Late is better than Never




	Well, I have to say that I feel very good and hopeful about a recent teaching at Apostasy Watch entitled “You must be born again”. I have to just say before I go any further, anything that I am about to say is not to be taken as directed toward Steve Lumbley, I am not in fellowship with him and so I realize that I am in no position to call him to repentance. According to the recent teaching posted on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011, it is quite clear that Steve Lumbley does not read anything on this site! I guess I should not be surprised, that is why I am titling this page “Late is better than Never”, let me explain; better than a year ago we developed our page on “Dr. John MacArthur”, we posted the same information that has now finally been noticed by Steve Lumbley of Apostasy Watch. According to the above posted audio, Steve Lumbley finally has come to realize that “Dr. John MacArthur” has never been born again! Well, as I previously said, “Late is better than Never”! In the above teaching by Mr. Lumbley, he states that in the past he had defended John MacArthur because he thought that the attacks on him were unfair, but now that he finally has uncovered a fairly old interview of MacArthur by MacArthur associate, Phil Johnson, so he now believes that John MacArthur was never born again. You can listen to a three part series on our “Dr. John MacArthur” page by John Coleman entitled “Dr. John McArthur tells us when he got saved!”. Let me explain to you why I decided to write a short article on this. Here Steve Lumbley of Apostasy Watch claims that John MacArthur is not born again and at the same time Steve Lumbley claims that Dr. John MacArthur preaches the true gospel. Steve is making the claim that preaching the true gospel is purely a matter of prudent study or exegesis of the scriptures, and does not require that one knows the Lord themselves! This, in my humble opinion, is exactly what is wrong with so called “Preaching” today, there is no power in it! Contrary to what Steve claims in the above APW audio, John MacArthur has NEVER preached the true gospel! You can be a hireling and teach some truth, you can be a complete heretic and teach some truth, you could teach some truth by just copying what true disciples of Christ taught, but to preach the gospel that Paul, the Apostle preached, you must be a disciple of Jesus Christ to do that! Let me give you some scriptures to prove it: (Rom 2:16) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. In Rom 2:16 Paul makes the claim that God will judge the secrets of men according to his gospel, not John MacArthur’s gospel, but Paul’s gospel. (Rom 1:16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (Rom 1:17) For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. John MacArthur’s gospel is according to the letter, which kills, Paul’s gospel is according to the Spirit and is the power of God unto salvation, for therein is the righteousness of God revealed. (Rom 10:14) How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? (Rom 10:15) And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! (Rom 10:16) But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? How shall they preach except they be sent? John MacArthur may have been sent and discipled by the seminary, Paul the Apostle was discipled and sent by the Lord Jesus. The true Prophets and Apostles of the Lord have always said “who hath believed our report?” JMA is not included in the “our” of the above passage, but Paul is! If JMA is not born again, then he does not stand shoulder to shoulder next to the Prophet Esaias, he is not in this group. (1Jn 4:6) We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Dr. John MacArthur is not included in the “us” of 1Jn 4:6, Paul the Apostle is. If JMA preached the same gospel that Paul preached, he would be included in the “us” of this passage, but he is not, because he does not preach the same gospel as Paul the Apostle! How do I know this? By the fruit of JMA’s disciples, it is not the same fruit produced by Paul the Apostle’s disciples, so it cannot be the same gospel! (2Co 3:2) Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: (2Co 3:3) Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. (2Co 3:4) And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: (2Co 3:5) Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; (2Co 3:6) Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. John MacArthur’s disciples have ink and letters which kill, Paul the Apostle’s gospel was powerfully written in the hearts of the hearers, who’s sufficiency is of Christ, JMA’s sufficiency is of himself. Read the above passage carefully, do you really believe that a man who is not born again can do any of this? Of course JMA does not preach the same gospel as Paul the Apostle! Ladies and Gentlemen, Brothers and Sisters, this web site is about waking people up! If Dr. John MacArthur is not saved, then neither are his disciples saved. If you thought that John MacArthur teaches the true gospel, then you do not know the true gospel! Just wake up and hear me, the gospel of Jesus Christ, is Jesus Christ, The Word. The Word is living and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, the gospel is the Power of God unto salvation, you cannot preach the gospel if you do not know Jesus Christ! Please hear me! Robert Begnaud