The Gospel According to Paul: Embracing the Good News at the Heart of Paul's Teachings

by John F. MacArthur Jr.

From master-expositor and Bible teacher John MacArthur, a revelatory exploration of what the apostle Paul actually taught about the good news of Jesus


The apostle Paul penned a number of very pithy, focused passages in his letters to the early church that summarize the gospel message in just a few well-chosen words. Each of these key texts has a unique emphasis highlighting some essential aspect of the Good News. The chapters in this revelatory new book closely examine those vital gospel texts, one verse at a time. John MacArthur, host of the popular media ministry Grace to You, president of the Master’s University and Seminary, and longtime pastor at Grace Community Church, tackles such questions as, What is the gospel? What are the essential elements of the message? How can we be certain we have it right? And how should Christians be proclaiming the Good News to the world? As always, the answers John MacArthur gives are clear, compelling, well-reasoned, easy to grasp, and above all, thoroughly biblical. The Gospel According to Paul is written in a style that is easily accessible to lay people, including those who know very little about the Bible, while being of great value to seasoned pastors and experienced ministers.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Christianity, Biblical Studies, Faith

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2017

About the author

John F. MacArthur, Jr. was a United States Calvinistic evangelical writer and minister, noted for his radio program entitled Grace to You and as the editor of the Gold Medallion Book Award-winning MacArthur Study Bible. MacArthur was a fifth-generation pastor, a popular author and conference speaker, and served as pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California beginning in 1969, as well as President of The Master’s College (and the related Master’s Seminary) in Santa Clarita, California.

Reviews

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Gospel According to Paul was a good read. I liked how it wasn't a light read and yet it was still easy to read and understand. The writing was great and I loved how there was a lot of scripture included throughout.

I haven't read a lot of MacArthur's books, but of what I've read The Gospel According to Paul is a favorite. There were quite a few powerful statements that I loved and a few I highlighted. I recommend this book if you are looking for a good nonfiction read.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

[Nathan Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book by my roommate because he said he wouldn't finish it and he knows (as everyone does, it seems) the extent to which I devour books. I have read books (and even reviewed a couple of albums) from this author before [1], and I have generally liked them. I was not pleased with this book, though. It is not as if this is a bad book--for surely the frequent misunderstandings of the writings of Paul can make for some terrible books. It is more that this book gave me yet another reminder, as if any were necessary, that even when a Calvinist writer is at his closet to my own perspective that there are aspects of Calvinist writing that are immensely irritating. Even though in this case I would say that the author and I have common foes of the Gospel, specifically antinomians, this book was not a pleasure to read. A Calvinist is someone who is not content unless he is making someone else miserable, and this book is only good news for people who like bad news. Even when the author is right in this book--and it should be noted that he is frequently right--he is insufferable in the process. Even when Calvinism is right it is wrong, sadly.

This book is actually fairly short, only a bit over 200 pages if one includes its sizable appendices. After a short introduction in which the author says falsely that this book is not a polemic volume, the author opens with those areas that he considers of first importance, like the issue of atonement. Then, predictably, the author talks about the bad news of the universality of sin and depravity. Then the author talks about how one can be right with God through the imputation of Christ's righteousness [2]. Then the author talks about justification by faith alone, penal substitution, being alive together with Christ through regeneration, various false gospels like legalism and antinomianism, and an epilogue about Paul's testimony. With that, the main book is done about 135 pages in. There is, for those readers who are gluttons for punishment, a series of four appendices that include a defense of substitutionary atonement, a sermon from the author on Christ dying for God, a section that tries to give the reason for everything, and a discussion of Paul's Gospel adapted from sermons by Charles Spurgeon. The author, it must be conceded, is certainly familiar with his reformation theology.

