The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Panorama City, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 70-15, titled "Bible Questions and Answers."  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. Copyright 1994 by John MacArthur Jr., All Rights Reserved.

Question

I was wondering if you could articulate for me your own personal theology? I know that you came from a dispensational background, and I was wondering if you could talk about, kind of like, the history of your studying the Bible and being confronted with covenant theology, and how you’ve sort of come to the conclusions you’ve come to, and when that happened?

Answer

Well, let’s see. I was born at a very early age, and fortunately was born near my mother. And let’s see, what else. I…I was raised in a dispensational environment; there’s no question. People used to say of me, “His hope is built on nothing less than Scofield’s notes and Moody Press.” And, I sort of grew up in that dispensational environment. But, as I got into seminary, I began to test some of those things. I have been perhaps aptly designated as a leaky dispensationalist. Or, the Reformed people who want to claim me as Reformed, say I’m Reformed, but confused. Here’s my dispensationalism--I’ll give it to you in one sentence: there’s a difference between the church and Israel--period! If you understand that, you understand the essence of what I believe is a legitimate, biblical dispensationalism. That permits a kingdom, that demands a kingdom, and that makes you premillenial. Because if you believe there’s a distinction between Israel and the church, then the church is not Israel, and if the church is not Israel, the promises of a kingdom of Israel have to come to pass, and that’s why you have to have a kingdom. I came to understand that more narrow definition of dispensationalism while in seminary, at least to begin to understand it, and found that my study of scripture over the last 30 years has yielded an affirmation that that is in fact correct.

At the same time in seminary, I began to be exposed to reading among more Reformed theologians, and found myself drawn toward carefully examining the scripture. And over the years of exegeting the scripture (now 25 years here), it has again yielded to me a Reformed theology. But, it is the byproduct of exegesis. I’ve always said a man has no right to claim a theology if he’s not an exegete because how can you know what the whole is if you can’t interpret the parts?

So, it’s been a process. I was convinced of it when I started and I’m more convinced of it now as I’ve gone through the text. I was convinced of it when I started because I read so many noble men who have held that view. It was more at that point hero worship, and now it’s become my own. 

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

Tony Capoccia
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