Dr. MacArthur isn’t obligated to convince people of the sovereignty of God in salvation. He was using his forum to talk about something he believe in. It’s clear from reports of the sermon that he wants pastors to really think through this issue as a matter of being (a) faithful to the text, and (b) consistent in their theology. From what I have read and heard from those who heard the sermon he makes some valid points. Admittedly, I am a “dispy pre-mil” as well. I hope to have more thoughts on the sermon on my site when I get the audio in a couple of days.

Thanks for the forum, Timmy.

I agree with you brother (it’s good to hear from you by the way!). This type of rancor about eschatology is a badge of the fundamentalist movement which sought to elevate non-essential matters to essential. Anyone who appears to look like a modern-day Bob Jones Sr., John R. Rice, or Carl McIntire, I am very wary of. We need men like Lloyd-Jones and Henry as reminders of how we can disagree and dicuss theology while focusing and uniting under the gospel of Jesus Christ.

If you can remember, MacArthur noted at the T4G conference that the doctrine of the headship of Christ was the missing doctrine of the day. I believe he is on to something, but what about dividing the body? Should we not take Christ’s call to unity seriously? If Christ is the head, who unites us into one calling, one gospel, one salvation, then why should there be needless division and polemics over such non-essentials?

This is an excellent take on the controversy. I feel rebuked for my bad attitude (I listened to the message). Thanks, I needed that!

I’m still disapointed in Dr. MacArthur. The focus should be on being Together for the Gospel. We can have irenic discussions about eschatology, but we shouldn’t be attacking each other.

The issue here is not whether McArthur can be premil but rather if a Reformed brother (or sister) could be anything but premil. I can’t examine the content at this point because the audio is not available yet (at least I think it isn’t). But from what I have read elsewhere, it appears that MacArthur is making a prescriptive and conclusive argument against anything but the premil position (at least if you’re Reformed).

There are many Reformed brethren who hold to a different eschatology than MacArthur’s dispy pre-mil position, and they are well documented and Scripturally valid. Do you not think that beginning a conference with a message like this would eclipse whatever thenceforth would be offered?

In all of this, I ask myself, “Why?” Why at a pastors conference where you have Reformed brethren gathered in unity over the gospel you begin by being polemical over a non-essential matter? I just don’t see it.

I thought of the verse John Flavel preached so many sermons on in his day as fitting for me in this situation:

“Keep your heart with all viligance, for from it flows the spring of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.”

Proverbs 4:23-24

Hearty Amens.