Rating: 
Summary: Ephesians 2:8-9
Review: "For by GRACE are ye saved through FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of WORKS, lest any man should boast."
I don't understand why MacArthur doesn't want you to know what the entire NT says about salvation. The verses above are essentially repeated numerous times in Paul's writings. YOU do not have to pay a price for salvation; if you did, then the crucifixion of Jesus would have been in vain.
I am also amazed at MacArthur's shallowness when it comes to the so-called "seeker" movement. He claims it is "Christianity Lite", a "watered-down gospel". From what I have seen by PERSONAL experience (not hearsay like MacArthur), you can hear just as much Gospel at one of those churches as you can at *his* church (maybe more!!!). John, let me tell you this: people go to these churches not to escape the truth, but to escape the dogmatic tradition which has shackled so much of the church. Is there really anything wrong with wearing casual clothes instead of a business suit? Or singing psalms instead of Fanny Crosby hymns? Or in drinking *coffee* (gasp) during a service. Or in showing JOY in a service instead of sitting there with a deadpan face? I challenge anyone to show me ANY scripture that would indicate that what goes on at some indie/fundie church (like MacArthur's) is better than what goes on at a "seeker" church.
One star; a ghastly book.
Rating: 
Summary: Defends The Purity of the Gospel
Review: "Hard to Believe" is another hard-hitting, no-holds-barred strike against the modern church. Much as he did years ago in "Ashamed of the Gospel", MacArthur takes aim at easy-believism and a watered-down, seeker-friendly gospel. In particular, he criticizes the influence of those who preach self-esteem, a health and wealth gospel and aim to be overly seeker-friendly. This book forceful - so much so that there were several places where the force of his words and his anger at the perversion of the gospel shocked me and stopped me short. MacArthur's righteous indignation reminded me of Spurgeon who wrote many similar books and essays in his day. In case you are wondering more specifically who he is writing about, the only person he mentions by name is Robert Schuller and his infamously antibiblical book "Self Esteem: The New Reformation." However, it is easy to see shades of many popular Bible teachers if one reads between the lines.
While I have utmost respect for MacArthur and regard him as one of my most trusted Bible teachers, I often find that he speaks out against a caricature of a movement rather than a more accurate portrayal. He tends to speak in generalities and criticize a worst-case scenario. I suppose this is necessary lest he speak out against a specific person or church, yet it does cause his words to lose some of their impact. I have been heavily exposed to the seeker-friendly movement and have found that much of it is not as badly corrupted as he would indicate. Despite that small complaint, this book is powerful and contains a clear depiction of the gospel. And even more important, it contains a clear call to maintain the purity of the gospel and to ensure that the church continues to focus on preaching the pure gospel. To allow unbelievers to influence our churches to such an extent that we replace the gospel with something friendlier to the unregenerate is to deviate from God's plan and further, is to lead the church into inevitable decay. The gospel is not meant to be kind to unbelievers; it is meant to either convict or offend. As with all MacArthur's books, he quotes liberally from Scripture and exposits God's word to the reader. Few men are more gifted in that task than he is.
I did find one particularly troubling statement in the book. One page 93 MacArthur writes, "Salvation isn't the result of an intellectual exercise. It comes from a life lived in obedience and service to Christ as revealed in the Scripture; it's the fruit of actions, not intentions. There's no room for passive spectators: words without actions are empty and futile... The life we live, not the words we speak, determines our eternal destiny." While I agree that faith and actions can not be separated, to say "salvation...comes from a life lived in obedience and service to Christ" is dangerous ground. I know enough about MacArthur to understand he is not preaching salvation by works, but one could easily understand his words to mean that. In his eagerness to criticize the seeker-friendly gospel, it seems he almost begins to advocate works-righteousness.
"Hard to Believe" presents the gospel as it is - as something that is more than hard, but actually impossible to believe without the Spirit's help. Watering it down - making it easy to believe - can never succeed. When we tamper with the gospel we tamper with the very wisdom of God, who saw fit to share news that is so foolish that none can believe it without His illumination. Our job is to preach the gospel, and full gospel, and leave the results to God. "Then, instead of being unbelievable and foolish, these words that are so hard to believe become the only balm that soothes a sinful heart...Those hard words become precious and welcome and treasured. `All that the Father gives to Christ, they will come.' They will come. Our calling is to reach them with the truth." (page 215) That very truth is the foundation of this book.
