[Faith Presses On]

- This was John MacArthur’s recollection of the conversation. We only hear from him.

- It’s also just obviously a very tiny selection from the conversation, the condensed version, leaving a lot of room for speculation. And there must have been considerably more said about the woman’s book than we’re told here.

- While the woman might well have said that the book was worth a lot of money, I do nevertheless have some doubts. Most people have a bit more filter than that, even in their own thoughts. If I were to speculate - which we’re left to do here - I’d say that it’s very possible that she said something
similar sounding that MacArthur took a certain way, and that “money quote” made for a clearer “lesson” in the telling afterward.

- With so little to go on, though, I think you have to consider alternatives. For example, we don’t know what that book meant to that woman. She might have been willing to part with it after going over it. When you hear about the lives of prostitutes, it often sounds like it’s not just “business” to them, but their pimp might be their “boyfriend.” A black man once told me that his parents, who raised a family together, were pimp and prostitute. This world is the “support system” for many prostitutes.

- Then there’s her remark, “I guess I don’t really want Jesus, do I?” I think there’s a lot of reason to doubt MacArthur’s interpretation of it. It’s probable that she came from a broken, unstable home with sexual abuse and substance abuse. She likely failed out of school. And she’s a failure by being a prostitute. MacArthur, as a spiritual authority that she can’t question, as she is such an open sinner, has given her a “test” to pass in order to be a Christian, and since she won’t burn the book right then, she knows he’s implicitly giving her an F. That’s likely what she’s saying because she feels like she has to say something — “I guess I failed at being a Christian.”

- Going by what’s written, it does sound like MacArthur ended up being judgmental towards her, though so little is said, it’s not clear where his heart was. As a Christian who has been in some ways part of both the upper middle class and the low income, including being homeless, I have experienced and witnessed how often someone in the upper class just doesn’t see what someone in the lower class is actually dealing with.

We all know that at any given time, our spiritual strength has its limits. As Christians, we are to allow Christ to grow our strength, but as long as we’re here, many situations will be very difficult for us. Oftentimes, though, more elder Christians, while aware of their own need for God’s mercy as they struggle to carry the their burdens, nevertheless don’t recognize that many newer Christians and those with very messed up lives often have a lot less spiritual strength.

While we can see when people struggle to carry something, until we actually see that, we tend to go by what seems heavy or light to us. Something that is light to the average man might be heavy to a woman, someone in bad health. Children can’t carry what adults can. Sometimes people are already carrying other things. With actual physical burdens, this is all easy to see. With invisible burdens, it’s not. Which is why we should be loathe to make quick judgments about people we don’t really know going by appearances, and without an attitude of mercy and humility.

Consider MacArthur and this lady. He has pastor responsibilities this woman doesn’t have, but he also has many advantages she doesn’t. I believe his father was a pastor, so he grew up in a Christian world. For all its faults, the church still functions much better overall than the world does. He has many burdens, but also a large, edifying Christian support system. By contrast, what does this woman likely have?

What I’ve experienced and witnessed is that often many Christians who have been in the church for a long time quickly judge people who are their “lessers” using appearances, when it comes right down to it.

[unlearner]

Lots of people seem to react to the story by finding fault with MacArthur.

In fact, some seem to be more concerned with his supposed fault in asking this woman to burn her book of prostitution clients than the fact that she was prostituting.

Another possible choice could have been to turn it over to the police. (I’m not saying she should have. Just pointing out that there are more than 2 options here.)

Acts 25:11 NKJV
For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.”

Romans 13:3 NKJV
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.

Maybe the problem was her needing deliverance from demons. Jesus did not just forgive Mary Magdelene. He cast the demons out of her.

Mark 16:9 NKJV
Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.

Maybe she just needed to go through a little more painful consequences of the life she was living.

John 5:14 NKJV
Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”

I’ll be glad to accept such criticism of MacArthur from someone who can honestly claim, with God as witness, that they have personally led prostitutes to Christ who completely reformed their lives, and went on to become godly wives and mothers. I would not be surprised if MacArthur has numerous such testimonies during his years of ministry.

I’ve ministered to a number of prostitutes. One I bought a meal for and shared Christ with was a very beautiful young woman, other than the track marks on her legs. She was a heroin addict. She shared that she had begun her journey into drugs and prostitution as a teenager who got pregnant and had a mother who forced her to have an abortion. She turned to drugs to cope with the pain of this. Being pretty, she had plenty of men who would help to support her addiction in exchange for sex.

I offered to put her in touch with a Christian ministry who would help her with a place to live, food, and addiction recovery. She wanted help but was unwilling at that time to accept the real help she needed. She preferred the “easy” life of working at strip clubs and prostituting.

The Bible is explicitly clear that prostitutes and the men who go in to them will NOT inherit the kingdom of God. Numerous scriptures back this up. Many warnings are given not to let anyone deceive us concerning such matters. Anyone who suggests that this woman or any woman (or man) can be a believer and also engage in prostitution is a liar, a deceiver (including the self-deceived), and a false teacher. The Bible speaks with the harshest language, of the harshest penalties in this life and the world to come for those who do not repent of this, and this means fully break from it.

I Corinthians 6:15-20 NKJV
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Ephesians 5:3-6 NKJV
But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Revelation 2:20-23 NKJV
Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.

I find it quite ironic that so many people ooze with compassion for the prostitute in this story and feel MacArthur is just too harsh and demanding. Yes, the woman is a victim of sin and the Devil. Yes, she needs compassion. But what MacArthur gave her is compassion. Lying to someone by telling them their sin is no danger to them is not compassionate.

Hopefully, no one here would advise a murdering, abusive, violent, drug-dealing pimp that he could receive Jesus into his life without an immediate break with his illegal and immoral lifestyle.

This woman was engaged in a life that not only destroyed herself, but it destroyed the men who were her customers, the wives of men who were her customers, and the children from the broken homes that this behavior caused.

I’ve heard people say to hate the sin and love the sinner. Fine. But don’t leave out the proper attitude toward the sin. It matters.

Jesus gave His life to save sinners like this woman and me. He didn’t give His life so we could escape the consequences of sin and yet remain living in sin.

[BDParrish]

Thank you for your response.
Unlearner, you should think about the fact that merely citing the scripture you are misinterpreting does not prove your interpretation. I can comment further, but you did admit that you have not studied MacArthur’s brand or any form of TULIP Calvinism. Your answers here do sound to me like your presuppositions, especially definitions have been influenced by Calvinism. Of course, I can see much truth in your words, but I am speaking to the very heart of MacArthur’s point, that he grieves knowing that she left him STILL in her sins, because she did not perform what he considers to be the required work of salvation for her.

Because of my personal history and my theological training, I am also reading MacArthur’s words with full understanding of his doctrine of “Lordship Salvation”. Faith Presses ON, you are writing about certain true principles and I appreciate your perspective, especially about accepting verbal accounts and not knowing everything needed to judge a situation. In my counseling ministry I first had to learn to really listen. Then I had to learn to ask and ask and ask. The best lesson I ever learned was this: by the time I had in my mind a clear idea of the problem, I required myself to ask ten more questions before getting to any advice or solutions.

However, your perspective. FPO, presumes that there is the possibility that this woman left her session with MacArthur as a saved person. This is inconceivable under his theology, Lordship Salvation. There are forms of Calvinism that might allow for it, but not usually, and certainly not his.

The perspective of Samurai_Jack on this thread is the correct one under my theology. Here is a blog which I find helps people understand what I mean.
https://indefenseofthegospel.blogspot.com/
If you read on the blog let me know your reaction. (I have no connection to them.)