On Sunday, Pastor-teacher John MacArthur of Grace Community Church offered a stern warning to President Joe Biden following last week’s inauguration.
MacArthur cautioned Biden on placing his hand on the Bible while pledging “to do the very things that blaspheme His name.”
“You can say whatever you want to say,” he began “but when you touch the ark, when you place your hand on the throne of God, because God is enthroned in His Word, and you place your hand on the Word of God and pledge to do the very things that blaspheme His name.”
“God doesn’t want your respect, He wants your obedience”, MacArthur asserted.
“Don’t tell me you advocate for the slaughter of babies in the womb,” he continued. “Don’t tell me you want to destroy masculinity, femininity, marriage. Don’t tell me you want to fill the world with LGBTQ people in leadership, you want to justify transgender activity. Don’t tell me you want to invite more Muslims in who represent a religion from Hell and then put your hand on the throne of God.”
MacArthur, who has been pastoring the Los Angeles based church since 1969, made headlines last year for defying the state’s COVID restrictions on houses of worship that resulted in fines and court hearings.
Over a week ago last Sunday, he addressed how mainstream media outlets like ABC, CNN and the Los Angeles Times along with “ungodly bloggers” attempted to discredit his church.
“They tried every way to close Grace Church. And I think it is true that there is no more scrutinized church in the United States of America than Grace Community Church,” MacArthur explained. “I’m still here.”
MacArthur also alluded to the recent scandals among well-known Christian leaders such as the late apologist Ravi Zacharias and Carl Lentz, the former pastor of Hillsong New York.
“First of all, phonies are going to have a hard time hiding with the internet. We’re seeing one after another after another,” he noted “Dead ones and alive ones. This dead apologist had a deviant sex life. This cool dude rock and roll pastor was immoral with multiple women for years and years.”
The context of MacArthur’s comments addressed how there is “a superficial Christianity” that has tried to “appeal to nonbelievers” yet they don’t come to saving faith because of the corruption that has taken place amongst its leaders.
He argued that it would be difficult to call the church to repentance since “superficial Christianity made a lot of money” and “elevated a lot of charlatans.” Nevertheless, he believes that there is currently a “shifting and sifting” between the true church and a false church.
MacArthur addressed the importance of Christ at the heart of the Christian faith as that is the only way Christianity would have any appeal.
“We preach Christ, right? And you’re attracted to Him, right? But if there are people out there looking at Christianity, it has to be uninviting, maybe even repulsive. Who are these people? Filthy rich, immoral, corrupt, narcissistic. If it weren’t for Jesus Christ, Christianity would have no appeal,” he argued.
