One of the books we’ve suggested repeatedly over the years
is John MacArthur’s The Gospel Accordingto Jesus, an analysis of Jesus’ evangelistic ministry. This was a book born out of MacArthur’s
almost decade-long sermon series on the gospel of Matthew. In it, he contrasted the easy-believism
of contemporary evangelism with the gospel of repentance preached by
Jesus. If you’ve never read it, I
highly recommend it. I consider it
to be one of the most important books written in the 20th century.
What many people do not know is that MacArthur has also
written a companion volume entitled TheGospel According to the Apostles.
While some might think of it as a sequel, MacArthur considers it a prequel, “a start-from-the-beginning
approach to the subject it deals with.” In it, he lays out the doctrinal
framework that was only hinted at in The
Gospel According to Jesus.
This book details the apostles’ doctrine of salvation, showing that the
gospel according to Jesus is also the gospel according to the apostles.
That description may discourage some readers by implying
that it is like a theological textbook or academic work. Nothing could be further from the
truth. It is a passionate,
readable look at the most essential of all Christian doctrines.
As The Gospel
According to Jesus was born out of MacArthur’s study of Matthew, The Gospel According to the Apostles was
born out of practical questions raised by those who had read the former. He writes:
“…I began to get letters from lay
leaders asking for more on the subject. They wanted practical advice: How should we explain the gospel to
children? What tracts are available that present the way of salvation fully and
biblically? They wanted help
understanding their own spiritual experiences: I came to Christ as a child and didn’t surrender to Him as Lord until
several years later. Does that invalidate by salvation? They wanted spiritual counsel: I’ve been struggling with sin and lack of
assurance for years. Can you help me understand genuine faith and how I can
have it? They wanted
clarification: What about Lot and the
Corinthians who lived in disobedience? They were still redeemed people, weren’t
they? They wanted simplified
explanations: I don’t easily understand
theological terminology like ‘dispensationalism’ and ‘soteriology.’ Can you
explain the lordship controversy to me in plain English?
This book is for those people.”
In The Gospel
According to the Apostles, you’ll find answers to the practical questions
above in addition to many others, including:
·
What is cheap
grace?
·
What does the “no-lordship gospel” teach?
·
What is faith and what does it do?
·
What must a person do to be considered righteous
by God?
·
Do your works have any affect on your salvation?
·
What is sanctification?
·
How far can Christians go on sinning?
·
How can I be assured of my salvation?
While this is a theological book, it is intensely practical
and even devotional. I truly
believe that easy-to-read doctrinal books like this one can serve as great
devotional books as we think deeply about God’s application of salvation to our
lives.
MacArthur writes in the introduction,
“My desire is to present the case
biblically, clearly, graciously, fairly, and in terms that every Christian can
understand. My approach will be to
examine some of the key passages from the epistles and Acts that reveal how the
apostles proclaimed the gospel and how they unfolded the truths of salvation to
the early church… I think you’ll agree that the gospel according to the
apostles is the same gospel Jesus preached. I believe you’ll also be convinced that their gospel differs
dramatically from the diluted message popular with so many today.”
In my opinion, this is the simplest and most biblically
accurate explanation of the doctrine of salvation in print. It answers all the questions. It would be well-worth your time this
Summer.
Posted by Greg Birdwell
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