John MacArthur's Strange Fire: Where to Find and Read the pdf Version of this Controversial Book
Strange Fire download pdf: A Guide to Finding and Reading John MacArthur's Book
If you are interested in learning more about the charismatic movement and its impact on the church today, you might have heard of a book called Strange Fire by John MacArthur. This book is a critique of the charismatic theology and practice, especially the claims of miraculous gifts, divine revelation, and prophetic utterances. MacArthur argues that these phenomena are not from the Holy Spirit, but from Satan, and that they are a form of blasphemy against God.
Strange Fire download pdf
But how can you get a copy of this book and read it for yourself? Is there a way to download Strange Fire pdf for free? And what should you expect from this book? In this article, we will answer these questions and more. We will give you a brief summary of Strange Fire, a critical analysis of its strengths and weaknesses, and some alternatives to consider if you disagree with MacArthur's views. By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of what Strange Fire is all about and how to access it online.
Introduction
What is Strange Fire?
Strange Fire is a book written by John MacArthur, a prominent pastor and theologian who leads Grace Community Church in California and Grace to You ministry. The book was published in 2013 as a companion to a conference of the same name that MacArthur hosted at his church. The book and the conference were intended to expose and confront the errors and dangers of the charismatic movement, which MacArthur believes is a false form of Christianity that dishonors God and deceives millions of people.
The title Strange Fire comes from an incident in the Old Testament, where two sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, offered unauthorized fire before the Lord and were consumed by fire from heaven (Leviticus 10:1-3). MacArthur uses this story as an analogy to describe how many charismatics today are offering strange fire to God by attributing to the Holy Spirit things that are not from him, such as false miracles, false prophecies, false doctrines, false experiences, and false worship.
Why should you read Strange Fire?
You should read Strange Fire if you want to learn more about the charismatic movement and its history, theology, practice, and influence. MacArthur provides a comprehensive overview of the origins, development, diversity, and popularity of the movement, as well as its main leaders, teachings, claims, and scandals. He also provides a biblical and historical evaluation of the charismatic claims, especially the ones related to the Holy Spirit and his work in the church today.
You should also read Strange Fire if you want to hear a strong and passionate case for cessationism, the view that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, such as tongues, prophecy, healing, and miracles, have ceased after the apostolic age and are no longer available or necessary for the church today. MacArthur defends this view by appealing to the sufficiency and authority of Scripture, the nature and purpose of the apostolic sign gifts, the testimony of church history, and the evidence of false and counterfeit manifestations in the charismatic movement.
How to download Strange Fire pdf for free?
If you want to download Strange Fire pdf for free, you have a few options. One option is to visit the official website of Grace to You ministry, where you can find a free pdf copy of the book in English and several other languages. You can also find other resources related to the book and the conference, such as videos, audios, articles, and reviews. You can access the website here: https://www.gty.org/library/strange-fire.
Another option is to use a pdf search engine, such as PDF Drive or PDF Searcher, where you can find and download various pdf files for free. You can simply type in Strange Fire or Strange Fire John MacArthur in the search box and browse through the results. However, be careful when using these websites, as some of them may contain viruses, malware, or inappropriate content. You should also respect the copyright laws and regulations of your country and avoid downloading illegal or pirated copies of the book.
Main Body
A brief summary of Strange Fire
In this section, we will give you a brief summary of each chapter of Strange Fire, highlighting the main points and arguments that MacArthur makes. The book has 12 chapters, divided into three parts: Confronting a Counterfeit Revival (chapters 1-3), Exposing the Counterfeit Gifts (chapters 4-9), and Rediscovering the Spirit's True Work (chapters 10-12).
Chapter 1: The Modern Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit
In this chapter, MacArthur introduces his main thesis: that many charismatics today are blaspheming the Holy Spirit by attributing to him things that are not from him, such as false miracles, false prophecies, false doctrines, false experiences, and false worship. He argues that this is a serious sin that dishonors God and endangers souls. He also explains why he decided to write this book and host this conference, despite knowing that he will face criticism and opposition from many charismatics and non-charismatics alike. He says that he is motivated by his love for God's truth, God's glory, God's people, and God's gospel.
