A Critique of John MacArthur's "Spirit Movement"
I must start this off by saying that I respect Mr. MacArthur, and believe he is a true Christian, and not a Charismatic, nor a liar. I believe that what he preaches he is brought to by his interpretation of the Word of God, and has in no way made this error on purpose. However, no man is beyond error, and this issue is far more important than my respect for John MacArthur...
During the 2012 Shepherds Conference, John MacArthur announced during his first sermon that he wished to start a sort of "Spirit movement", a movement in which the focus of people would be brought to the Holy Spirit. He also wishes to correct the many mistakes of Pentecostal and Charismatic preachers, who have long taught wrongly about the Holy Spirit and His power. MacArthur himself has long been a sort of "anti-charismatic view" holder, which is fine, considering how much the Charismatic and Pentecostal movements have assaulted the Truth of God's Word and the importance of the true power of the Holy Spirit. However, MacArthur's error starts fairly quickly when he says that he wants to bring the focus "back to the Holy Spirit." The issue here, is that there was never a focus on the Holy Spirit within Scripture. Actually, very little is there to describe the Spirit of God. We don't know where He moves (John 3:8), nor do we know how it is that He intercedes for us with our prayers (Rom. 8:26). Also, the focus of the Scripture has always been on the Father (more on this later), and on Christ. So, how is it one can start an entire movement based on Someone they know very little about?
This idea spawned something that is a far greater error, however. At the end of both his sermons, MacArthur prayed to the Holy Spirit. Obviously, he seemed to have forgotten that the Spirit "intercedes" on our behalf, "for we do not know how to pray as we should..." (Rom. 8:26). To say that we can pray to the One who is making our prayers perfect is an error, as it makes little to no sense, and then defeats the entire purpose of Romans 8:26. We don't know how we should pray... to the Father. This is key in understanding the meaning of this verse, unless of course on wishes to dive into the scary realm of focusing only on Jesus (as many do). I agree with MacArthur, in that too little is said of the Spirit (those who... don't say anything at all), or that too much is made up for Him (the belief that we can gain super-natural powers after the "Spirit baptism"). But alas, despite his efforts to stop the train-wreck that is modern Charismatic and Pentecostal thinking, he has joined them in their error of focusing too much on the Spirit. Again, too little is said of the Holy Spirit to focus only on Him, much less start an entire movement.
What is the point of the Holy Spirit then? Perhaps Mr. MacArthur should start a more Biblical movement. A "Spirit movement", which focuses on... what the Spirit focuses on. The Spirit points towards Christ (John 14:26), who points towards the Father (John 5:19-47). So, the focus of both the Spirit and the Son is ultimately the Father. MacArthur's best reason for praying to the Holy Spirit, as I have seen it, is that "Well, He's God." Yes... He is. But so is Christ, and as was mentioned, He focused on the Father. This was no mere trickery, or some fancy way of getting people to focus on Him, but Christ was truly submissive to the Father, as the Holy Spirit is. To assume that, because the Holy Spirit is God (being part of the Godhead), and then start praying to the Spirit, is to go against the entirety of the Bible itself. The focus of the Scriptures is not Jesus. The focus of the Word of God, having been written down for us by men moved by the Spirit of God, telling of Christ who was the payment for our sins to the Father, is the Father Himself. "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6, emphasis added). What did Paul say in Romans 7:25? "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (emphasis added). 1 Cor. 15:57, "but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (emphasis added). This is very important. If the focus is taken off of the Father, than the very reason for the Scriptures is utterly useless. We sinned against the Father, and then He sent His Son to die for us, and then He sends His Spirit to us. He is the main focus of the Bible, and any other view is anti-biblical. That is why we pray in Jesus' name (not to Him), and with the work of the Holy Spirit, our prayers are perfect before God the Father.
"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." (Eph. 3:14-21, NASB)
During the 2012 Shepherds Conference, John MacArthur announced during his first sermon that he wished to start a sort of "Spirit movement", a movement in which the focus of people would be brought to the Holy Spirit. He also wishes to correct the many mistakes of Pentecostal and Charismatic preachers, who have long taught wrongly about the Holy Spirit and His power. MacArthur himself has long been a sort of "anti-charismatic view" holder, which is fine, considering how much the Charismatic and Pentecostal movements have assaulted the Truth of God's Word and the importance of the true power of the Holy Spirit. However, MacArthur's error starts fairly quickly when he says that he wants to bring the focus "back to the Holy Spirit." The issue here, is that there was never a focus on the Holy Spirit within Scripture. Actually, very little is there to describe the Spirit of God. We don't know where He moves (John 3:8), nor do we know how it is that He intercedes for us with our prayers (Rom. 8:26). Also, the focus of the Scripture has always been on the Father (more on this later), and on Christ. So, how is it one can start an entire movement based on Someone they know very little about?
This idea spawned something that is a far greater error, however. At the end of both his sermons, MacArthur prayed to the Holy Spirit. Obviously, he seemed to have forgotten that the Spirit "intercedes" on our behalf, "for we do not know how to pray as we should..." (Rom. 8:26). To say that we can pray to the One who is making our prayers perfect is an error, as it makes little to no sense, and then defeats the entire purpose of Romans 8:26. We don't know how we should pray... to the Father. This is key in understanding the meaning of this verse, unless of course on wishes to dive into the scary realm of focusing only on Jesus (as many do). I agree with MacArthur, in that too little is said of the Spirit (those who... don't say anything at all), or that too much is made up for Him (the belief that we can gain super-natural powers after the "Spirit baptism"). But alas, despite his efforts to stop the train-wreck that is modern Charismatic and Pentecostal thinking, he has joined them in their error of focusing too much on the Spirit. Again, too little is said of the Holy Spirit to focus only on Him, much less start an entire movement.
What is the point of the Holy Spirit then? Perhaps Mr. MacArthur should start a more Biblical movement. A "Spirit movement", which focuses on... what the Spirit focuses on. The Spirit points towards Christ (John 14:26), who points towards the Father (John 5:19-47). So, the focus of both the Spirit and the Son is ultimately the Father. MacArthur's best reason for praying to the Holy Spirit, as I have seen it, is that "Well, He's God." Yes... He is. But so is Christ, and as was mentioned, He focused on the Father. This was no mere trickery, or some fancy way of getting people to focus on Him, but Christ was truly submissive to the Father, as the Holy Spirit is. To assume that, because the Holy Spirit is God (being part of the Godhead), and then start praying to the Spirit, is to go against the entirety of the Bible itself. The focus of the Scriptures is not Jesus. The focus of the Word of God, having been written down for us by men moved by the Spirit of God, telling of Christ who was the payment for our sins to the Father, is the Father Himself. "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6, emphasis added). What did Paul say in Romans 7:25? "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (emphasis added). 1 Cor. 15:57, "but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (emphasis added). This is very important. If the focus is taken off of the Father, than the very reason for the Scriptures is utterly useless. We sinned against the Father, and then He sent His Son to die for us, and then He sends His Spirit to us. He is the main focus of the Bible, and any other view is anti-biblical. That is why we pray in Jesus' name (not to Him), and with the work of the Holy Spirit, our prayers are perfect before God the Father.
"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." (Eph. 3:14-21, NASB)
I agree. Since our Lord honored the Father, our best way to honor Him is to honor the Father. Since the Spirit came not to "speak of Himself" but to point to Chist, would not the best ay to honor Him be honoring what Christ honored... the Father?
ReplyDeleteI respect Mr. MacArthur too, but sometimes he gets that one, small thing wrong, and then he stresses that one, small thing which ruins his next few sermons.
ReplyDelete