Inspirational Quotes by John MacArthur

“Y les dijo: ¿No sabéis esta parábola? ¿Cómo, pues, entenderéis todas las parábolas? MARCOS 4.13 Jesús fue un experto narrador de historias, pero nunca contó una historia solo por contarla. Sus parábolas no fueron juegos de palabras o misteriosos «resuélvalo usted mismo», donde se invitaba a cada oyente a proporcionar su propio significado. Cada una de sus parábolas transmitía una enseñanza importante, originada por Cristo mismo y fortalecida por él en la estructura de la parábola. Esa es una realidad crucial para recordar, porque explica cómo la verdad es compatible con la narración de historias. Ni siquiera la ficción es totalmente incompatible con nuestras ideas convencionales de verdad, porque a la larga toda historia bien narrada la plantea. Y lo importante de una buena historia es que se supone que es cierta (o al menos una verdad de vida en algún nivel), aunque la historia misma pinte un panorama totalmente imaginario. Las parábolas resaltan una verdad importante, igual que la moraleja de una historia bien contada. Eso explica por qué la verdad vital contenida en una parábola es fija y objetiva, no es un pedazo metafísico de plastilina que podemos amasar y darle la forma que queramos. Recuerde que cuando Jesús empezó a usar parábolas en su ministerio público, se apartó a solas con los discípulos y cuidadosamente les explicó la parábola del sembrador (Mateo 13.18–23). Esta tenía un significado objetivo claro, simple, único y sencillo, y mientras Jesús se los explicaba les indicó que todas las parábolas se podían entender por medio de un método parecido de interpretación (vea Marcos 4.13). De ahí que no haya absolutamente ninguna razón para suponer que el uso de parábolas por parte de Jesús es de algún modo un indicio de que la verdad misma está tan oculta en misterio como para ser totalmente indescifrable.”

“The gospels do not relate the story of a misunderstood ethical teacher, a failed social revolutionary, a model of selfless humility, or even a heroic martyr; they reveal the Savior who is God incarnate, the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).”

“Sumisos unos a otros, revestíos de humildad; porque: Dios resiste a los soberbios, y da gracia a los humildes. 1 PEDRO 5.5 Un día Jesús llamó a un niño, lo sentó en medio de sus discípulos y dijo: «De cierto os digo, que si no os volvéis y os hacéis como niños, no entraréis en el reino de los cielos. Así que, cualquiera que se humille como este niño, ése es el mayor en el reino de los cielos. Y cualquiera que reciba en mi nombre a un niño como este, a mí me recibe» (Mateo 18.3–5). Jesús tenía gran respeto por la condición del niño. Vio en un niño el modelo de la dependencia y la confianza, la mente inocente y la humildad. Vio a una persona con ganas de agradar y dar gracias, y rápido para expresar el amor y rápido de aceptar y obedecer lo que se le ordenaba y enseñaba. Así que Él usó a un niño como una analogía para enseñar a sus discípulos la dependencia, la confianza, la humildad, el afecto y la obediencia. Quizá usted diga: «Pero Jesús solo estaba utilizando a los niños como una analogía de la forma en que los adultos se convierten y forman parte del reino de Dios». Permítame señalarle que una analogía solo funciona si está arraigada en la verdad. Si los niños no son fácil y totalmente recibidos en el reino de los cielos, la analogía de la conversión espiritual sería una muy pobre. Como es, la analogía es una grande. Los niños son aceptados en el reino y por eso, seamos sabios para llegar a ser como niños en nuestra dependencia espiritual del Señor para que nosotros, también, podamos ser fácilmente aceptados.”

“New Testament teaching does not focus on reforming and restructuring human systems, which are never the root cause of human problems. The issue is always the heart of man—which when wicked will corrupt the best of systems and when righteous will improve the worst. If men’s sinful hearts are not changed, they will find ways to oppress others regardless of whether or not there is actual slavery. On the other hand, Spirit-filled believers will have just and harmonious relationships with each other, no matter what system they live under. Man’s basic problems and needs are not political, social, or economic but spiritual. …”

“Our greatest limitation isn't the leader of the lives; it is the spirit within us.”