I am at some pains to note that this book presents a view of Calvanism that is about as close to my own theology as can be imagined. Yet even so, the author found many ways to offend. There was, for example, his smug and sanctimonious behavior towards C.S. Lewis (someone who many Calvinists like to criticize for being "squidgy"). Even more bothersome and substantial was the author's array of human reasoning and unbiblical terminology. A great deal of Calvinism exists in some sort of ivory tower of impregnable language by which human reasoning seeks to construct an ironclad worldview through replacing scripture with interpretation. This book contains a substantial glossary and the author spends a great deal of time engaged in wordsmithing. Between the author's unrecognized polemical purposes and his inability to use language that does not come from the Calvinist dictionary, this is a book that is mostly right but a deeply unpleasant chore to read. I will make it a point to avoid, if possible, the author's polemical works and focus on those writings of his that I actually enjoy and where I can forget that the author is a Calvinist.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...

[2] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2012...

[Dr. David Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

John MacArthur, The Gospel According to Paul, Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2017, 256 pp. $13.20

Nearly thirty years ago, Dr. John MacArthur wrote The Gospel According to Jesus. The book was a clear articulation of the gospel and a sharp repudiation of antinomianism and other views that failed to affirm the lordship of Jesus Christ in salvation. A firestorm erupted and sparked heated debate among evangelicals as a result of the book. Since that time, MacArthur has written several books that articulated the gospel and defended it from attacks, most of which were coming from professing evangelicals leaders.

MacArthur’s latest offering, The Gospel According to Paul, is less polemical in tone but no less powerful than his previous works. His intent is to survey the gospel through the eyes of Paul the apostle and consider several questions that are of utmost importance:

What is the gospel?

What are the essential elements of the gospel?

How can we be certain we have it right?

How should Christians be proclaiming the gospel to the world?

MacArthur adds, “The gospel was no sideline for the apostle Paul. ‘Jesus Christ and Him crucified’ was the principle theme of everything the apostle taught or preached” (129). So with passion and biblical precision, the author showcases the gospel according to Paul.

A wonderful summary of the book may be found in MacArthur’s explanation of Philippians 3:4-11:

"That is a remarkable testimony because of the way Paul weaves in several of his favorite gospel themes: the worthlessness of human works as a means of gaining merit with God; the pivotal role of faith; the principles of grace and imputed righteousness; the death and resurrection of the Savior; and above all the supreme value of knowing Christ over any earthly benefit, privilege, or treasure."

MacArthur not only provides a masterful articulation of the gospel and penal substitutionary atonement; he defends it against the pernicious threat of antinomians, Pharisees, and other dangerous heretics.

The Gospel According to Paul is a clear explanation of the most important reality in the universe, namely, that “in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself” (2 Cor. 5:19). It unfolds the gospel with a decisively Reformed framework and rightly points readers to the magisterial Reformers and the truths they unearthed in the sixteenth century. And it is basic enough for new believers but also contains a treasure chest of Christ-glorifying truths that are guaranteed to encourage and equip longtime followers of Jesus.

Highly recommended!

[Cindy Francey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read for the new Christian or the “seasoned saint. The author gives a thorough Biblical exposition of the Gospel- what it is and what it is not. Over the years, and with conversations with many people, I’ve have witnessed much error concerning the Gospel. Especially with those who have grown up in a “cultural Christianity”. there is great temptation to omit man’s sinful state when sharing the Gospel. Another big pitfall seems to be the notion that all the love and kindness shown to a person will eventually cause them to turn to God ( without even speaking a word of the Gospel to them!) The Author shows the error in these ways through Paul’s teachings and example.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/10

[Paul C. · Rating 2 out of 5]

[Original review on "Overthinking Christian"]

John MacArthur continues to astound me. Maintaining an audience from those in many denominations, having the gift of writing clearly, and possessing an unyielding determination to convey the truth of Scripture, a book on Paul (from him) sounds like something we may need. But I’m afraid John MacArthur’s newest release falls flat, and for someone as seasoned as MacArthur, the standard is set high. The Gospel According to Paul offers nothing new but rather regurgitates what we already know: MacArthur is Reformed, MacArthur is right, and all others are wrong. And that he hates seeker-sensitive churches as well as charismatics/Pentecostals. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Here’s what I *liked* about The Gospel According to Paul.

