"First, Scripture teaches that the gospel calls sinners to faith joined in oneness with repentance (Acts 2:38; 17:30; 20:21; 2 Pet. 3:9). Repentance is a turning from sin (Acts 3:19; Luke 24:47) that consists not of a human work but of a divinely bestowed grace (Acts 11:18; 2 Tim. 2:25). It is a change of heart, but genuine repentance will effect a change of behavior as well (Luke 3:8; Acts 26:18-20). In contrast, easy-believism teaches that repentance is simply a synonym for faith and that no turning from sin is required for salvation."
John Macarthur is right about one thing that faith and repentance are basically the same acts. To repent is to believe. However, repentance from sin does not entail a change life-style from sin. John Macarthur verses do not say anything at all about repentance being something that entails our work. Repentance is just a change of mind about the Gospel of Christ Jesus where sinners who once hated the truth now believe the truth. Macarthur wrongly thinks by saying repentance, the way he understands it, 'is not a human work but a divinely bestowed grace' that this keeps his gospel from being false. No where does Luke 3:8 say that repentance is other than a change of mind. What is the fruit of repentance if it is only a change of mind? It is believing right doctrine. John Macarthur's last sentence is just begging the question and is just fillers; for none of the verses he quotes even remotely agrees with his point.
"Second, Scripture teaches that salvation is all God's work. Those who believe are saved utterly apart from any effort on their own (Titus 3:5). Even faith is a gift of God, not a work of man (Eph. 2:1-5,8). Real faith therefore cannot be defective or short-lived but endures forever (Phil. 1:6; cf. Heb. 11). In contrast, easy-believism teaches that faith might not last and that a true Christian can completely cease believing."
This is perhaps just besides the point. Yes salvation is wholly God's work alone. However, this does not mean that I believe that Macarthur is correct on the Lordship salvation heresy. Macarthur simply assumes that Faith is more than assent (he does not even prove his assumption either). I have not said that a Christian can lose his salvation. Of course a Christian can for a time be subjected to his or her own sin. However, this does not mean that faith is not intellectual assent to the Gospel proposition. Of course, I am not an Arminian and once you are saved you are eternally secured no matter what you do.
"Third, Scripture teaches that the object of faith is Christ Himself, not a creed or a promise (John 3:16). Faith therefore involves personal commitment to Christ (2 Cor. 5:15). In other words, all true believers follow Jesus (John 10:27-28). In contrast, easy-believism teaches that saving faith is simply being convinced or giving credence to the truth of the gospel and does not include a personal commitment to the person of Christ."
This makes absolutely no sense. Faith is grounded in Christ Himself? Has Macarthur actually seen Christ and heard directly from Christ? How does Macarthur know who Christ is? Even Geerhardus Vos whom I quoted in another post would disagree. You cannot distinguish between the person of Christ from the words he has spoken. Even if Faith is assent to the Gospel propositions (which it is) does not mean that it is any less personal than if we were to agree with Macarthur on this issue (which we do not).
http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/A114
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