Stand Firm: The Christian Life in a Post-Christian Culture

by John F. MacArthur Jr.

As the believer’s understanding of spiritual truth deepens and he develops godly affections, the attraction fo the former, sinful life fades. The Christian life is a war for holiness. Our calling to be set apart lands us in the crosshairs of a culture that opposes God’s truth. Even as the world around us is changing, our battle remains the same. To withstand the temptation to compromise in sin or retreat from suffering, Christians must hold fast to God’s Word. Only then can we live well for the Lord. In Stand Living in a Post-Christian Culture , Dr. John MacArthur drafts biblical battle plans for maintaining a life of Christian faithfulness. God has revealed what kind of people we are to be in a hostile world, and by His Word and Spirit, He supplies us with everything we need to persevere in holiness, humility, and love.

Genres: Christian, Christian Living, Theology, Nonfiction, Christianity, Discipleship, Cultural

148 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2020

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

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written for Christians who are already members of a church but perhaps need encouragement in living in the world. The G.K. Chesterton quote: “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried,” would be a good summary of this work.

MacArthur is addressing Christians with a familiar message on how to be effective members of the body of Christ and how to effectively witness to the world. The book only has 6 chapters. The first one is about our conscience and how we can maintain it and strengthen it as a help to holiness. Chapters 2, 3, 4, and 6 also pertain to individual actions related to corporate worship and witness: loving your neighbor and your enemy; sacrificial love within the church; prayer and what it looks like, as outlined by Luke 11:1-4; and how we persevere and maintain our assurance to the end. Chapter 5 is about how churches water down the message of the Gospel, (Christ, and Him crucified), in order to appeal to the broader culture, and how this message is abhorrent to the unregenerate.

I think what makes this book effective is that it reminds us of what we all know about being Christians, but that we find it difficult in the face of the surrounding culture. MacArthur reminds us that our witness, or lack of one, is a powerful message about the Gospel, and he provides a road map on what to do through the grace of faith and the power of the holy Spirit to live out the Gospel in our daily lives and in the face of the culture.

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A conscience that is too closely fixed to personal feelings is often untrustworthy. When it rises and falls with inconsistent emotions, the conscience can falsely magnify doubts and fears rather than reflecting the true state of the heart and its affections. The conscience can also be confused by too much focus on failures with sin at the expense of recognizing the work of God's grace. ..The conscience must be informed by God's word alone.

Living in the culture that we live in today can make it difficult to stand firm. It is only being in the word, living in community with biblical teaching, that we can be on the firm foundation that we desperately need. This text helps us identify what standing firm means and why we miss the mark.

Standing firm identifies what the Christian life means. It is foundational meaning that how you begin and progress will determine the faith that you hold on to. For example if you do not see God as holy, you will not see the need for holiness in your life. Holiness in its essence is a call to love which without the power of God is impossible but made possible with God. Holiness is a battle of our inner turmoil that we must be intentional in the fight.

I think my favorite chapter was The Christian life means repudiating the myth of influence. This is a loaded chapter that needs to be addressed by Christians but the church as a whole as it feeds this influence myth. We seem to follow a person of influence or if "the sacred cow" can bring in the seekers, a church calls itself successful. It is a good chapter to question our motives and how we do church. It is easily hidden because the simple fact is we are made to worship. We just don't worship the God we were created to worship. When Jesus says well done my faithful servant it is not because of the influence we bring but the faith we put our hope in.

There is much to this easy short read. MacArthur brings clarity and authority for the word of God. Highly recommend.

A Special Thank you to Reformation Trust Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: The New Testament resounds with calls to holiness.

