Book Review: Fool's Gold by John MacArthur

I just got back from a two day drive from Phoenix, Arizona to Houston, Texas and thought I would share a few thoughts on a great book I read on the journey called Fool's Gold. It is a great book about biblical discernment and I needed to hear it. If you are like me, all too often I accept things without deeply probing them and examining them to see if they are true and biblical. That must be changed. MacArthur and some general contributors look at aspects of discernment from individual to the church to the bookstore. Beware if you are a Purpose-Driven Life or Wild at Heart fan! This book does a great job of looking at all aspects of discernment in light of the Bread of Life. Let us carefully discern our books, churches, and lives and seek to be biblical.

(Here is an except from a paper I am working on for class)

Fool’s Gold is a book that defines the principles of biblical discernment that Christians are to use as a foundation for their worship. John MacArthur is the general editor of this book and along with the other contributors many contemporary Christian issues are addressed. False teaching has plagued the church since its birth and this trend continues today. For worship to occur in “spirit and in truth” we must base every part of our worship on the Bible. Fool’s Gold looks at biblical discernment in the age of open-mindedness, the local bookstore, the local church, and a Christian’s daily life.

The first part of Fool’s Gold deals with the “blind acceptance” that many Christians embrace as they accept anything that falls under a “Christian category” as truth. MacArthur reminds us that Christians need to discriminate between truth and fabrication. In today’s post-modern culture the idea of discrimination or discernment have taken negative connotations. Biblical views on homosexuality and wives submitting to their husbands have fallen behind what is deemed politically correct. MacArthur argues that Scripture commands Christians to be discerning as he quotes Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22: “test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” All that we do in worship should be examined in light of doctrinal discernment. Every aspect from the songs that we sing to the time of invitation should be biblical.

Expository preaching is the first area that MacArthur addresses in regards to doctrinal discernment. He questions why many preachers have “exchanged the full counsel of God for doctrinally shallow, seeker-friendly ‘talks’” (Fool’s Gold, 35). When messages that are full of warm and cute moral ideas replace God’s eternal truth, the results are destructive. MacArthur states that many of the negative effects include usurping the authority of God over the soul, removing the lordship of Christ from His church, breeding a congregation that is weak and indifferent to the glory of God, and robbing people of their only true source of help.

The next section in Fool’s Gold deals with practicing discernment in the local bookstore. Best-sellers such as The Purpose-Driven Life and Wild at Heart are among the books that are addressed. Many churches have used these books for their Sunday School classes and even their main services. Other literature that Fool’s Gold critiques is the new perspective on Paul and popular Bible-zines which are targeted at teenage boys and girls.

Rick Warren is the author of the best-selling book The Purpose-Driven Life. Warren claims his book will guide the reader on a forty day journey which will show them the purpose of their existence. The Purpose-Driven Life surveys many key Christian themes and is saturated with Scripture in a highly readable format, but it is chalked with many pitfalls. Many churches have gone through Warren’s 40-days of purpose and it is vital for those who have read it to look at his book with a biblical perspective. One of the biggest problems with The Purpose-Driven Life is the casual approach to Scripture that it embraces. Although this book frequently quotes the Bible it often does so inaccurately. Another problem with Warren’s book is his incomplete approach to theology. Key doctrines such as God’s wrath, the complete gospel message, and the doctrine of God are incomplete. Since Warren presents an unbalanced view of God’s character, he does not completely represent who God is. A third problem with The Purpose Driven Life is the inflated position of prominence many have given it. Many pastors have replaced the teaching of the Scripture with The Purpose Driven Life and Warren’s book has been embraced as it was the Bible. Due to all of these deficiencies The Purpose Driven Life should be read discerningly.

Phil Johnson addresses N. T. Wright’s popular book What Saint Paul Really Said, which states that the Apostle Paul’s teaching has been misinterpreted by New Testament scholars for hundreds of years. Wright advocates a new view on the doctrine of justification which pertains to ecclesiology more properly than soteriology. The doctrine of justification is the linchpin of Christianity. Wright feels that Luther and Calvin have misunderstood the main issue of the doctrine of justification. Wright feels the “justification is more of a corporate issue rather than a personal one” (Fool’s Gold, 69). Wright also believes that God’s righteousness cannot be imputed to sinners. Overall, Wright’s new perspective on Paul should be shattered as we allow Scripture to frame our understanding of the doctrine of justification. For the church to accurately worship God it must dismiss false teachings and remain true to the Bible.

Daniel Gillespie deals with John Eldredge’s Wild at Heart which addresses masculinity among Christian men. Gillespie complements Eldredge for identifying a real problem in urging men to discover their true masculinity, but he feels that “Eldredge’s arguments are directly opposed to the biblical teaching on the subject” (Fool’s Gold, 81). One problem with Wild at Heart is an insufficient view of Scripture. Eldredge makes references to movies, poems, and other books just as much as the Bible. Gillespie states “with more than sixty references to film and movie characters, Eldredge inundates his readers with Hollywood’s portrait of masculinity” (Fool’s Gold, 81). A second flaw with Wild at Heart is an inadequate portrayal of who God is. Eldredge focuses on certain divine attributes of God such as God’s justice, wrath, and power, but fails to mention God’s mercy. Wild at Heart has been used in many men’s Bible studies at churches, but for men to find the truth on masculinity, they should look no further than the Bible and use discernment when reading Wild at Heart.

The third section of Fool’s Gold deals with practicing discernment in one’s local church. Contemporary worship music and alter calls are among those issues addressed. MacArthur specifically looks at praise choruses which many congregations sing each Sunday. Praise choruses are shorter verses which generally have no didactic purpose. MacArthur has no problem with simple, personal praise songs, but feels that it will be a great loss if the classic Christian hymnody is lost out of utter neglect. Colossians 3:16 commands us to “teach and admonish one another in . . . psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” It is right and biblical for songs to biblically proclaim God’s Word. Churches should embrace hymns and contemporary songs that honor God.

Public invitations and alter calls are examined next as Carey Hardy cautions Christians to consider the Bible in these regards. Alter calls came into prominence in the 1830’s and churches must embrace a biblical view in these endeavors. One concern is the modern invitation seems to lack true biblical support. Jesus never spoke in terms of a “one-time decision” but rather urged His followers to follow Him unconditionally for all of their lives. Other problems alter calls bring is the risk of giving false assurance to the unconverted, fooling people that “walking an aisle” actually saves, and they often are based on emotional manipulation rather than biblical conviction.

The final section of the book urges Christians to pursue discernment in their daily lives. It is important for all Christians to know when they should take stands for their convictions. When Christians embrace a high view of God, the Bible and the Gospel, they will know which hills they should die on. For Christians to develop biblical discernment it is vital for them to desire wisdom, pray for discernment, obey the truth, depend on the Holy Spirit, and study the scriptures. In order to grow into mature Christians the biblical truth of discerning good from evil is a must for everyone.