“The future glories of heaven have been overshadowed by the present glitter of earth, and many Christians have sunk into a health-wealth-and-prosperity comfort zone from which only death itself or the rapture of the church would dare remove them - and even those would be unwelcome intrusions to some. Few people long for heaven. (pg. 158).”

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.… He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already” (John 3:16, 18).”

“The world doesn’t judge us by our theology; it judges us by our behavior. The validity of Scripture in the world’s view is determined by how it affects us.”

“When pastors come to know their Bible, and get imbued with its lore and anointed by the Spirit through whom it speaks, “sermonizing” will give place to the kind of preaching that God bids us to preach, the exposition of His Word, which is not only much easier to do, but correspondingly more fruitful in spiritual results. And, it is the kind of preaching that people want to hear, the converted and the unconverted, the rich and the poor. A wide experience convinces me of this. Here is the minister’s field, his specialty, his throne. He may not be a master in other things, but he must be a master of God’s Word.”

“During the past twenty-five years, well-meaning Christians have founded a number of evangelical activist organizations and put millions of dollars into them in an ill-conceived effort to counteract the secular undermining of American culture. They have used these groups, along with existing Christian publishing houses and broadcast networks, to lobby hard for a “Christian” political viewpoint and fight back against the prevailing anti-Christian culture. Sadly, those believers have often displayed mean-spirited attitudes and utilized the same kinds of worldly tactics as their unbelieving opponents. The problem with this overall approach should be obvious—believers become antagonistic toward the very lost people God has called them to love and reach with the gospel. LESSONS”

“God simply is not calling us to wage a culture war that would seek to transform our countries into “Christian nations.” To devote all, or even most, of our time, energy, money, and strategy to putting a façade of morality on the world or the appearance of “rightness” over our governmental and political institutions is to badly misunderstand our roles as Christians in a spiritually lost world. God”

“It is the highest activity of the human soul, and therefore it is at the same time the ultimate test of a man’s true spiritual condition. There is nothing that tells the truth about us as Christian people so much as our prayer life.… Ultimately, therefore, a man discovers the real condition of his spiritual life when he examines himself in private, when he is alone with God.… And have we not all known what it is to find that, somehow, we have less to say to God when we are alone than when we are in the presence of others? It should not be so; but it often is. So that it is when we have left the realm of activities and outward dealings with other people, and are alone with God, that we really know where we stand in a spiritual sense.3”

“We can’t protect or expand the cause of Christ by human political and social activism, no matter how great or sincere the efforts. Ours is a spiritual battle against worldly ideologies and dogmas that are arrayed against God, and we achieve victory over them only with the weapon of Scripture.”

“Our duty as we relate to an increasingly secular and ungodly culture is not to lobby for certain rights, the implementation of a Christian agenda, or the reformation of the government. Rather, God would have us continually to remember Paul’s instructions to Titus and live them out as we seek to demonstrate His power and grace that can regenerate sinners.”

“Rather than demanding our rights and creating for ourselves a world where we feel safe and accepted, we need to see the deep spiritual needs of the world and concern ourselves with offering people hope through Jesus Christ. That’s what being a living sacrifice is all about. Third,”

“I would never want to be president because the power to bring righteousness to this country does not now and will never reside in public office.”

“The hallmark of grace is an obedient heart. Again, we must be clear: obedience does not produce or maintain salvation, but it is the inevitable characteristic of those who are saved.”

“When I pray, “Your kingdom come,” I am saying to God’s Holy Spirit, “Spirit of Christ within me, take control and do what You will for Your glory.” A true child of God won’t be preoccupied with his own plans and desires but with the determinate program of God, revealed in the person of Jesus Christ.”

“Our responsibility has never been to moralize the unconverted; it's to convert the immoral. Our responsibility is redemptive, not political. We do not have a moral agenda; we have a redemptive agenda. We can't reform the kingdom of darkness that Satan rules.”

“What teachings of Scripture do you still mainly follow out of dutiful habit, not with an eye toward honoring God or being used as a blessing to others? What has your legalistic adherence gained for you, and what has it cost you?”