I am happy to recommend this book. I believe it would make an interesting companion to "Ashamed of the Gospel" which covers much of the same material but from an earlier perspective. While "Ashamed of the Gospel" serves as a warning, "Hard to Believe" serves as a wake-up call. And truly the church needs to wake up and return to the clear, forceful preaching of the Good News of Jesus Christ!
Rating:
Summary: Honest...
Review: **** For some people, this book is going to be hard to take. In an effort to be "seeker sensitive, " hundreds of churches have watered down the gospel, softening the harder truths with a blend of feel good gushiness and pop psychology. Dr. MacArthur, with bravery equal to his more secular military namesake, tackles the gospel head on. His explanation of the Reformed faith is simple to understand, bringing to mind Mark Twain's assertion that he did not worry too much about the parts of the Bible he could not understand, the parts he could were enough to worry him. Yet, despite the stark honesty, the book makes it plain that God loves us, and He wants us all saved. God's sovereignity and love are the message of this book. You will come away convicted and reassured. ****Reviewed by Amanda Killgore.
Rating:
Summary: an apology from the "non-elect"
Review: although i appreciate the prayer from all those who are concerned with my views on this book, please don't waste your time. apparently, i was pre-destined to think this way, so it's not really my fault. it's just the way God intended when he thought it all up. besides, if you are praying for something to take place that God has already predetermined wouldn't happen, wouldn't that be an attempt to interfere with God's will? i wish i could change my mind and agree with you all on the idea that God controls who loves him back or not, but that wouldn't be true to the doctrine of John MacArthur because i am already doomed to this "wrong" ideology and now i will gladly take my place among the hopeless and hellbound "non-elect". may God predestine you all.......
Rating: 
Summary: This book is brilliant - buy it for all your friends!
Review: Christmas is coming folks! Buy this book for all your friends and make 101% sure that your pastor and everyone on the borad of elders or deacons has it. It is THAT good folks! Make sure you also buy plenty of his other books, the books by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and by Dr Lloyd-Jones's grandson Christopher Catherwood as well. John is simply the best preacher around in the USA today - even better than John Piper - and this book shows it again and again!
Rating:
Summary: The Hard Truth
Review: Does one have to be a disciple of Jesus to be saved or is discipleship different from saving faith? I applaud Macarthur for approaching this issue and taking a stand against easy believism. While this book is not as comforting as many christian books of the "everyone will be saved variety," I would take a biblical truth over a feel good version any day. Despite what some may argue, Macarthur doesn't argue for a works based salvation. Rather he argues for a salvation that works. That may seem like a symantical distinction but it truly is not. True faith produces a change in a person, a repentant heart, and a willingness to strive to obey. Churches today focus on the gift of eternal life, while leaving the necesssity out of reptentance and the warning of "dead faith" as James calls it. Jesus made some very demanding claims and there is no getting around them. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn what the bible says about saving faith. I am, however, concerned that its inflammatory tone will scare some seekers away because of the "high demands" Macarthur discusses.
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Summary: The Truth with No Mixed Words (Should have more Stars)
Review: Hard To Believe was a tremendous confirmation for me and my understanding of the true church today. Too many people trying to get to heaven with "Easy-Believism" or a "Recliner" church mentality. The truth is that we cannot just "tip our hat toward God" and expect all to be well with our soul. God requires a different, more complete sacrifice of our lives than simply the "well beaten" confession. Surely, confession is God's remedy for the sin that plagues us, however, He demands nothing less than a life of committment. I fear that we have lost that concept in the 21st Century Church. God help us all if we stray from the plain truth as taught not only from Your Word but from the talent of people like Pastor John McArthur.
Rating: 
Summary: is the cross the stumbling block or is macarthur himself?
