John MacArthur Still Contending While Friends Abandon Him
After more than fifty years of ministry, John MacArthur is still standing strong contending for the faith. No matter the constant shifting of the political tides and cultural influence that affect so many, MacArthur has one of the strongest track records of fighting for Biblical truth as anyone of the past century. Along with this, one of his most admirable traits is his willingness to go it alone if need be, regardless of the opinions of associates or close friends.
In a recent interview with Justin Peters, he was asked about the battles he’s fought over the years, as well as being abandoned by longtime friends who used to stand with him. While neither Peters nor MacArthur named names, one need look no further than examples such as Al Mohler, Mark Dever, and Ligon Duncan at the tense exchange over the Dallas Statement at ShepCon 2019. Al Mohler’s tantrum over Phil Johnson’s more-than-fair questioning, as well as Mark Dever’s smug body language immediately come to mind. That said, Pastor John offered gracious answers filled with wisdom that any aspiring mature Christian would benefit from hearing:
MacArthur: “I don’t second guess myself…maybe because I try to live and respond Biblically. So if I’m second guessing the Bible, that’s probably not a good thing (laughter). And to make it simple, we fight every battle. We fight every battle. Every battle that comes up against the Word of God- against the Truth of God. We earnestly contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints. So we’ve been battling since the beginning. It’s not a matter of selecting certain battles- we fight them all.”
Furthermore, the pastor elaborated on friends and colleagues abandoning him in various fights over the years:
MacArthur: “I also understand that not everybody is willing to fight all those battles. There are people who would stand with us on this battle and maybe that battle, but not this one or not the other one. It may be because they have friendships, it may be because they have faculty in their institutions who are on the other side of that issue and they don’t feel like they can take that issue on because it would divide their institution. That maybe they’re seeking a more cordial relationship with certain people…”
“….We may be losing some of the big names, some of the elites, but I think we’re collecting the good guys”
Christians are called to fight the good fight; to finish the race. That goes for all believers, not just pastors. He is not alone, he stands with 4000 other men from this year’s Shepcon. The righteous will stand and do battle against the lies of the culture, the lies and seductions the world offers. May all believers be encouraged that the Lord promises the gates of hell will not prevail against Christ’s Church.
Editor’s Note. Hat Tip to Justin Peters. This article was written by Brad Schoolfied for Protestia.
About Author
