From the Vintage Archives of Expreacherman we re-present this article (newly titled) which continues to garner substantial attention since its release in 2009. As always, your thoughtful comments are welcome.
One of my readers who signs his comments “Stickin’ to the Bible” wrote a couple of comments which deserve more than just a cursory look.
He compared the doctrine of Francis Chan, author of a new book, “Crazy Love,” to John MacArthur.
I have never read the book but did look up Chan and his ministries and find him to proclaim Calvinist doctrine (as does MacArthur).
My friend, Stickin’ then proceeded to offer another comment with details from the pages of Chan’s book. I will quote some below — so you may be forewarned about Francis Chan.
Stickin’ To The Bible said:
I have also heard that Chan is a graduate of Master’s College and Seminary, both are schools founded and presided over by John MacArthur. In Chan’s book, “Crazy Love,” David Cook Pub., 2008, pp. 68-78, he creates a list of what he describes as his “Profile of the Lukewarm.” His descriptions are along these lines:
1. People who say they love Jesus but only include him as a part of their lives; 2. People who are moved by stories about those who do what he calls, “radical things for Christ,” but they themselves do not do such things; 3. People who rarely share their faith with others for fear of rejection; 4. on page 78 he says, “Lukewarm People feel secure because they attend church, made a profession of faith at age twelve, were baptized, come from a Christian family, vote Republican, or live in America.” After making his list of what he calls “The Lukewarm,” he then discards them like matchsticks all in one fell swoop on pp. 83-84. Chan says, “As I see it, a lukewarm Christian is an oxymoron; there’s no such thing. To put it plainly, churchgoers who are “lukewarm” are not Christians. We will not see them in heaven.”
Clearly, Stickin’ has pegged Francis Chan as a MacArthur type “Lordship Salvationist.” Chan’s statements above imply that one cannot be a Christian without good works — in direct opposition to multiple scriptures which state that salvation is free and complete apart from good works. Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, Romans 11:6.
Obviously Francis Chan has interpreted Scripture to suit himself or has never read the Book of First Corinthians about the carnal believers in Corinth.
Thanks to my reader Stickin’;… he has done a great job of research and reporting.
Notes From A Retired Preacher 