Over the last two years, John MacArthur has undergone tremendous growth in how he engages in the civil arena. In the summer of 2020, he opened up his church, invoking the doctrine of lesser magistrates. He followed suit battling the state of California in court and won a settlement of $800000. Earlier this month, John MacArthur was one of the original signers of the Frankfurt Declaration. On September 28, John MacArthur penned an open letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom urging him to repent and consider his eternal fate.
Almighty God says in His Word, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Proverbs 14:34). Scripture also teaches that it is the chief duty of any civic leader to reward those who do well and to punish evildoers (Romans 13:1–7). You have not only failed in that responsibility; you routinely turn it on its head, rewarding evildoers and punishing the righteous.
MacArthur immediately opens up going to Romans 13, referencing how Gavin Newsom has failed to live up to it.
The Word of God pronounces judgment on those who call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20), and yet many of your policies reflect this unholy, upside-down view of honor and morality. The diabolical effects of your worldview are evident in the statistics of California’s epidemics of crime, homelessness, sexual perversions (like homosexuality and transgenderism), and other malignant expressions of human misery that stem directly from corrupt public policy. I don’t need to itemize or elaborate on the many immoral decisions you have perpetrated against God and the people of our state, which have only exacerbated these problems. Nevertheless, my goal in writing is not to contend with your politics, but rather to plead with you to hear and heed what the Word of God says to men in your position.
Fire and brimstone!
In mid-September, you revealed to the entire nation how thoroughly rebellious against God you are when you sponsored billboards across America promoting the slaughter of children, whom He creates in the womb (Psalm 139:13–16; Isaiah 45:9–12). You further compounded the wickedness of that murderous campaign with a reprehensible act of gross blasphemy, quoting the very words of Jesus from Mark 12:31 as if you could somehow twist His meaning and arrogate His name in favor of butchering unborn infants. You used the name and the words of Christ to promote the credo of Molech (Leviticus 20:1–5). It would be hard to imagine a greater sacrilege.
Furthermore, you chose words from the lips of Jesus without admitting that in the same moment He gave the greatest commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). You cannot love God as He commands while aiding in the murder of His image-bearers.
Here we see the context for this letter are the pro-abortion billboards funded by Newsom. Gavin Newsom has used the Bible in the past to support abortion, a key contention in this letter.
My concern, Governor Newsom, is that your own soul lies in grave, eternal peril. “Each one of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). One day, not very long from now, you will face that reality. Nothing is more certain. “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). You will stand in the presence of the Holy God who created you, who is your Judge, and He will demand that you give an account for how you have flouted His authority in your governing, and how you have twisted His own Holy Word to rationalize it. As you look over the precipice of eternity, what will your answer be? When you look ahead of you and see that nothing awaits you but eternal misery—the just punishment for your sins—what will all the clever rationalizations and political talking points avail for you then? And by then it will be too late for any remedy or redemption. “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).
My plea to you, Sir, is that you would not let it come to that—that you would not go to that day of judgment apart from receiving forgiveness and righteousness through faith in Christ alone. In Psalm 50, after rebuking the wicked for uttering God’s words in a profane way, Scripture makes this promise: “Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver. He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies Me; and he who orders his way, I shall show the salvation of God” (vv. 22–23).
So there is salvation for those who repent. Christ purchased full redemption for all who will turn from wickedness, forsake their evil thoughts and actions, and trust fully in Him as Lord and Savior.
Our church, and countless Christians nationwide, are praying for your full repentance. Please respond to the gospel, forsake the path of wickedness you have pursued all your life, turn to Christ, ask for forgiveness, and use your office to advance the cause of righteousness (as is your duty) instead of undermining it (as has been your pattern).
This gospel message may harden Newsom’s heart, but it will not be in vain. The word of God does not return void. The sword of the Spirit is our most powerful weapon in Spiritual Warfare and John MacArthur wielded it masterfully.
6 Responses
Praying for Pastor John
Great Rebuke overall; but MacArthur should pull the beam (theological errors) out of his own eye first. Also, MacArthur should go to the core of Newsom’s theology – Liberal Catholic Jesuit Liberation Theology – apostate to the core. All Roads Lead to Rome. It is amazing that for the most part, the conservative media will not mention the Jesuit agenda.
This is a Jesuit Counter-Reformation; instead of horse and buggies, we have cars and computers. Nothing new under the sun: Ecclesiastes 1:9. If the Lord has decreed (as a punishment and Judgement) for Newsom to take the White House; he will endeavor to declare some Biblical interpretations to be hate speech; thereby working on eroding the 1st Amendment. This is already at play based on his interpretations and misuse of the Word. Give it time, and unless pastors and saints hold allegiance to the State and its political agenda; true believers will experience full economic boycotts, etc… Newsom is fully aware of Georgetown University’s agenda, and he is working to implement it. Last I checked, Georgetown aggressively promotes transgenderism and all the other woke ideology taking over this country. Biden has worked his entire career putting Jesuits and Liberals into power; and he is fully aware of the Jesuit Agenda. In fact, Malachi Martin, a conservative, more traditional Jesuit predicted all this coming into fruition in his book: The Jesuits, The Society of Jesus and the Betrayal of the Roman Catholic Church. Take in Reformation history and the Counter-Reformation and all the Jesuit educated leaders in power, and it is not difficult to see; yet instead of hitting the core, our Baptist/Protestants leaders and politicians just want to label it as Communism and or Socialism. UNREAL
The Jesuits are also responsible for the globe earth deception. Everyone knew it’s flat before they started their lies to deceive mankind.
They also contributed to theistic evolution.
On occasion, Johnny Mac gets a bit strident (even for my tastes), this however, was not one of them – this was a straight-forward Biblical admonishment of a lost soul diving ever deeper into the depths of evil that are trying to drown all of society.
I don’t agree with MacArthur 100% of the time, but I am 100% of the time grateful for his unrelenting commitment to Jesus Christ, and the ministry he has propelled so powerfully for so many decades. Sadly, there aren’t many left today with his fortitude.