It continues, "We are told to abstain from fleshly lusts (1 Peter 2:11), mortify the deeds of the body (Rom. 8:13), love not the world (1 John 2:15), flee immorality (1 Cor. 6:18), put off the old man (Eph. 4:22), and think on what is true (Phil. 4:8). We read commands to let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly (Col. 3:16), to put on the breastplate of righteousness (Eph. 6:14), to buffet our bodies to bring them into subjection (1 Cor. 9:27), and to present our bodies as living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1). We hear the call of the Apostle Paul to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh (2 Cor. 7:1), walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16), and lay aside all bitterness, anger, and malice (Eph. 4:31). Peter quoted from Leviticus in his charge to live disciplined, godly lives: “Like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15–16). Most Christians are well versed in those commands—we know them and we believe them. However, familiarity and mental assent are not enough to produce righteous results. In fact, the church seems to be rapidly losing the battle for holiness and purity. Consider the worldliness that pervades the church today. Some congregations are virtually indistinguishable from the world; many more are moving fast on a similar trajectory. Others don’t necessarily wear their worldly affections on their sleeves, but their outward acts of piety and devotion cannot conceal the corruption within. The reason is simple. The battle for holiness is not primarily about public professions and external displays. Rather, if God’s people are going to be holy, we must first win the battle on the inside."

John MacArthur's newest book is essentially a primer on the Christian life. It covers a wide range of subjects essential to living out the Christian life.

Chapter One: The Christian Life Means Being Called to Holiness
Chapter Two: The Christian Life Means Loving Your Neighbor and Your Enemy
Chapter Three: The Christian Life Means Loving Until It Hurts
Chapter Four: The Christian Life Means Engaging In Prayer
Chapter Five: The Christian Life Means Repudiating the Myth of Influence
Chapter Six: The Christian Life Means Persevering to the End

If there is a common thread to these chapters--to these subjects--it's that Christians are called out ones. No matter if we live in a so-called "Christian" culture or the worldly-world, we are called out by God, commanded to live not for the world, not for ourselves, but for Him and Him alone. Often this means countering culture and society, choosing to follow and believe what God has said.

I love short books. (Of course, I also love long books--but that is besides the point!) There is something oh-so-satisfying about sitting down with a little book and reading it in a day--or two or three. If it is super-relevant and packed with truths--both familiar and new--so much the better. I would definitely recommend this one.

[DevotedToHope · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Stand Firm" is a remarkable book that speaks deeply and practically. It beautifully highlights the timeless truths of God's Word and His unchanging character, serving as a firm anchor in a world of constant change.

In a society where God's truth often clashes with prevalent cultural norms, "Stand Firm" reminds us of our divine call to live holy and devoted lives, unwavering in our faith. This book echoes the importance of maintaining our faithfulness to God's Word.

What sets this book apart is its guidance for navigating the complexities of a post-Christian culture in practical ways, all rooted in the wisdom and truth of Scripture. It offers biblical strategies that equip us to persevere in our pursuit of holiness, humility, and love, all of which draw us closer to God.

"Stand Firm" is not merely a book; it's a lifeline for Christians striving to live out their faith with unwavering dedication. I wholeheartedly recommend it to believers at any stage of their faith journey. This book serves as a powerful reminder that we can stand firm in our faith by relying on the unchanging truths of God's Word and the sovereign, unchanging Almighty God. It's a blessing to have such a resource to guide us in our walk with the Lord!

[Tania Bingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this with my church book club. I expected it to be a book that said, “here are all the problems we as Christians are facing in the world, here is what we can do about it.” Instead, it is a book that very clearly, with a great deal of scriptural reference, outlines the Christian life. It discusses the essential truths of the gospel and what the Christian life looks like in light of the gospel. A truly encouraging and, at times, convicting book. Discussing this book in our book club made reading it all the more richer.

[Travis Bon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would read this book before the gym, no need for coffee. Warning: do not read before bed at night if you wish to go to sleep.

Encouraging but very convicting, Topics Include:

A call to holiness
The importance of your conscience
Loving despite hatred
Loving like Christ loved
Effectual Prayer
The true nature of the gospel
Perseverance through everything

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stand Firm was a great nonfiction read! I felt like it was particularly relevant to the current times and I enjoyed reading it. John MacArthur isn't afraid to speak the truth, even when it may offend some people.

All in all, I recommend Stand Firm.

*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.*

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Hebrews 6:19 says, ‘this hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast.’ Our hope cannot die because our hope is attached to our life, which is eternal. It is alive. That is the heart of the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. We persevere because we have a life that cannot die, and that life has a promised hope that will be fulfilled.” — Stand Firm by John MacArthur ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟

Just recently finished this. Sadly I don’t think God wanted me to read this right now because my heart wasn’t fully invested in it.