A) It’s Full of “Tweetable” Lines

Many phrases contained within really can ‘preach.’ There’s a lot of “quotalicious” (a word I’ve just been introduced to) material within.

B) A Un-wavered Commitment to What the Bible Says

A particular section I did enjoy can be found in the the Appendix section where MacArthur “takes on” open theists and their views on atonement.

MacArthur is relentless in trying to let Scripture speak for itself. I don’t agree with all the exegesis provided, but his spirit in this regard is admirable; all Christians should take it upon themselves (I think) to become biblically literate, and allow texts room to “breathe” rather than suffocating texts into subordination under us.

Now here’s what I *don’t* like…

My biggest beef with this new release is how MacArthur is in attack mode throughout its entirety, so much so that he remarks of C.S. Lewis that he “was no theologian” (p. 151) and writes of how miracles don’t happen since there is never any documentation (he would do well to read the fairly recent and fully-documented two volume "Miracles" by NT scholar Craig Keener).

There were times when MacArthur would go from exegeting a text to critiquing a type of Christian when no real connection between the two was even established. This, to me, evidences that it is ingrained in MacArthur to criticize certain “types” of Christians no matter the conversation! If someone is talking to MacArthur about the sky being sunny, I’m sure he won’t blurt out “Pentecostals are heretics!” and then carry on with the conversation as if somehow a sunny sky and Pentecostals are related. And yet that’s what happens (strangely) on a few pages here.

MacArthur shouldn’t bend over backwards to tell us which groups of Christian he cannot stand simply because the world already knows how MacArthur feels about certain groups of Christians; he’s made himself abundantly clear. He has “invested” (I would say wasted) far too much money on conferences through which he informs us that those who speak in tongues are occultic weirdos, may be demon-possessed, don’t contribute to the world’s well-being in any way, shape, or form, and are likely not even Christians. I had hopes that perhaps this new book wouldn’t continue in the ridiculous spirit now associated with MacArthur of 'unfairness based on illogical conclusions.' But I’m afraid that’s not at all the case.

If you’re a MacArthur fan then you may enjoy the book. It will tell you what you can already access from his interviews and strange theology evidenced in his Strange Fire conference. It will tell some what they want to read and will at times attack others from camps even when the conversation is unrelated. It will glorify Reformed thought above other streams of Christians thought. If you’re not a MacArthur fan then this book may irritate you. If you’re not Reformed, even more so.

For me, MacArthur here proves to be far too one-sided, out-to-get-non-Reformed folks, bias, dogmatic, and the list can go on. I had really hoped this not be the case as we need another book on Paul from someone like MacArthur who knows his Bible, is a capable exegete, writes accessibly, and is highly influential. And yet John MacArthur seems to be his own stumbling block. As has been noted by others, for having a ministry called Grace To You, it’s ironic that through the years John MacArthur is becoming more and more grace-*less.*

On a side note, I was disappointed by the lack of footnotes. (Perhaps to some this is a relief.) At the same time, there are three Appendixes where MacArthur goes a little further in depth on some key issues.

*I received my copy from Book Look Bloggers in exchange for an honest assessment

[Marge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be slow reading in order to digest its message. But I'm grateful for sticking with it and learning so much more about Paul's letters about the Gospel.

[Dave Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a joke me and some of my ministry friends would get out whenever we heard someone say something that was biblically questionable, or just plain out there. We’d say, “That must be in the book of Paul, somewhere near the back.” The reason is simple, there is no book of Paul. However there are many books written by Paul, or more correctly, letters or even more correctly letters, and those letters lay out much of the theology of the New Testament. While there is no book of Paul, there is definitely a “Gospel According to Paul” that can be discerned from his letters. In The Gospel According to Paul, John MacArthur lays out Pauline theology masterfully.

