Now, while in the process of writing this blog entry, I was directed to a comment left by Frank Beckwith, revert to Rome, criticizing John MacArthur’s statement on [The Manhattan Declaration]… But given that Dr. Beckwith has become exceptionally active promoting and defending Romanism on the web over the past few months, I think it proper to provide a response. Dr. MacArthur’s point seems to have been lost on Dr. Beckwith, who has made it clear that even during his time away from Rome, he was never truly gospel-centric. He never saw Rome’s gospel as a false gospel, and hence did not trust in the imputed righteousness of Christ as his sole hope before a thrice holy God. So it is understandable why he would think that his re-presentation is somehow relevant. Dr. MacArthur does not believe, of course, that the gospel is about “merely getting people into heaven.”

Such a representation says more about Beckwith’s journey in “evangelicalism” and the wide range of churches he was a part of than it does MacArthur’s comments. The point is that the only real answer to any of those issues, whether the radical redefinition of marriage, homosexuality, the murder of unborn children, rape, incest, torture or theft, lies in the changing of the hearts of men. And it is just here that Rome’s gospel fails to be able to do this very thing! Surely man’s religions can bring about a surface-level moral reformation, if there is sufficient reason offered to the reprobate sinner to change for his own self-interests, but true change, the exchange of the heart of stone for the heart of flesh, is the divine work of the Spirit of God, not the work of the alter-Christus, the baptismal font, or the never-ending cycle of Masses and confessionals. Calling men to recognize the sovereign and holy God of Scripture, bowing the knee before the all powerful Lord of all men, Jesus Christ, is a powerful (and uniting) thing, but when men’s traditions have so encrusted those truths as to rob them of their power and meaning, what are we to do? Stand apart, of course, identify the perversions of the truth, and trust the Lord to guard His people and build His kingdom through the Word and the Spirit. This is what the Apostles did when false teachers arose amongst them, and we must follow their example. 

Beckwith speaks of seeking to see young people live holy lives. Rome has been particularly notable in its utter failure to do this very thing, has it not? By reducing God’s grace to the sacramental system, by teaching people they are in a “state of grace” outside of actual repentance and change, by confounding justification and sanctification, robbing men of a finished work of Christ—in other words, through the entire “gospel” of Rome, unchanged, unrepentant, unregenerate people are called “Christians,” resulting in the constant denigration of the faith on the part of Muslims, atheists, and others, who take Romanism as the very definition of “Christianity.” Rome’s gospel produces worldwide nominalism, does it not? And does this not illustrate the main point of what has come above? Theology matters. The gospel forms the faith, and if you do not have the right gospel, you can call what you have Christianity all you want—it isn’t. Without the gospel, you have one of man’s religions, and men’s religions will never have the power to change the heart, and hence the society. (Further Thoughts on the Manhattan Declaration and a Response to Frank Beckwith)

James White

See also:

THE MANHATTAN DECLARATION OF CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE

JOHN MACARTHUR ON THE MANHATTAN DECLARATION

JAMES WHITE: TROUBLING ASPECTS OF MANHATTAN DECLARATION

DR. FRANCIS BECKWITH: “MY RETURN TO THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH”

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH PREACHES A DIFFERENT GOSPEL

HAS THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH REALLY CHANGED?

THE HOLY AND CATHOLIC CHURCH IS NOT THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH