The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 1301-R, titled "Bible Questions and Answers Part 20."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE.  ©1982. All Rights Reserved.

Question

I have been involved in people who are close to me, who have entrusted their life with the Lord, and they believe that they’ve been saved, but they’re having trouble dealing with the things that come after that, as far as, they think when they’ve accepted the Lord, that everything is supposed to be wonderful and no problems. And there’s problems, and its become very emotional to them, and they feel like they’ve been deserted. Now, as far as my answer to them, all I could say is to say that, the Lord knows best, if you trust Him with your life. It’s not always going to turn out like you want it to, but in the long run it’s what’s right, what’s good for you. But that doesn’t seem to fulfill them.

Answer

OK, realize this: it’s like the parable of the soils. Some of those people that respond to Christ initially, and then the troubles of the world and the cares of this age choke out what started to grow, and it gives evidence they never were really regenerated. The real test of their salvation will be if they still love Jesus Christ and affirm his Lordship through this. If they bail out in the middle, they give evidence that there was not real root to begin with. So from the parable of the soils in Matthew 13, we learn that the Lord is going to test the seed that is planted as to its genuineness. So you can encourage them along that line.

But secondly, I do believe that those who really are genuine can struggle. And that is why it is essential for them to be involved intimately with other believers so they can find strength and resource. They need to be in a church; they need to be being taught because that kind of stuff is offset by the power of the Word of God in their life and by the care and the love of other believers. So that’s important for them, and there’s really no easy answer, because the fact is, you don’t know whether they’re really saved, either. The test will tell that.

Question continued

How do they overcome the emotional part of it?

Answer continued

I Corinthians 10:13 says that “there has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way of escape.” I can just pick out what I believe about that verse at this point. I believe the way out is through. They’ve got to go through that, and emotion is part of it. Emotion is just God-given release; it’s very healthy. And that kind of trauma is part of the test, and if they go through the testing of their faith, they will come out as fine gold. “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials,” James says, “knowing that the trial of you faith worketh patience, and patience has a perfecting work.” It’s like John 16:21, is it, where it says, it’s like childbirth. The Lord says a woman has great pain in bearing a child, but the very thing that causes her the pain is what gives her the joy. And if you can endure the pain, the results are great. And that’s where Job was; he said, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” And when He’s done with me, I’ll come out like gold. So the thing that a real believer wants to do is say, “I’m looking at this and I’m not bailing out; I’m wanting to see what God’s going to do in the perfecting of my life through this trial.” A true believer, I think has that perspective rather than the perspective of abandoning the faith.

Question continued

Is it right to put faith in being able to change a person, as far as that’s what the problem is: trying to change a person who’s still of the world, and because, you know, you’re in love it’s hard, you know, emotions get in the way?

Answer continued

In other words, you’ve got somebody who said they’ve committed themselves to Christ, but they’re still loving somebody who’s not a Christian?

Question continued

Yes, who’s very bad in their life.

Answer continued

I think I would say to a person like that, “If you really want to show your commitment to Jesus Christ, you have to cut the cord.”

Question continued

Actually let go of that person then? Not try and help them, save them?

Answer continued

Well, you can try to help them, but you can’t help them by being in their arms.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur's Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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