I started this back in the summer and it’s taken me this long to finish 🙈

But don’t get me wrong, it was still good, all John’s books are haha.

I might pick it up again, hopefully when the Holy Spirit wants me to.

[Caleb Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be mandatory reading for all men of God.

We stand firm against our pagan culture by 1) pursuing holiness and tethering our consciences to Scripture 2) Loving our neighbor and our enemy 3) Loving others until it hurts and it costs us something 4) Praying always 5) Repudiating the myth of cultural influence and relatability toward godless onlookers 6) thinking deeply about the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints and walking in that grace.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding.

[Xenophon · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enchiridion for the postmodern audience.

[Dave Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty Concise book on faith.

[Patrick Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I especially enjoyed the chapter summarizing the Lord’s Prayer and how we can model our own prayers after it. I use this every day.

[Reagan Bon · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, MacArthur refocuses our hearts on what God's Word says is essential to living the Christian life unswayed by the cultural currents of our time. Good reminders, great encouragement!

[Chase Dougherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living as a Christian in today's society brings several unique challenges. John MacArthur separates the issues he feels are prevalent into six different categories. The organization and collected thoughts from MacArthur allow Christian readers to break down and challenge themselves.

The breakdown was the following: conscience, loving enemies, loving despite pain, prayer and relationship with God, refusing to conform, and finishing the race. The book was an easy read and brought healthy reminders. However, the book carried obvious thoughts without much weight at times. It was missing a reforming and inspiring truth. The book was good, but certainly not great. I did enjoy it, and I want to share eight helpful lines from it with my added thoughts.

1) Holiness comes as a result of the Word of God informing the conscience and the conscience informing the person.
2) 1 John 1:9 promises, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Once the conscience has been cleansed by Christ, it is the believer’s job to keep it clear.
3) He shall make restitution in full for his wrong and add to it one-fifth of it, and give it to him whom he has wronged’” (Num. 5:7). A lingering debt can cause just as much grief and guilt as active sin. In those cases, true reconciliation isn’t possible without restitution.
4) “If you’re not willing to get down and do the most abject kind of service on behalf of someone else, if you’re not willing to take on the lowest role of a slave and wash someone else’s feet, then you are effectively saying you are superior to Jesus.”
5) Paul’s relationship with the Corinthians is a good reminder that the more you love somebody, the more you put yourself at risk to be hurt.
6) Discipline is what separates Christian love from the worldly love.
7) The pursuit of cultural influence inevitably leads to the development of a nonthreatening message of inclusive salvation that seeks to eliminate all offenses. It attempts to make the church look, sound, and feel like a big Starbucks; it emphasizes comfort and pop culture appeal with the hope that we might subtly lure people into the kingdom. Those strategies are impotent and futile. Scripture reveals that there is only one way into the kingdom,
8) In the eyes of the unsaved, the gospel will always be offensive, shameful, scandalous, and hard to believe. That is how the Lord intended it(1 Cor 1:27-28). However, “Do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord” (2 Tim. 1:8).

[Jennifer Schell · Rating 5 out of 5]

John MacArthur is a Bible teacher that I fully trust to teach sound doctrine and rightly handle God's word. This book helps the Christian reader live a faithful life to Christ and is full of edifying scripture for the pilgrimage here on earth. The book is not to long and is one that every Christian should read and examine the scriptures that John lays out. I highly recommend this book it will be a blessing to your life to read and apply the principles. Thank you so much Reformation Trust Publishing and to NetGalley for the Arc.

[Jackie Crosslin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short (142 pages) well written book for every believer who wants to better understand how to live the Christian life. When I first started reading this book, I expected I would donate it to my church library when I finished reading it. Two chapters in, I changed my mind and decided I needed to keep this one on the shelf for future reference

[Austin Preuss · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was exactly the kind of book I needed to read in this season of change in my life. It imparts Biblical truth, theological wisdom, and real-world pragmatism - all in less than 150 pages.

John MacArthur holds some hefty convictions, and espouses theology that many might disagree with in favour of over-simplified and diluted doctrine. This makes approaching a book he's written daunting in some respect, because there is some degree of ambiguity as to if you'll be able to follow his academic rigour and religious jargon. This book is evidence to the contrary.