John MacArthur is one of the great thinkers in the church today and this book is a wonderful, thought provoking dissertation on some of the great theological points of the Apostle Paul. MacArthur starts off with the bad news behind the Good News, which is the sinful condition of all humanity. From there, MacArthur explores through Paul’s Eyes (and of course from Gospel truth), how to be right with God, Salvation by faith alone and many other truths that everyone needs to know. MacArthur is brilliant. I found myself disagreeing on one or two points, but even in this, he provoked me to thought and to really explore what I believe and more importantly, why I believe it. This is a must read for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of their faith. Not to be missed are the Appendixes at the end, especially the Spurgeon Sermon on Paul’s Glorious Gospel. Five Stars!

[Kory · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second MacArthur book I've read, and I am a huge fan of his expository style. He doesn't fill pages with unnecessary fluff that is customary to modern Christian literature, like unneeded analogies that retell the point rather than reveal it. MacArthur is actually a capable teacher and writer pulling from a wealth of knowledge, and on this subject of the Gospel, he is a star pupil.

Here's your one disclaimer: TGAP is basically a Calvinist primer for salvation theology. I'm no complete subscriber to this theology (and this does not affect my rating,) but I thought it was a good way to get a crash course in it, because MacArthur is so robust in his biblical defense--not a salesman of an idea, just one who maps a path through Scripture to show you how he got here.

Despite my disagreements, I don't feel that Calvinism corrupts the saving truths of the Gospel. So here's where the book shines most: It is an able, unapologetic presentation of the simple, saving truth of Jesus and the Cross. Anyone could read this and discover or better understand what Jesus has done to save them and how to respond to the Gospel. TGAP's primary purpose is to present the gospel clearly, not to dissect or repurpose it, and what it aims to do it does well.

[Karen Murano · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is helpful, and rich with citations of scripture. I was frequently bogged down with redundancy and disagreed with the harsh opinion of the "modern mega-church", and the general assumption applied that they don't focus on the one. On the contrary, I belong to a very fast growing church whose success is not about numbers, and knows me more than my previous "small" church. I am for every church size, indeed Christ is for the Church, large or small and Heaven will be HUGE!

[Sassa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was "meat." It took concentration to finish and digest. I found the appendices very edifying.

[Bill Pence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t think of anyone else that I would rather have write on the Gospel than John MacArthur. The 77-year old pastor has faithfully served his church for more than 48 years. This is his third book in his The Gospel According To series, with previous books from the perspectives of Jesus and the Apostles.
The author writes that Paul was unlike any of the other apostles, with his intelligence and academic credentials. Paul wrote more NT books than any other author. He consistently explained and defended the Gospel in his writings.
The author states that next to Jesus, Paul is the model for his pastoral ministry. Paul encourages us to imitate him and he imitated Christ.
The author reviews attacks on the Gospel (lordship salvation, etc.) he has addressed in some of his previous books. This book looks at the Gospel as Paul proclaims it in his writings. The book also includes four appendices.
The author writes that the Gospel is under attack in our culture. It is also very much misunderstood by many. Most, if not all other religions besides Christianity, are works-based. They are about what we need to do. On the other hand, the Gospel is what God has already done for sinners. The Gospel is good news for sinners who can’t save themselves. But we first have to recognize that we are sinners and the helpless state of fallen humanity.
Paul has written that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. He also wrote that no one seeks after God. Yet many churches continue to design their worship experiences for the “seeker”.
Given sin, how can a man be made right with God? The author states that the Gospel is the answer to that question.
The author goes over Paul’s writing on justification by faith alone (Sola Fide), and that Christians are justified by grace through faith. Justification is a gift. Grace is why the Gospel is such good news.
The author discusses penal substitutionary atonement, which some liberal theologians find abhorrent. He writes about the Great Exchange (2 Corinthians 5:21) and the offense of the cross.
The author writes about the sovereignty of God in salvation, and that our salvation is entirely God’s work. Christ’s righteousness is imputed to sinners. Christ is our perfect substitute.
He also writes about such weighty topics as election, legalism and antinomianism in a manner that laypeople can easily understand them.
Highly recommended!

