John MacArthur is one of the most influential Christian pastors of our time. He has spent over four decades leading a successful ministry and preaching the gospel to millions around the world.
As such, he has become known for offering up many insightful quotes full of wisdom, knowledge, and encouragement. Here are some of his most famous quotes that have inspired generations.
About John F. MacArthur Jr.
John F MacArthur Jr. is a renowned American pastor, author, and radio broadcaster who has been a popular figure in the Christian Evangelical community since 1969. He is known for his “Grace to You” broadcasts which have aired over 1,000 times on more than 2,300 stations across the United States.
His sermons have an unmistakable style that combines Scripture with humor to create an entertaining and meaningful message for listeners.
MacArthur is also the founder of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and The Master’s Seminary in Sun Valley as well. He has written numerous books on topics such as Bible exposition and theology, including hard-hitting titles like “The Truth War: Fighting for Certainty in an Age of Deception.”
His writing provides deep insight into modern Christianity issues while maintaining a sense of humor throughout his work.
Here Are The Best John MacArthur Quotes
John MacArthur’s words of wisdom, delivered through sermon series and books, offer deep insight and inspiration. In this article, we’ll explore his thoughts on faith and life and his views on how to live in obedience to God’s Word.
“Genuine unity of any sort must have a purpose. Trying to achieve unity for unity’s sake is an exercise in futility, because it must have the motivation and focus of a common cause and objective. The church’s only true unity is grounded in the faith of the gospel, which refers to the Christian faith.”
“Obedience motivated by love for God not only becomes believers’ supreme objective but also their supreme pleasure and satisfaction”
Living a life of obedience to God is essential for believers. It is not just the rule of law but an attitude of love and respect that should be cultivated. Obedience motivated by love for God becomes not only believers’ supreme objective but also their supreme pleasure and satisfaction.
This allows them to choose the divine will over their own because they recognize that following the Lord’s way is ultimately fulfilling and satisfying.
Obedience initiated by love for God entails more than simply following His commands or instructions; it involves doing these things out of genuine affection and devotion to Him.
Love-motivated obedience means actively seeking to do what pleases the Lord, knowing He has good intentions for us, even if we don’t understand why He would sometimes ask certain things from us.
“And infallible test of godly joy is the degree to which a believer prays more earnestly for the benefit and blessing of others than for his own.”
“God requires faith for salvation, but faith is not a meritorious work. Salvation is by the power of God in response to faith, faith itself is God’s work, divinely initiated and divinely accomplished.”
“Envy (phthonos) is a desire to deprive others of what is rightfully theirs, to wish they did not have it or had it to a lesser degree…[it] is closely related to jealousy.”
“False teachers [are] not made outside Christianity. They are always bred in the church, half in and half out; but eventually they reject the truth and try to seduce others in their attempt to fulfill their self-gratification.”
“It’s not really our sins that make us weep; they have a part in it… It is when we see the kind of Savior we have sinned against that really makes us weep.”
“Courage is contagious”
Courage is a trait of character that many find admirable but few can truly embody. It takes a strong individual to stand up for what they believe in and challenge the status quo. Courage isn’t limited to just one person; when someone displays courage, it is often contagious and inspires others to do the same.
The idea of ‘courage contagion’ has been studied by psychologists who found that when an individual acts with courage, it can encourage those around them to act similarly. This phenomenon was particularly evident amongst children who were more likely to step out of their comfort zone if their peers had first taken the plunge.
Furthermore, adults also benefit from this effect as a person displaying courage can help build confidence in others within their circle or team.
“If you wrongly judge Christ, He will rightly judge you… All men render a verdict on Christ…and it is a verdict that has massive consequences for eternity.”
“Sinners still live with the illusion that they can make a judgment on Jesus Christ and avoid Him making a judgment on them… You judge Jesus wrongly, and He will judge you rightly… The question is not what will you do with Jesus, the question is when you see Him face-to-face, what will He do with you.”
