Title:  The Truth About Forgiveness

Author:  John teaching  MacArthur

 

            John ac Arthur is widely known for his thorough, candidnapproach to teaching God's Word.  He is a popular author and conference speaker and has served as pastor=teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley California, since 1969ni.  John's pulpit ministry has been extended around the globe through his media ministry, Grace to You,  and its satellite offices in seven countries.  He is the president of Th Master's College and Seminary and has written hundreds of books and study guides, each one bilical and practical.

            The Truth About forgiveness first tells us why we ned to be forgiven.  We are being told daily by "learned" professionals to deny are problems are caused by our own sin.  We are told that we are victims of one "disorder" or another.  Even parents are told to excuse misbehavior and seek therapy.  Mr. MacArthur says the disease=model approach to human behavior has so overwhelmed us as a society that we have gone haywire.  The sin-as-disease model has proved to be a boon to the multibillion-dollar counseling industry, and the shift toard lpng-term or even permanent therapy promises a bright economic future for professional therapists.

            Mr. MacArthur gives us the good news that we don't have to live this way.  There is meaning to life and hope of life afte death.  We cannot atone for our own sin--we need a substitute.  God alone can forgve sin.  Healing is a perfect metaphor for forgiveness.  No amount of tears can atone for sin.  he only way to find real forgiveness and freedom from our sin is through humble, contrite repentance.  This is the only way to get rid of the guilt that haunts us.  Excusing the sins by calling them "diseases" is not effective.  No therapist can erase out problems. 

            Whether we are giving or receiving forgiveness is hard.  It seems unfair. It feels unnatural.  And as best-selling author and pastor John MacArthur demonstates in this book, forgiveness apart from Christ is unnatural.  It is only as we understand our need, Christ's power and example, and what it really means to love that we can embrace two of the most liberating acts of love:  forgving and being forgiven.

 

This book was very informable.  I give it 4 stars--Karen Buckner