers, the early Christians were nothing but ignorant bumpkins.
For anyone who is honest in the least, and bothers to pay attention to Christian history, it was the "wise and intelligent," the highly educated, who slowly corrupted and destroyed biblical Christianity. Augustine, Luther, and Calvin are just a handful of excellent examples. Anyone who disagrees with this is in denial, and they betray their own ignorance.
Why can more Christians not be like me? Regardless of how I was raised, what I was taught, or what I presently believe, I seek to conform myself entirely to the truth of God's Word. Most Christians, tragically, would rather bury their head in the sand and continue believing whatever they have been taught, regardless of whether there is a shred of truth behind it or not. They are afraid to admit they have been wrong and to correct their beliefs. We need to do better. We need to lose our pride, arrogance, and stubbornness, and gain humility and meekness. There is nothing wrong with admitting you have been wrong.
"It is a small and narrow mind that is afraid to change; it is a sign of greatness that one is prepared to admit at times that one has been mistaken, and that therefore you have had to change your position." ―David Martyn Lloyd-Jones