Chapter 2: Testing the Spirits
In this chapter, MacArthur provides a biblical framework for testing the spirits, that is, discerning whether a spiritual phenomenon is from God or not. He says that there are four tests that we can apply: the test of origin (does it come from God or from another source?), the test of truth (does it agree with God's word or contradict it?), the test of power (does it produce godliness or ungodliness?), and the test of fruit (does it result in love or in division?). He then applies these tests to some of the common charismatic claims and practices, such as tongues, prophecy, healing, miracles, visions, dreams, revelations, experiences, and worship. He concludes that most of them fail these tests and are therefore not from God.
Chapter 3: The Holy Spirit and the Scriptures
In this chapter, MacArthur focuses on the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures. He argues that one of the main errors of the charismatic movement is to elevate subjective feelings and experiences above objective truth and revelation. He says that this undermines the sufficiency and authority of Scripture as God's final and complete word to us. He also says that this leads to confusion and chaos in interpreting Scripture, as everyone claims to have a personal insight or illumination from the Spirit. He then explains how the Holy Spirit inspired Scripture, preserves Scripture, interprets Scripture, empowers Scripture, and applies Scripture. He concludes that we need to submit to Scripture as our only rule of faith and practice.
Chapter 4: The Holy Spirit and the Apostolic Sign Gifts
Chapter 5: The Case for Cessationism
In this chapter, MacArthur makes the case for cessationism, the view that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, such as tongues, prophecy, healing, and miracles, have ceased after the apostolic age and are no longer available or necessary for the church today. He gives four arguments to support this view: the argument from Scripture (the biblical evidence that the gifts were temporary and limited), the argument from history (the historical evidence that the gifts faded and disappeared after the apostles), the argument from theology (the theological implications of continuing the gifts today), and the argument from experience (the experiential evidence that the gifts today are not genuine and edifying).
Chapter 6: A Word from the Lord?
In this chapter, MacArthur critiques one of the most popular and controversial claims of the charismatic movement: that God still speaks today through direct revelation, such as audible voices, visions, dreams, impressions, prophecies, words of knowledge, and words of wisdom. He argues that this claim is unbiblical, unnecessary, and dangerous. He says that it is unbiblical because it contradicts the finality and sufficiency of Scripture as God's complete revelation. He says that it is unnecessary because we have everything we need for life and godliness in Scripture. He says that it is dangerous because it opens the door for deception, manipulation, confusion, and error.
Chapter 7: Does God Still Give Revelation?
In this chapter, MacArthur continues to address the issue of divine revelation. He responds to some of the common objections and questions that charismatics raise against cessationism. He also exposes some of the false and harmful teachings and practices that result from claiming extra-biblical revelation, such as prosperity gospel, word-faith movement, spiritual warfare, binding and loosing, spiritual mapping, generational curses, inner healing, slain in the Spirit, holy laughter, and more. He warns that these things are not from God but from Satan, who disguises himself as an angel of light.
Chapter 8: False Prophets and Lying Wonders
In this chapter, MacArthur focuses on another major claim of the charismatic movement: that God still performs miracles today through his servants, such as healings, deliverances, signs, and wonders. He argues that this claim is also unbiblical, unnecessary, and dangerous. He says that it is unbiblical because it misunderstands the nature and purpose of miracles in Scripture. He says that it is unnecessary because God's power is not limited by natural laws or human means. He says that it is dangerous because it promotes a false gospel that appeals to people's fleshly desires rather than their spiritual needs.
Chapter 9: Sola Scriptura and Spiritual Gifts
In this chapter, MacArthur summarizes his main argument against the charismatic movement. He says that the core issue is not about spiritual gifts but about sola scriptura, the doctrine that Scripture alone is our final and infallible authority for faith and practice. He says that the charismatic movement denies this doctrine by adding to Scripture their own subjective feelings and experiences. He also says that the charismatic movement distorts this doctrine by misinterpreting Scripture according to their own presuppositions and preferences. He then calls all Christians to uphold this doctrine and to reject any claim or practice that contradicts or undermines it.
Conclusion
The main points of Strange Fire
In conclusion, Strange Fire is a book that challenges and confronts the charismatic movement and its claims about the Holy Spirit and his work in the church today. The main points of the book are:
The charismatic movement is a false form of Christianity that dishonors God and deceives millions of people by attributing to him things that are not from him.
The charismatic movement fails to pass the biblical tests of origin, truth, power, and fruit when it comes to its claims and practices.
The charismatic movement undermines and violates the sufficiency and authority of Scripture as God's final and complete revelation to us.