“For Christians, prayer is like breathing. You don’t have to think to breathe because the atmosphere exerts pressure on your lungs and forces you to breathe.”
“This is a stunning thing to think about. All the people who will spend forever in hell will spend forever there because they will never be able to pay for their sins. And yet Jesus, in three hours, would pay in full for all the sins of all the people who would ever believe. How? Because an infinite amount of wrath can only be absorbed by an infinite person.”
“You also need to pray with a humble heart, seeking only the attention of God, not men.”
“Preaching is theology coming through a man who is on fire.”
“A cult…is a religious movement that claims to be a Christian group but that deviates significantly from or outright denies the teachings of Scripture and the historic creeds on crucial points… These groups develop their doctrine through a combination of Scripture-twisting and extrabiblical revelation.”
“As soon as [Eve] did not completely, wholeheartedly, and unreservedly trust the word of God as absolutely true and the source of her highest joy, greatest good, deepest satisfaction, broadest pleasure, and most consonant fulfillment – at that moment the sin of mistrust corrupted her heart.”
“God treated Jesus on the cross as if He lived your life so He could treat you as if you lived His.”
“God forgave sinners before Christ died. God forgives sinners since Christ died. But God forgives all sinners because Christ died.”
“We see Him humiliated and yet majestic. We see Him suffering and yet exalted. We see Him punished and yet innocent. We see Him hated and yet loving. We see Him subjected and yet sovereign.”
“No true believer is completely satisfied with his spiritual progress. Under the illuminating, sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit, all of us are aware of the areas in our lives that still need to be refined and disciplined for the sake of godliness. In fact, the more we mature, the more capable we are of spotting the sin that still remains in our hearts.”
“Sanctification doesn’t happen by osmosis. We can’t starve ourselves spiritually and still expect to grow in the likeness of Christ. All the facets of Scripture – all its rich benefits and blessings – are not available to those who fail or refuse to open it and study.”
“The shepherd’s ability to faithfully feed his flock depends on how well he’s feeding himself.”
The quote explains that our needs come first before we can take care of others. This saying speaks to the idea that if we are not taking proper care of ourselves, we will be unable to provide for and lead those around us fully.
We see this echoed in many religions and spiritual beliefs around the world, that it is our duty to first meet our own needs before tending to the needs of others.
In order for us to have enough energy and resources available, it’s crucial that we prioritize self-care and make sure we are meeting both physical and emotional requirements.
“A Good Shepherd is not known by how gently he pets the sheep. A Good Shepherd is known by how well he protects them and feeds them.”
“Sanctification begins with spiritually renewing the mind, that is, changing how we think.”
“Tolerance toward people is a good and biblical virtue, but tolerance toward false teaching is sin.”
“The paradox between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. This is an apparent paradox – not a true paradox, but an apparent paradox – which faith accepts while reason rejects. Faith accepts, because faith acknowledges that we don’t have all the information, but we trust God. Faith accepts this. Reason rejects it, and that’s because reason is finite.”
“Divine predestination, divine providence, divine power, divine purpose; divine planning does not void human responsibility.”
“How deep and meaningful the marriage of husband and wife is designed to be. It is not merely a physical union, but a union of heart and soul as well.”
FAQs
John MacArthur’s philosophy of preaching is inextricably linked to his conviction that “The only logical response to inerrant Scripture . . . is to preach it expositionally.
Dispensational Theology
In World War II, MacArthur commanded allied forces in the Asia Pacific, a role that earned him the prestigious Medal of Honor.
Let’s Wind Up…
John MacArthur’s words of wisdom can provide us with insight and guidance as we navigate life in this ever-changing world. His quotes on love, faith, courage, knowledge, and other important topics have inspired many people around the world to live a life of purpose and meaning.
Reflecting on John MacArthur’s quotes can help to shed light on our path in life and provide encouragement during difficult times.