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Why Harold Camping & Not John MacArthur?
Have you noticed?
Everyone has jumped all over Harold Camping for being wrong in his predictions and eschatology.
Yet, John MacArthur has been shown wrong in his predictions – not in predicting dates for the return of Christ – but predictions concerning Israel and their salvation by sight, and eschatology here and here and here and here and elsewhere, and in his teachings promising salvation to unbelievers after the second advent of Jesus Christ – clearly a heresy – and everyone says ‘hushhhhh.’
What’s the difference between Camping and MacArthur?
The difference is respect, notoriety, love, acceptance, worship, yes, possibly of the man himself.
Both men are wrong. Both are in error, poor exegetes in eschatology, and MacArthur’s error is salvific in nature! Yet Camping suffers criticism more than Mac, why?
Because Jesus hasn’t come down from the mountain yet, and the people below have made a golden calf.
If any preacher promises salvation by sight rather than by faith alone, today the day of salvation, which MacArthur and the majority of dispensationalists do, they are presenting as false a teaching as Harold Camping’s prediction of the rapture and judgment on May 21, 2011.
Preaching and teaching an opportunity for repentance and salvation after the Second Advent of Christ is another gospel, endangering the souls of men and is a serious error held by all who hold the premillennial dispensational doctrine. John MacArthur is no exception.
As one brother has said to me: “Macarthur is headed off a cliff theologically at 55 mph. Camping is doing it at 85. Either way, I would not want to be on either train.”
Amen to that!
Related Posts:
- Video: John MacArthur Preaching Opportunity for Repentance and Salvation After the Second Advent of Christ
- John MacArthur: “Jesus does not presently exercise His full divine will over the earth.”
- John MacArthur’s Closet Retraction (Did Phil Johnson Really Post This?)
- 5 Reasons No One Will Rebuke John MacArthur
- Isaiah 35: Glorious Gospel, Millennial Problem
- John MacArthur’s Other Gospel
5 Pt. Salt 
I’m not a fan of Macarthur’s eschatology. Personally, I think its a downright mess. On the other hand, Harold Camping teaches:
1. God has “abandoned” the Church and is no longer active through it.
2. The wicked are annihilated rather than punished for eternity in Hell.
With that said, the degree of Camping’s theological error becomes tantamount. This is a guy who repudiates key doctrines that are affirmed by the early creeds. Macarthur, despite his love of Scofield’s Kool-Aid, does not go this far.
So yes, Macarthur is in error. On the other hand, the degree of Camping’s error is far graver.
Agreed, and may I add, both errors are dangerous and harmful to the church at large, and both need to be addressed, and both need to be dealt with. I disagree that Camping’s error is ‘far graver’. MacArthur promises salvation to some AFTER the Second coming of Christ. It’s doesn’t get much more wrong than that -> Putting men’s souls at risk!
Mac teaches much Truth – though I do agree that his eschatology IS dangerous and in serious error. The point being contrast with Camping, who is a heretic from start to finish.
Hence, we do not call ourselves disciples of men, but of Christ.
Make no mistake, I would without hesitation affirm that Macarthur’s teaching on this point is heterodox and dangerous. “Graver”, may not have been the correct work. Macarthur is headed off a cliff theologically at 55 mph. Camping is doing it at 85. Either way, I would not want to be on either train.
Amen, my point exactly.
Simple question i am asking myself is: By how much did the gospel change in both cases and was there another gospel being introduced?
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No I am not, and brother you just made yourself look exceedingly silly. No one said Mac made any predictions concerning Jesus coming or dates a la Harold Camping, lol. What were you thinking? And, for the record, how much more specific can I be than give you the links to the proof? Think young man, before you speak.
Fred,
You’re missing the issue. Salvation. MacArthur has been shown wrong in his predictions concerning Israel and their salvation by sight and eschatology, and the links do indeed make the points. MacArthur’s error is salvific in nature, and therein lies just one of many dangers of the dispensational doctrines. Salvation has been the same in every age, faith alone in Christ alone. Preaching and teaching an opportunity for repentance and salvation by sight after the Second Advent of Christ is another gospel, endangering the souls of men and is a serious error.
To Camping I would say: Mt.24:36 says that no man knoweth the day or the hour. Based on this how can anyone even think of date setting?
To MacArthur I would say: Hebrews 9:27,28 says:And so it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall he appear the second time WITHOUT SIN UNTO SALVATION. I believe that this says it all – there is no more salvation at Jesus second return.
So are you saying that MacArthur preaches a false gospel?
Do you believe there is opportunity for repentance after Jesus comes again? If so see Hebrews 9:28 “so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” So, if He will appear again without regard to sin, there is no opportunity for repentance, and those who do not believe before then, will be damned forever. No exceptions. Thus the urgency to preach the Gospel today brother.
I guess this is what happens when you reject the authority of God’s word. Since it clearly teaches that there is a milennium (Rev. 20), and since it is clear that many who participate in that milennium are unbelievers (the rebellion at the end), then it is clear that there must be salvation offered to all during that time, and there will be salvation to some.
One of the popular lies by those who reject Biblical accounts of the milennium is that those of us who do believe God’s word in this matter think there are different salvations for different periods of time. That’s just a lie. Salvation always has been by grace through faith, and it will be so in the milennium. Even during the time of Christ’s first advent, sight never saved anyone. Only faith.
To falsely accuse a faithful pastor such as MacArthur (who is a godly man and is faithful to teach God’s word) is a very dangerous thing. Even if one disagrees with eschatology, to put MacArthur in Camping’s camp is irresponsible at best and flat out sinful at worst.
I realize you’ve already hardened your heart against scripture, but sometimes we must defend our brothers in Christ from false accusation, especially when it comes from a professing believer.
No one falsely accused MacArthur brother. His own words reject your assumption of ” Salvation always has been by grace through faith, and it will be so in the milennium. Even during the time of Christ’s first advent, sight never saved anyone. Only faith.” If you went to the links in the posts, you would see by John’s own words that he preaches Israel will be saved by sight. Your problem brother, is not with me, but with your own teachers teaching. Thanks for stopping by.
Shoe on other foot–So, it’s o.k. to promote Piper who has called heretic Warren his “brother in Christ”. Piper knows Warren is an advisor on Tony Blair’s (interfaith apostasy) Faith Foundation, has New Agers in his church with his diet Daniel Plan, and Piper affirms Driscoll- promoter of Contemplative Spirituality(perverted sex info on his church’s website) in his Acts 29 Network along with dining with Muslims in the Soma (plant) Community church in Renton, Wa. (formerly Harambee church) and particpate in ecumenical conferences..This is all a-o.k. with Joel and and.o.k. with Piper? Now THAT is something to be very concerned about and shout out against. MacArthur stands SOUNDLY on God’s Word. Heresy in Mac? Where? Absolutely none! This is disgraceful. Who is the “accuser of the brethren”??…. think about it. Mat. 7:3
Who’s promoting Piper?
What is this discussion all about?
Harold Camping is Amill? I have never seen an Amillenarian behave or teach like he does. What a ridiculous assertion.