2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Does God Really Love the Whole World Like it Says in John 3:16?, September 12, 2009
I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly pleased with John MacArthur's book, The Love of God. It was much more of an in-depth study of the love of God than I expected. MacArthur doesn't just do an overview, briefly covering the classic texts like "God is Love" and "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son..." and then wrap it up with a little devotional on love. This book is much, much more than that.
This book is instead a carefully constructed study which begins with an overview of God's love as viewed in recent church history, the contemporary church, and even the unbelieving world. From there, MacArthur covers the biblical theology of love as seen in God's character, compares the love of God toward believers and unbelievers, and then in the cross, the ultimate proof of God's love.
No MacArthur book would be complete without at least a little bit of controversy. In chapter 3, MacArthur uses the story of the reluctant prophet Noah and the city of Nineveh to begin to reveal the love of God pictured in both his goodness and his wrath, how God can both love and hate humanity at the same time. Here, in his own unique style, MacArthur begins to confront the less than biblical views of such great authors as A.W. Pink and many who today have, in MacArthur's opinion, an unbiblical view of how and who God loves. I found this part of MacArthur's book the most revealing and informative.
MacArthur builds his case by thoroughly establishing important biblical points like the severity of God by covering God's inflexible justice, irresistible power, infinite mercy, and inconceivable righteousness. Then he quickly moves to addressing wrong questions about God, wrong perspectives of God, hard questions about God's love, and faulty views of God's providence. Then he finally begins to lay out the biblical truth that God does have a universal love for all of his creation, all of humanity, and not just the elect. No, he is not teaching Universalism! But he is showing that God does love both unbelievers and believers, just like John 3:16 says. He just doesn't love them both alike.
Most Christians struggle with this part of the doctrine of Divine love more than they are willing to admit. "God loves those who reject Jesus Christ?" "But doesn't the Bible say that God loved Jacob and hated Esau?" Can both really be true? This is why MacArthur's book is such a worthwhile read. It contains both the expected as well as the unexpected.
In chapters 6 and 7, MacArthur narrows his focus down to two of the most important points in this impressive study on the love of God. He calls those chapters The Love of God for Humanity and The Love of God for His Elect, respectively. This is where he ties his premise that God does have a sincere and genuine love for all of humanity and an absolutely awesome love for his chosen, his elect. According to Macarthur, too many today do not understand how this can be true and have strayed from the biblical doctrine of God's love to a more anthropocentric (man-centered) explanation in an attempt to answer those tough "How can a God of love do this or allow that?" questions. That's dangerous as it misrepresents who God is. MacArthur admonishes us to just stick with what scripture says!
MacArthur closes his study with a chapter entitled Finding Security in the Love of God. He uses the parable of the Prodigal Son to illustrate God's amazing and long suffering love and then shows the reader the doctrine using the Apostle Paul's 8th chapter of Romans. MacArthur's conclusion: "Nothing can separate us (the elect) from the love of God in Christ Jesus."
MacArthur includes four great appendices in the latter part of the book as an additional treat. Each appendix is an excerpt from a renowned pastor or theologian of the past as a practical application of his own teaching. Men like Glasgow pastor and professor of theology Thomas Chalmers, pastor and writer Andrew Fuller from England, noted Scottish pastor and author Thomas Boston, and Scottish preacher John Brown. MacArthur's book also contains End Notes, Scripture Index, and a Subject Index.
I guarantee you will be blessed, challenged and maybe even initially angered or taken back a little by some of the material in MacArthur's book. Like I said earlier, it wouldn't be a MacArthur book if it didn't have a little of all of these. This is not a book to skim through, nor is it one to take lightly. It has already dramatically broadened my perspective on evangelism and the greatness of God and his magnificent divine love.
I'm sure there are other good books on the subject of God's love. Some devotional studies and some scholarly attempts to cover this subject. If you're looking for a biblically sound and easy to read and understand book, I don't think you can do any better than Pastor John MacArthur's fine presentation.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The clueless given a clue., April 24, 2000
This review is from: The Love of God (Hardcover)
A true inspiration. I am now reading my Bible again with a much better understanding of what I had read before. I didn't realize how "clueless" I was until reading this book. I can now re-read the Bible with the awesome insight (i.e., a clue) of John MacArthur, Jr. I could hear him speaking throughout the book in his intelligent, clear and flowing style, just like his radio programs. A must read for believers. It also gives you something to go on when speaking to non-believers who blatently show their non-belief and are "proud" of it. My husband will read this book next and I will be sure to loan it to my friends so they too can "get a clue."
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