[Ryan Hawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm very glad this book was written. I loved it as it was simply so so biblical. The content of each page wasn't anything totally new to me, but that didn't really matter. I loved it because it was a clear, concise, and compelling exposition of "the gospel" according to the apostle Paul. And this is by no means boring. It is truly fascinating.

In short, it was evangelical theology 101. I'm glad it was written because what MacArthur writes it a perfect summary of the center of the evangelical/biblical Christian faith. It centers around God, our sin, Christ, his cross, and what this cross actually accomplished for us biblically. And none of it is watery. It is robust, biblical, and understandable.

Much more could be said about this book, but it easily was one of the best book I've read all year because it is simply so biblical and wonderfully true. I've wondered what the apostle Paul might sound like if we were to hear him ourselves, and I think MacArthur, with his love for the gospel and Christ, combined with his seriousness and sternness about not compromising any of the Christian truth for modern 'fads', might be very close to what Paul was like. I personally think many of the newer age writers and thinkers are more products of their times rather than sounding like the apostles. MacArthur, in this way, is a breath of fresh air, and is very biblical--especially if the goal of expositing the Bible is to get to the original meaning, written by the authors, of the text.

Each chapter was a thorough exposition of a single Pauline gospel text, coupled with references from all over. In this way, he organizes it well, and explains the gospel well. Coupled with this, there were four helpful appendices (especially the one on the atonement and that the goal of everything is the glory of God).

In short, this was a robust, biblical presentation of the gospel. It is Reformed (which is simply biblical, as MacArthur I think proves) and Christ-centered. God is glorified. We are helped with a serious forgiveness and grace found in Christ.

[Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another MUST read book from John MacArthur!

This is the third of four books written by John MacArthur over almost 40-years in which he defines, clarifies and defends the biblical gospel against all-comers! The first two books (The Gospel According to Jesus and the Gospel According to the Apostles) were principally a polemic against easy-believism and no-lordship salvation. This current volume is less polemical, yet nonetheless absorbing and helpful. Open Theism, the New Perspective on Paul and the Emergent Movement are all critiqued against Paul's gospel!

The Gospel According to Paul is a clear and exegetical look at Paul's gospel, or rather, the gospel Paul preached. MacArthur focusses in on key New Testament passages, written by Paul, and explains the context, meaning and significance of them in relation to Christ's death, the gospel, faith, forgiveness, justification, sanctification and future hope. I thoroughly loved reading it and was greatly helpeed in so many ways!

All chapters are equally good, but I did enjoy Chapter 6: Alive Together with Christ (looking at Ephesians 2:1-10 - a favourite passage of mine!) and Appendix 4: Paul's Glorious Gospel: Adapted from Sermons by C.H.Spurgeon! How wonderful it would have been to actually hear Spurgeon speak!

A truly 5-star read! Now for volume 4 - The Gospel According to God!

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Gospel According to Paul: Embracing the Good News at the Heart of Paul's Teachings by John MacArthur is the prolific Christian author and speaker's latest book. This is the third book in this series that explores the Gospel. The earlier two books were The Gospel According to Jesus and the Gospel According to the Apostles.

The Gospel According to Paul: Embracing the Good News at the Heart of Paul's Teachings explores the apostle Paul's teachings. Paul was unique in that he was not an apostle while Jesus was alive. MacArthur points out that Paul would not have fit in with the other apostles as he was educated and was a Roman citizen. He was a Pharisee opposed to Jesus's teachings before meeting the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus.

John MacArthur provides an examination of Paul's approach to teaching the Gospels and spreading The Word. MacArthur always gives the reader the Calvinistic viewpoint in his writings. He compares how Paul taught the Gospels as opposed to how Jesus taught the Gospels. MacArthur ensures that the readers embrace what is written in the Bible not others interpretations.

The Gospel According to Paul: Embracing the Good News at the Heart of Paul's Teachings is easy to read and would be a valuable resource for Christians and non-Christians alike.