MacArthur's book touches on the topics of holiness, love, and perseverance - in that order.

In his section concerning the Christian's call to holiness, he dissects what it means to truly be set apart from the world; how it extends to every faculty of man's life. There is no stone left unturned in this regard, MacArthur points to tangible and realistic ways that the Word of God convicts believers in their everyday life. In doing this, he carefully and successfully avoids the "holier than thou" stigma that comes with the topic, and touches on the true depravity of mankind - giving all glory to God in His redemptive work of reviving the dead sinner from their trespasses.

His section on love is arguably the most important for the contemporary Christian to read, as he dives into what "Love thy neighbour" actually means. He demonstrates how the modern Evangelical sentiment of "just love on them" is unbiblical, and too shallow for the Kingdom of God; that the Word of God commands believers to love God (and their neighbour) in all capacities. Consistent with the first section's pragmatism, he speaks here about how love manifests in servitude, wisdom, and honesty. He continues on how our love of our others should enable us to put their needs first, putting their spiritual well-being at the foremost of our social priorities. This involves learning more about God and His church, for the sake of effective evangelism, and the conviction to maintain strength in calling out sin when necessary.

His last section on perseverance is doctrinally rich. Beginning the section with the divines of the Westminster assembly sets his position in historical truth; that the theologians of that era sought to precisely declare the nature of God's election in imparting grace to mankind. He fleshes out his position with the boundless amount of verses that support the idea that God's sovereignty extends to the spiritual success of his Beloved. Summarized in the his quote "If you could lose your salvation, you would." The believer plays no role in their salvation other than the sin that made it necessary, and MacArthur is not afraid to present that Biblical truth thoroughly and gracefully.

I wouldn't change anything about this book.

[Landon Coleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The subtitle of this book is "Living in a Post-Christian Culture." I'm not sure that's the best description of the contents of this book, which sort of felt like a mash-up of topics. However, chapter five is worth the price of the book. This chapter explores the "myth of influence" and the ways in which this myth has harmed our churches. In deconstructing this myth, MacArthur calls Christians, pastors, and churches back to the gospel and the sovereign, saving work of God.

[Aaron Hand · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It is the shortest of the MacArthur books I've read but it's solid throughout. There was good material on Eternal Security (perseverance), the Postmodern gospel (the Gospel of Influence), how to pray, church discipline, loving your enemies and even a deep look at the conscience. I recommend this book.

[Jacqueline Sterling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Christian believer needs to read this. John MacArthur teaches the word of God so well and incorporates its practicality so seamlessly. Encouraging for the believer who has been fighting the good fight and gets that weary feeling time and time again, and convicting for those who might be questioning if they really have an undoubtedly sure salvation in Christ.

[Sydney Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

JMac’s sermons typically far outweigh his books, though both are filled with wonderful Truths. I don’t always jive with his written style, but “Stand Firm” is an exception. This could perhaps be due to listening to an audiobook instead of reading like I normally do, but either way, I really liked it and am going to seek out the physical copy.

[Leo Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Accurate approach christian's function

In a post truth culture, rather than apply christian hunanism, Christian might know what Jesus Hope's they face the world, and you find that in the Scriptures. Dr. MacArthur unlishes the Bible to give answers about that.

[Georgina · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to stand firm in your faith in a post Christian culture.

Very good. John MacArthur is an excellent teacher and he
Builds you up in the faith. This book is highly recommended.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

John MacArthur reminds the reader that we cannot get lax in our faith. Life is a marathon and we cannot give in to little temptations. Using Biblical reference, he gives concrete methods for staying strong in a "post-Christian" culture.

[Sean Brothers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid book. The first chapter on the conscience was my favorite portion of the book. And the rest of the chapters were good on the reminder of living both our neighbors and our enemies and what that looks like.

[Heather Rooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened on Audible because the boys are getting ready to start reading it. The reader was a bit dry and a bit hard to follow. I will reread it again and actually read the book, not listen to the audiobook.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things for Christians to remember during the times in which we live.

[Troy McGahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

MacArthur as usual did an excellent job in this book. I recommend this book.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow such a good little book. Encouraged me in many, many ways! Highly recommend!