Review: Having read The Gospel According to Jesus and The Gospel According to the Apostles (other books by John MacArthur), I have for a number of years defended MacArthur in the lordship controversy. I do not agree with his theology wholesale, but I have sought to keep those in the "free grace" movement from misunderstanding what he has said. Those from the "free grace" perspective have accused MacArthur for decades of saying that faith in Christ is not enough to save, but his point in those other books has never been to add to faith, but rather to redefine faith. In this book, however, the same cannot be said. In Hard to Believe, MacArthur blatantly states his position that good works are necessary for salvation, and if he means to distinguish between justification and sanctification (in that good works are necessary for sanctification, not justification) then he has done a very poor job of making that clear.
Having grown up in conservative and traditional churches and having recently become part of a seeker-sensitive church, I can understand some of MacArthur's arguments against that movement. It is certainly true that the seeker-sensitive movement has, in many cases, forsaken the biblical message in order to entertain and make people feel good. But he is wrong in saying that seeker-sensitive equals unbiblical. There is nothing in the Bible that says we must have absolutely nothing attractive about us other than the gospel (and his gospel is not attractive at all!) His attitude of "people come to our church and they either get saved or they don't come back" is abhorent. He has lost entirely the difference between a gospel that offends because it confronts our pride (and I agree with him that it does!) and a Christian or Christian church that offends because he/it has a superiority complex.
There will always be a difficult and necessary tension for the Christian church between love and truth; I am certainly not claiming to arrived at that tension perfectly! But as a Christian I am deeply offended by the arrogance of John MacArthur and if he spoke for God so perfectly as he claims to, I would be ashamed of my faith.
I recommend this book for Christians because it may serve as a warning not to you who see the exclusive claims of Christ, but to you Christians who would see their particular way of doing church as exclusive and superior to all others. Watch out for those who think they speak for God in a way unattainable to all others! If you are not a Christian but are interested in Christianity, I would not recommend this book at all because it is my desire that you find Jesus Christ, and you will not find Him here.
Rating: 
Summary: Legitimate concerns, but shoots too far ahead
Review: Here is another one of MacArthur's books that critiques the shallow Christianity common among modern-day evangelicals. Overall, the book is useful and informative, but there will be times when you fear that MacArthur has lost (or comes perilously close to) losing the Gospel. One can empathize with MacArthur's concern for greater commitment among today's Christians, the spiritual destructiveness of the health-wealth movement, and the problems of seeker-sensitive methods. There were many things in the book that I would give a hearty "amen!" to, but there were also other things written in the book that caused grave concern. I believe MacArthur's rightful criticisms sometimes lands him in hot water. For instance, on page 93, MacArthur seems to teach works-righteousness salvation: "Salvation isn't the result of an intellectual exercise. It comes from a life lived in obedience and service to Christ as revealed in the Scripture; it's the fruit of actions, not intentions.... The life we live, not the words we speak, determines our eternal destiny." He also equates saving faith with "commitment", "faithfulness", "loyalty", etc. One is left wondering how much commitment/faithfulness/loyalty we must have in order to be saved. MacArthur's zeal to critique the shallow Christianity of the modern church has led him away from the principles of the Reformation (whom many have been persecuted to uphold over the centuries). In fact, MacArthur seems to promote a type of salvation that is not "Hard to Believe" but "Impossible to Obtain." There were parts in the book where MacArthur promoted Reformation principles like faith alone and imputed righteousness, but those statements seem to be nullified by his other problematic statements. To those reviewers who gave this book four or five stars, I suggest you familiarize yourselves with the works of the Reformers. Contrast them with this book and you'll see that MacArthur in many places is not in accord with the Reformers. Salvation comes by faith alone, and our good works only reveal that God's grace has been worked in our hearts. They do not provide us with a righteous verdict in the eyes of God. I suggest pastors and seminary students read this book with a critical eye because there are some things in this book that will make the Reformers raise their eyebrows and wonder if they have successfully brought the church back to the teachings of the Apostles.
Rating:
Summary: I am praying for the poor guy who doesn't like this book
Review: I am praying for the poor guy who doesn't like this WONDERFUL book. It is one of the best Christian books in years, and if the poor freewill guy is in reality so challenged by the GREAT things that John is saying, well, he needs our prayers... Also read JI Packer and above all D.Martyn Lloyd-Jones on these subjects - they will bless your socks off!
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