When I picked up this book for the first time, I was mostly expecting a 100+ page lecture on forgiving other people. But the very first chapter made it clear John MacArthur’s main focus was not going to be someone else’s sin and our responsibility as Christians to love them anyway; he instead chose to target humanity’s sin and our desperate need for Divine grace. As he aptly points out, however, modern psychology has done a great disservice to our culture by ascribing to almost every sin a “scientific” explanation. Murderers, rapists, drug addicts, thieves and liars are no longer pointed to the cross; instead, their actions and addiction are often explained as some kind of social disorder, which then erases any guilt or sense of responsibility that may otherwise lead them to repentance.

Once a solid foundation is laid in support of our need to be forgiven, MacArthur explains God’s willingness to forgive and exactly how He is able to do this justly (“The Necessity of Atonement”). He did get a little distracted for a few paragraphs by predestination, but for the most part he kept everything short, sweet, and to the point. He also shares some beautiful insight into the story of the prodigal son, painting a good historical and cultural backdrop that sheds greater light on Christ’s most popular parable.

My biggest problem when reading theology is that most authors think repeating themselves again and again gives their work greater meaning, while I tend to find it redundant and boring. MacArthur, on the other hand, did a great job of condensing the doctrine of forgiveness into a very readable devotional (only 114 pages) that left me hungry for a deeper understanding of God’s forgiveness, not burnt out and ready to study something else. If you’re intrigued by the title, then you’ll probably be just as intrigued by the book itself and should seriously consider picking up a copy of this worthwhile read at your local Christian bookstore.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Disclaimer: I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and all expressed opinions are my own.

“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,”

-Ephesians 1:5

The sovereignty of God in predestination is really one of the most debated issues among Christians today. On one hand you have those who believe humankind is a slave to the will of God and that each of us essentially are without any choice in the matter of our personal salvation, while on the other hand there are those who would rather not give any consideration whatsoever to what the Bible has to say about individual election. The most common response is to label oneself a Calvinist or Arminian, find a local church with the same message, and do your best to avoid confrontation with those who hold to a different interpretation of Scripture. Sounds a little like politics, doesn’t it?

The most prevalent argument I’ve heard against predestination as a whole is that it’s incredibly unjust on God’s part. And certainly it would be, if the mind of God was as limited as human intelligence. If without any knowledge of the future the Lord sat in heaven and randomly chose names out of a hat, awarding those lucky few the assurance of eternal life in heaven while damning all others to an eternity of torment in hell without any hope of redemption, predestination would indeed be the epitome of prejudice and injustice. But this is not the case. God is altogether beyond time (Ps. 90:2) and His wisdom and knowledge are infinite in nature.

I say this to point out that, even before the foundation of the world, Jesus Christ was fully aware of the impending fall of man. In eternity past His plan of salvation was already in place, insomuch that He was even then aware of what your personal response to the Gospel would be. He knows where you will spend eternity and how many others will follow you there. Nothing escapes our Lord’s awareness, and to portray Him as a nervous onlooker wondering whether or not we’ll “receive Him into our hearts” is to essentially attack His sovereignty.

“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

-Revelation 22:17

But to say none of us have any say in the matter of our salvation is equally as dangerous. If one’s eternity is entirely beyond his control, then why should we invest in outreach ministries or world evangelism? If a choice made by God long before I even existed is the only determining factor of my future, then shouldn’t I enjoy every sinful pleasure this world would offer me and trust that, if I’m lucky enough to be one of God’s chosen, He’ll figure out a way to save me moments before I die? Not only does this view undermine the holiness of God, but it often undermines the individual Christian’s commitment to holiness.

So then what are we supposed to believe? I’m not saying we should find a comfortable middle ground and compromise any facet of the truth, but my own prayer and Bible study has led me to believe there are certain spiritual truths which even the wisest of Christians can never fully comprehend. Knowing from Scripture I have a personal decision to make that will ultimately determine my eternal home, while also understanding that there is a God “Who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will” (Eph. 1:11) seems like a contradiction, but it certainly wouldn’t stand alone as the only paradox in God’s Word. For instance:

• We’re exalted through humility (Jas. 4:10).
• Strength is found in weakness (2 Cor. 12:10).
• Through death to sin we find true life in Christ (1 Pet. 2:24).
• We’re to be in the world, but not of the world (John 17:15).

Certain things are simply beyond our full understanding and best serve as gentle reminders of God’s omniscience. Predestination and free will were not revealed to us for the purpose of creating church splits and relational discord; they are there to point to our Creator’s infinite wisdom and understanding. Let’s not allow Satan to turn them into stumblingblocks.