The charismatic movement misunderstands and misrepresents the nature and purpose of the apostolic sign gifts and miracles in Scripture.
The charismatic movement opens the door for deception, manipulation, confusion, error, and false gospel by claiming extra-biblical revelation and miracles.
The core issue is not about spiritual gifts but about sola scriptura, the doctrine that Scripture alone is our final and infallible authority for faith and practice.
The implications of Strange Fire for Christians today
The implications of Strange Fire for Christians today are:
We need to be discerning and vigilant about the spiritual phenomena that we encounter and evaluate them according to Scripture.
We need to be faithful and obedient to Scripture as our only rule of faith and practice and not add to it or subtract from it.
We need to be grateful and content with Scripture as our only source of revelation and guidance and not seek after other sources.
We need to be humble and dependent on Scripture as our only source of power and wisdom and not rely on our own feelings or experiences.
We need to be loving and respectful to those who disagree with us on this issue and seek to persuade them with gentleness and patience.
We need to be zealous and passionate for God's glory and God's gospel and not compromise them for the sake of popularity or pragmatism.
The alternatives to Strange Fire for those who disagree with MacArthur
The alternatives to Strange Fire for those who disagree with MacArthur are:
To read other books that present a different perspective on the charismatic movement and its claims, such as Authentic Fire by Michael Brown, Showing the Spirit by D.A. Carson, Surprised by the Power of the Spirit by Jack Deere, or Are Miraculous Gifts for Today? by Wayne Grudem.
To listen to other voices that represent a different view on the charismatic movement and its practices, such as Craig Keener, Sam Storms, John Piper, Mark Driscoll, or Francis Chan.
To study the Scriptures for yourself and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in understanding and applying them to your life.
To pray for wisdom and discernment in evaluating the spiritual phenomena that you encounter and testing them according to Scripture.
To be open to the possibility that God may still work in miraculous ways today, but also be careful not to accept everything uncritically or unquestioningly.
To be respectful and gracious to those who agree with MacArthur on this issue and seek to learn from them and dialogue with them in a constructive way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about Strange Fire and their answers:
What is the main message of Strange Fire?
The main message of Strange Fire is that the charismatic movement is a false form of Christianity that dishonors God and deceives millions of people by attributing to him things that are not from him, such as false miracles, false prophecies, false doctrines, false experiences, and false worship. The book also argues that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit have ceased after the apostolic age and are no longer available or necessary for the church today.
Who is John MacArthur?
John MacArthur is a prominent pastor and theologian who leads Grace Community Church in California and Grace to You ministry. He is also a prolific author, speaker, radio host, and seminary president. He is known for his conservative and reformed theology, his expository preaching, his defense of biblical inerrancy, his opposition to ecumenism, his criticism of Roman Catholicism, his advocacy of lordship salvation, his support of complementarianism, his rejection of dispensationalism, his endorsement of Calvinism, his promotion of cessationism, and his controversy with the charismatic movement.
What is cessationism?
Cessationism is the view that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, such as tongues, prophecy, healing, and miracles, have ceased after the apostolic age and are no longer available or necessary for the church today. Cessationists believe that these gifts were temporary and limited signs that confirmed the apostolic message and authority. They also believe that these gifts are not essential for the edification of the church or the evangelization of the world. They argue that Scripture alone is sufficient and authoritative for faith and practice.
What is sola scriptura?
and practice. Sola scriptura means that Scripture is the only source of divine revelation and the only rule of faith and practice. It also means that Scripture is clear, sufficient, and authoritative for all matters of doctrine and life. Sola scriptura does not mean that Scripture is the only source of truth or knowledge, or that Scripture can be interpreted without the help of the Holy Spirit, the church, or tradition. It does mean that Scripture is the final judge of all truth claims and traditions.
What are some of the benefits of reading Strange Fire?
Some of the benefits of reading Strange Fire are:
You will learn more about the charismatic movement and its history, theology, practice, and influence.
You will hear a strong and passionate case for cessationism and sola scriptura from a respected pastor and theologian.
You will be challenged and confronted to examine your own beliefs and practices in light of Scripture.
You will be encouraged and equipped to discern and reject any false or counterfeit spiritual phenomena that you encounter.
You will be motivated and inspired to love God and his word more and to seek his glory and his gospel above all.
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