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He quickly reviewed the tenets of the Holy Spirit created restraints put upon the world so it does not self-destruct from sin. Conscience, family, civil law/government and the church are four ways the Spirit restrains sin in the world, MacArthur summarized from a recent sermon. In addition, Romans 1 shows what God does to societies when societies leap over those bounds; sexual revolution, homosexual revolution, then reprobate mind. He said we are in the midst of judgment, the wrath of abandonment, since it can be clearly seen that America has leaped beyond those restraints and God has given us over to those different kinds of perversity. There IS an eschatological wrath, and there IS an eternal wrath, but the current judgment is neither of those. The eschatological wrath is coming, MacArthur said, and we can all agree, that is promised. But the current wrath is the judgment of abandonment. "That one is not coming. We're in the midst of it," he said.
That was his 30 minute introduction in the sermon "Hope for a Doomed Nation."
Dr MacArthur usually takes a several week vacation the beginning of June. He said at this point in his sermon,
"So as we look at America, and I don't know what's going to happen in the next few weeks when I'm not here, I'm just pre-empting that a little bit by helping you to be able to think through whatever happens."
He then listed 12 points that are driving this nation to its terrible demise, a spiritual pathology that is causing us as a nation to run so fast to the cliff.
It was a really interesting sermon. I think any one with discerning, biblical sense can see how far along the prophetic timeline we are. Many people I work with who are of biblical maturity and discernment believe this as well. I know I do. Imagine believing we are so close to the edge of some kind of terrible, visible disaster, that MacArthur believes something drastic might happen even in the next few weeks as he is gone from the pulpit. To be so close to something we all sense will occur, he is unwilling to leave his flock without preparing them biblically to be able to cope with "whatever happens."
He ended with Matthew 5:43. Love our enemy. No matter what happens, while we were still enemies, Jesus came down to rescue us, His enemies. So we are to love our enemies because we were them before grace came. The enemy is our mission field.
You're never more like God than when you love your enemies, because you were one of the enemies God loved. Romans 5:10, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God. Your enemy is your mission field. The world of enemies was God's mission field. God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son. ...
To convert a sinner from his eternal doom is of far greater significance than the deliverance of an entire nation from temporal evilHis speaking of Godly Love after 47 minutes of darkness was a Light that was powerful and incisive. Imagine demonstrating that kind of love in this very dark world. It will stand out brightly.
Such a wise and Godly man.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing that!
Chris in NC
Haven't listened to this one yet. I have been wondering lately when/why Dr. Macarthur hasn't done any prophecy update type thing. Glad he addressed some of the current stuff as most of those addressing it fall into extremes or are unreliable in other ways. I wish Dr. Macarthur were my pastor! Yay for the internets.
ReplyDeleteJennifer
Okay, I listened to it. That was excellent. The best sermon or response to our current situation as a country, yet. So many seem to be calling for us to try and change things or thwart our culture (which you and I have discussed recently). Dr. Macarthur had the biblical response that we cannot change things, nor does the bible call us to. That it will take 3 to 4 generations to come out of it, if at all. YES. Finally!
ReplyDeleteHis comments about the culture not helping us, and making parenting that much harder were on the mark. I feel such a heavy weight as a parent to young teenagers right now. We are definitely going against the tide in our family, even amongst "Christian" families. The entertainment industry, as he noted, is swamping us in a cesspool of iniquity and as a mom I feel like I am drowning, trying to raise my children in a way the honors the Lord. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
Jennifer
I'm waiting for the transcript. I prefer to read along as I listen, I get more out of it that way. ;)
ReplyDelete-Carolyn
Transcript up, I read it, good sermon!
Delete-Carolyn
I just listened to this sermon twice and took notes. It is a wake up call to all, we defiantly are in the end times. Here are his 10 points on a Domed Nation. I agree, Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
ReplyDelete1-Facination for living for pleasure
2-Dominance of selfishness
3-Evil of materialism
4-Immorality (absence of morality)
5-Anger
6-Vengence
7-Absense of forgiveness
8-Divisive prejudice
9-Loss of respect for authority
10-Civil rebellion
11-Decline in swift/severe punishment
12-Desire for weak, impatient, immoral, leaders
Having a deep reservoir of MacArthur’s Doctrinally sound teachings, I would like to clarify what I believe MacArthur is saying lest someone falsely presume that he is giving some type of mystical prediction in what would come in the next few weeks.
ReplyDeleteMacArthur says, and I quote "So as we look at America, and I don't know what's going to happen in the next few weeks when I'm not here, I'm just pre-empting that a little bit by helping you to be able to think through whatever happens."
I think what he is really getting at is the fact that he has, and the discerning saint likewise, have eye witnessed a whole spectrum of events that have been, and are picking up momentum in a downward spiral in the cesspool of rot, and escalating out of all the God given restraints that we are poised for the next shocker which is lurking around the next corner. He apparently, and we the redeemed as well are watching all sorts of sad sibilant realities like multiple fireworks going off, and we are poised for the next display at any moment. Things have reached the point that we almost expect something to occur, whether a calamity in nature, civil unrest, financial collapse, more moral rot, some law aimed to silence the Christian, or a wide range of other things.
Moreover, if I am correct, the supreme court rulings concerning the so called same sex marriages should be coming out soon. Either way on the rulings - the momentum on this perversion has already started and it will not stop. Besides, it is happening worldwide and with political endorsements and legal rights! Just try to take these so called rights back once they have been granted, as a whole this is just NOT going to happened.
MacArthur is saying that whatever happens (we the Christian know that things will grow worst) or does not happened when I am away, I want you to know this is where we are at (the contents of his sermon message), and so be prepared. Yes, he realizes that everything is like a ticking time B_ _ _ _ set to go off at any moment, so watch and pray!
Yes I, and I believe all real Christians care about all sinners, enemies and any other group. We care enough to extend Biblical TRUTH to them ALL, but we will not bow, bend, or shrink to their lies!
Rick
Metro Atlanta