[David J. Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

The strength of the book is the fact that it is written on a popular level. That is also its weakness. Addresses the most controversial of NT Wright's views in the context of an overview of Paul's theology (as opposed to looking at individual verses under debate). Deals with the controversy surrounding substitutionary atonement well. Also confronts the argument surrounding meaning of Paul's use of law (whether it is works righteousness or Jewish ritual only) in depth. I've listened to all of JMacs sermons on Galatians and 1 Corinthians, and most of the ones through Romans. So to me, a lot of this sounds familiar. But it's hard not to sounds repetitive writing a book about biblical theology if you have preached through each verse of the NT. Still, the exegesis is solid. Takes shots at non-Cals (which is not surprising, but feels imbalanced considering he is also going after heretics in the same book). Some reviews have complained about the cheap shots toward charismatics. But he's almost 80 - hasn't he earned the right to be a little curmudgeonly? I'm biased I suppose (being non Charismatic and all). Also he uncharacteristically quotes CS Lewis surprisingly approvingly (gasp!) Lewis fans rejoice!

Summary: Classic MacArthur: good, substantive popular level exegesis that warns against heretical trends, with a few disappointing moments for non-Calz.

[Chris Jaffe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid, brief overview of Paul's theology from a Christian minister. He notes at the outset that he isn't going to get too polemical here (which he apparently did in his previous books). He's just going to lay out Paul's understanding of Christianity without getting into theological arguments - but he still gets into at least one argument. He clearly doesn't agree with the Catholic view of the primacy of works, and argues (rather effectively) that Paul's views were clearly on Team Faith.

The main components of Paul's gospel are in many ways fairly typical of Christianity - but how could it be otherwise? The man invented so much of Christian theology. Some of the points Macarthur especially notes is that there is only one gospel, people are required to confess their sins (because all are naturally sinners), we are saved by faith in Christ, we are justified in faith instead of works, Christ died for us, we get eternal life through Christ, and that a legalist approach to religion is incorrect.

[Brian Meadows · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a fan of John McArthur as I do not agree with his application of theology. He is what one would call a cessationist. He believes that miracles ceased when the Bible was complete. I do not believe in tying the hands of God like that when with Him all things are possible. There is much evidence to the contrary.

Having said that, his teaching on the scriptures in their context is typically quite good. This book does not venture into the areas aforementioned where I have a problem with the author. So, I would say much of the material in the book is quite good. There are several appendices that account for a significant portion of the book. That might put some off, but I found them actually quite good - perhaps better that the main body of the book itself. If you are going to read this book, I would recommend that you also be sure to read them as well.

[Juan Carlos Solís · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lo que debería ser un alimento para el alma y una puerta al conocimiento se convierte en un ejercicio de egocentrismo por parte del autor. A lo largo del libro, MacArthur emplea frases como "lo que Pablo realmente quería decir con esto", "el verdadero significado de este versículo (porque, obviamente, él posee la verdad absoluta)", y "este autor está equivocado, si tienen dudas, consulten mi libro, artículo o sermón", lo que transmite una actitud más autorreferencial que expositiva.

Si le preguntáramos a alguien: ¿quién es el verdadero protagonista de la obra de Pablo?, la respuesta debería ser Cristo. Sin embargo, en esta obra, da la impresión de que para MacArthur la respuesta sería: ¡él mismo! Cualquier duda parece resolverse remitiendo a su propia producción, dejando poco espacio para la reflexión independiente y el estudio crítico.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writings of the apostle Paul make up a majority of the New Testament. He is a self-proclaimed defender of the gospel. So, what does Paul have to say about the gospel? John MacArthur lays out Paul’s message, calling upon his writings and the other apostles’ to make the case that Paul’s gospel truly is the gospel of Christ.

The teaching in this book is sound, but I was not able to get through it. I listen to John MacArthur on the radio and I’ve read and enjoyed a couple of his books, but the writing in this book was off. Maybe a book of this brevity wasn’t the right format to present this topic. Maybe it was the structure. I’m not really sure, but it didn’t leave me looking forward to picking the book back up.

