The Truth War: Fighting for Certainty in an Age of Deception (Hardcover)

by John MacArthur (Author)
Key Phrases: emerging church, headship over the church, New Testament, Lord Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Right now, Truth is under attack, and much is at stake. Christians are caught in the crossfire of alternative Christian histories, emerging faulty texts, and a cultural push to eliminate absolute Truth altogether. As a result, many churches and Christians have been deceived. Worse still, they propagate the deception that poses itself as Truth! In The Truth War John MacArthur reclaims the unwavering certainty of God's Truth and anchors Christians in the eternal, immovable promises that are found in His Word.

About the Author
John MacArthur, the author of numerous best-selling books that have touched millions of lives, is pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and president of The Master's College and Seminary. He is also president of Grace to You, the ministry that produces the internationally syndicated radio program Grace to You and a host of print, audio, and Internet resources. He authored the notes in the Gold Medallion Award-winning The MacArthur Study Bible. For more information, contact Grace to You at 1-800-55-GRACE.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (April 3, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785262636
• ISBN-13: 978-0785262633
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #174,178 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

82 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Very Important Book for Today's Evangelicals , April 4, 2007

By	Brian G Hedges (Niles, Michigan) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This very important book for today's evangelicals, is an outstanding blend of exposition, church history, theology, and engagement with trends in the contemporary evangelical church. MacArthur expounds the exhortation of Jude to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints with both clarity and conviction. He begins by asserting the reality of objective truth and cataloguing some of the attacks on truth from within the ranks of the church. MacArthur very clearly distances the Christian's "truth war" from the violent jihad of Islamic fundamentalism, and reminds us that our warfare is not against flesh and blood and is not fought with earthly weapons. But at the same time, he reminds us that we are both ambassadors of the Lord and soldiers in spiritual battle, and that we do not serve the truth well by building alliances with false teachers. Along the way, he develops the original context of Jude's letter and discusses some of the most important battles against false teaching in the history of the church (for example, the battles against Judaizers, Gnosticism, Sabellianism, and Arianism). He shows how to spot false teachers by pointing out the sin-producing effects of their teaching. As with many of MacArthur's books, this is a polemic targeted at specific strands of teaching in today's evangelical church, specifically the Emerging church and one of its primary spokesmen, Brian McLaren.

I disagree with the opinion of another reviewer who criticizes MacArthur's appeal to church history with the claim that "MacArthur has never show[n] a tendency to care about what the `Church' has to say about anything." This reviewer has not read enough of MacArthur's other writings, which often conclude with appendices full of quotations from some of the stalwarts of church history (check, for example, The Gospel According to the Apostles, Ashamed of the Gospel, Reckless Faith, The Freedom and Power of Forgiveness). The same reviewer comments that "this [writing polemical books] is all he [MacArthur] seems to do." Again, not true. Most of MacArthur's books, in fact, are commentaries and Bible study guides. There are many, many others that are simple and non-polemical books on various aspects of Christian living. But MacArthur does carry a unique burden for truth and often jumps in where others fear to tread. This is a great gift to the church and I'm grateful for MacArthur's legacy of biblical faithfulness - even though I would disagree with him on a few issues.

My one critique of the book is his (possibly inadvertent?) lumping of Mark Driscoll into the same crowd as other Emerging church leaders. MacArthur cites a quote from Don Miller's Blue Like Jazz about "Mark the Cussing Pastor" in a critical context. Everyone who knows anything about the Emerging church knows that this is Mark Driscoll, who unfortunately, has lacked some discretion in his use of language at times. However, he has, on the whole, proven himself a man of both biblical faithfulness and personal integrity. His theology would be quite similar to Dr. MacArthur's in most respects, even if his methodology is different. Driscoll shouldn't be considered a false teacher (if that was the implication MacArthur was intending to make) just because of his language, any more than Luther should be considered a false teacher because of his frequent use of invective in denouncing Roman Catholicism during the Reformation. That critique aside, I think this is an excellent book and deserves a very wide readership.

56 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Possibly One of MacArthur's Best Books To Date, March 24, 2007

By	Roy Ingle "The Seeking Disciple" (Augusta, GA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Dr. John MacArthur is not afraid to tackle difficult issues using the Bible. Over the years MacArthur has written timely books such as CHARISMATIC CHAOS, RECKLESS FAITH, THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JESUS, HARD TO BELIEVE, and so many others that have dealt with difficult issues and faulty theology. His latest book, THE TRUTH WAR, tackles the so called "emerging church movement." MacArthur is not afraid to take the movement to taks using not only their own writings and speeches but he also opens the readers mind to the Scriptures to help you see the importantce of not only knowing the errors of the emerming church but also what is the biblical definition of truth. Truth, writes MacArthur, is what we must live and die for because truth is not only found in the pasges of God's Word, the Bible, but in the living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ who was truth incarnate (John 14:6).

I appreciated the tone of this book. MacArthur is not writing to make friends but he is writing with a passion for the truth of God's Word to be preserved. Using the short epistle of Jude, MacArthur shows that the fight for truth has been an ongoing struggle for the Church but with the sword of the Lord, Christians can overcome these attacks against the truth (Ephesians 6:17). This age of tolerance is forcing the Church of God to either rise up and declare with boldness (Proverbs 28:1) that God and His Word alone are the truth (1 Timothy 3:15) or we will lose the war. While the battle is not being fought with guns or swords, the truth is being ignored for popular culture. We must guard the truth (1 Timothy 6:20-21).

Overall this is a great book and bound to be a classic for MacArthur. Over the years I have grown to love his ministry and heart and have no doubt that MacArthur is willing to lay his life down for the sake of the gospel (Romans 1:16-17). While I have not always agreed 100% with him, I have found that he is man of the Word who believes that proper theology and practice go hand in hand (Matthew 7:24-27). Every disciple of Jesus should read and study this important book on truth in an age of deception.

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Came at just the right time!, May 13, 2007

By	Kathleen G. Grant "author, speaker, and radio... (Centennial, CO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I live in the Denver, CO, area. I am the host of Let's Pray!, a radio vignette nationally syndicated on 328 stations, the author of a Scripture-based prayer guide, PRAYING IN THE WORD OF GOD, and the co-director with my husband, Dr. Paul Grant, of THE BREAD OF LIFE FOUNDATION.

Having been saved at the age of 30 out of an atheistic background, I have been astonished by the lack of Biblical belief and obedience by the majority of Christians in America. My husband and I have taught prayer to 24 denominations in 21 states and have found an appalling lack of love for Jesus, for prayer, for obedience to Christ, and for Biblical truth. We've often wondered in the last 29 years whether we're insane. We are often alone, often persecuted, yet madly in love with Jesus!

This book, more than anything else, has answered the question "are we insane?" with a resounding, "no!" We are not insane to stand up for the absolute truth of the Word of God. We are not insane to judge Christian leaders by that truth. We are not insane even though we often feel so alone! Jesus Christ is worthy. He has always been resisted by those who oppose Him.

We are forever grateful to Dr. MacArthur for giving us a historical perspective of the opposition to "the Truth" and for giving us so much needed support. I will never be so easily disuaded from standing for the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. This book is a life saver for me and for my husband! I know, now, that I ought to expect this kind of perversion of truth, I ought to count in pure joy to suffer persecution for Christ's sake, and I must continue speaking the truth in love knowing full well that many will not receive it.

More persecution lies ahead as the days grow more wicked. May Jesus Christ be pleased with my life and service! May I hear from Him, "Well done, my good and faithful servant!" And may you, too, hear those wonderful words!

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!