[Christopher Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent characterization of the basics of the vital foundational concepts of Paul's teachings. If the author had stayed focused on that message the book would have easily and appropriately garnered 5 stars. Unfortunately, for me, the author's frequent castegations at beliefs or implementations counter to his own often only served to detract from the relevant point. Many of such attacks were clearly based on false or incomplete understandings, or even complete ignorance, of what other Christian religions and faith groups truly believe and practice, and the underlying basis for those beliefs and practices. Thus my three star rating.

[Eric Lussier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good book about Paul and his proclamation of the gospel of Jesus. Like the two other books MacArthur wrote (Gospel according to Jesus and Gospel according to The Apostles) I found this book to be a great reminder of the truth of God’s Word and the gospel. MacArthur writes as a pastor with a deep understanding of Scripture and takes the time to explain the principles of election, propitiation and the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for my sin. I also really enjoyed the addition of the Charles Spurgeon sermon in the appendix regarding Paul’s referral to “my gospel.” This is a very well written book and instructive, affirming and thought-provoking.

[Rod Innis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book! The gospel as presented in the epistles of Paul is very clearly presented.
A number of false teachings are clearly and biblically refuted. I highly recommend this book to anyone
who wants to understand the gospel for themselves and for anyone who desires to share the gospel with anyone else.
So many today are unclear in the presentation of the gospel: it is refreshing to read such a clear one.

[Clara Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about material familiar to those of us who grew up in the Church but presented with fresh eyes. Statements like" The death of Christ was an act of Obedience to His Father's will." and His delight was to do the will of God" were ideas we grew up hearing. "All His life, He was fulfilling all righteousness in every way." "Because He is an infinite Person, He offered a perfect sacrifice. He is God incarnate." Therefore it was God himself that was sacrificed for our sins.

[Matt Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just John being John. Perhaps smaller in volume than some of his other works but not in depth. MacArthur brings his customary depth. He is a popular preacher but writes as an academic. This book reads like a greatest hits album. There isn’t anything that he hasn’t said in many other volumes. It is a great reminder for seasoned Christians. It is a great volume for baby Christians wanting to transition from milk to Solid food. It is def worth the read.

[Steve Schofield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good content, a bit too academic / theological for me

First book I read of John and God has led me to study Paul. I did not have issues with content as much it was hard to follow at times as John seems to like using descriptive words to explain when a simple word would do. That was distracting. Probably would be normal is a classroom or seminary setting...for this layperson i like to keep it simple

[Josiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short book firstly is a response of many "New" unbiblical ideas on the apostle Paul and his teachings. It is John Macarthur's goal to give the reader a complete proof that the gospel given by Jesus and the other Apostles is the same message that Paul displays. He proves this by the words of Paul himself and easily defends against Pauline dispensationalism. Overall this was a great book that really uses scripture to its advantage over other writers. Highly recommend.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, what a glorious book. John MacArthur truly is a master expositor and a lover of all things Biblical. His care in declaring the whole counsel of God is such a treat among modern writers! His solid preaching makes him, in my humble opinion, to be the modern day "prince of preachers" if I may borrow that title from Spurgeon. I read the appendices first and think it worked well though I may now have to re-read them. Excellent.

[Luis Hdz Vita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buen libro. No pasará a uno de mis favoritos pero si lo puedo considerar quizá un libro básica para leer si alguien quiere repasar ciertos temas que Pablo escribió en sus epístolas. También es bueno para repasar ciertas cosas del Evangelio.

El único pero que le pondría es que en algunos capítulos deja algunos huecos o temas sin conclusión o la idea no es muy clara, sin mencionar que en algunos capítulos hace que uno haga notas mentales para investigar por su parte.

[Tresha Mcfadden · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to get more into the gospel of Paul and how Paul is involved with the writing of a lot of the old testament . I have read a lot of books from John MacArthur and I like his books. This one was okay I like how easy it was to read bit not sure it gave me what I was looking for. But it was okay, not my favorite book from the author.

"I received this book for free for my honest opinion"