In this book, John MacArthur confronts the contemporary attack on the Gospel through what he calls the "easy believism" - the notion that a person can be saved without repentance, or calling upon Jesus as "Lord" for salvation. Advocates of this other Gospel contend that it is enough to simply believe the facts of the Gospel, there never has to be any life change, and a Christian can live in an unbroken state of sin perpetually, and still have assurance of salvation. This debate known as the "Lordship Controversy" prompted MacArthur to write the first book, "The Gospel According to Jesus" of which "Faith Works" is the sequel. The reprinted edition is titled "The Gospel According to the Apostles" because it addresses this issue of repentance and the so called "carnal Christian" from the epistles of the New Testament, whereas "The Gospel According to Jesus" examined the teachings of Jesus from the Gospels on the subject. 

The thesis of the book centers upon the basic Gospel, and what is required of a person who would be saved. If this was the only Christian book I had ever read, I would have a very clear understanding of the requirements of salvation, and the clear expectation as to the transformation I could expect to take place not only at salvation, but throughout my Christian life. Specifically, as a Christian, I cannot live in a state of rebellion and hard heartedness against the Lord, I can never deny the Lord, my assurance of salvation is not in a past act of decision, but the present work of the Holy Spirit in my life, I am dead to sin and alive to God in Christ, etc. In short, my faith in Christ, if it is real, will work; hence the title. 

This book, perhaps more than "The Gospel According to Jesus" or any other book on the matter settles the issue as to whether repentance accompanies the faith that is necessary for salvation, and then discusses what that looks like in the life of a Christian after conversion. I confess that I agree wholeheartedly with the thesis and arguments of the book. After dealing with polemical issues in the first four to five chapters by answering the criticisms of the first book, MacArthur explodes into an expository and exegetical defense of what I believe is the Biblical Gospel. It is in no sense a defense of perfectionism, nor does he teach, as his critics assert, a salvation by works, or salvation plus works. Clearly he presents a salvation that works, and defends its efficacy to bring change in the believer, which places him on a path of holiness that ever increases in the sanctifying process. 

This is the most scholarly work I think that I have ever read of MacArthur. He provides the most comprehensive data, both Biblical and polemical. He also displayed throughout the book how conservatives hold this Lordship position, both present and past - from Paul through Luther and Calvin, to the Puritans and into today. I left each chapter all the more convinced of what the Scriptures teach on the subject and saddened at how prolific this teaching is spread throughout the church of today. 

It is easy to delineate the principles of the Christian life gleaned from this book into the following 10 areas: 

1. Faith displays itself in a life that is pleasing to Him (Chapter 3; Heb. 11:1, 6). 

2. The grace of God in the life of the sinner is efficacious to produce the desired effects that God intends (Chapter 4; Titus 2:11-12). 

3. Repentance is essential to salvation, not as a work, but as a fruit of true saving faith (John 3:36; Jas. 2:14ff), hence it appears in the preaching of the apostles (Chapter 5; Acts 2:38; 20:21). 

4. Justification is a non-experiential act of God whereby He declares the sinner to be righteous in His sight because of the atoning and propitiatory work of Christ (Chapter 6; Rom. 3:21-5:21). 

5. Justification and sanctification are inseparable, so that a justified man is also a sanctified man (Chapter 6; Rom. 6:1-2; 8:1-17) 

6. Sanctification is the setting apart of the justified man from sin, and unto Himself, having positional implications as well as practical implications, so that a transformation occurs within the heart and life of the believer, making him renovated in his thoughts, desires, speech, and actions (Chapter 6 and 7; 2 Cor. 5:17-18a; Rom. 6:1-2). 

7. At conversion, because of his union with Christ, the believer is made dead to sin and alive to God, whereas he was once dead in sin and dead to God (Rom. 6:1-2). 

8. Whereas the believer once was a slave of sin, because of the effectual work of grace in his heart and life, he has now transferred from the slavery to sin into slavery to Christ. This is now his compelling passion, to obey Christ from the heart (Chapter 7; Rom. 6:15-23). 

9. Progressive sanctification is the on-going work of the Spirit of God to conform the believer in all things to the image of Christ - a work that all believers will undergo for the remainder of their days (Chapter 8; Rom. 7:14-25). 

10. The assurance of salvation is to be derived from the evidence of the present work of Christ through the fruit of the Spirit, not from a past decision or conviction (Chapter 10; 1 John 3:18-19).

I observe that such a landmark book as this will not find wide acceptance among the world and those even in most churches. I have seen on certain television programs the glorification of self and the vilification of holiness. I have also observed Christian television and radio extolling the initial belief in the Gospel, minus the commitment to follow Christ. Many will say that Christians should live holy lives, but such a commitment is not required for a person as evidence for salvation. Sadly I find that no one preaches this Gospel on the mediums described above. 

Personally, the single greatest challenge to my own heart from this book is the liberating reality that because I am dead to sin and alive to God, and because I now have all of the resources in Christ necessary to be all that God has called me to be, I do not have to sin!!! I do not have to allow it to dominate me!!! The convicting side is that if I sin, then it is because I have once again, with gross ingratitude, placed myself under its cruel tyranny. I take Paul's exhortation in Rom. 6:11 as my application, "Even so, consider [means to think this way] yourselves to be dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus."

From the Back Cover

The Gospel According to Jesus began the debate.  This book ends it.  When John MacArthur took aim at cheap grace and easy believeism, he fired a shot that rang throughout the Christian world.  His critics were quick to respond.  He was accused of contradicting the New Testament message of salvation by grace through faith, of preaching perfectionism, and burdening Christians with a works salvation.  

In Faith Works, the author answers these charges by taking a passionate look at the most critical issue of our day:  the Lordship of Christ.  If the status of your faith before God is important to you, you cannot ignore the questions this book address:

• What does it mean to be saved?

• Can you have absolute assurance of salvation?

• What is the relationship between faith and obedience?

• Is salvation merely assent to truths about Christ?

• How should we proclaim the gospel?

In terms everyone can understand, Faith Works presents a message of eternal significance for non-Christians and defines who we are as Christians -- a message that stands in stark contrast to the hollow "gospel" many are proclaiming today.

About the Author

Dr. John MacArthur, Jr., is author of nearly twenty books, including The Gospel According to Jesus and Our Sufficiency in Christ.  Pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, he is heard daily on "Grace to You," a 30-minute daily radio broadcast syndicated throughout the nation.  He is president of The Master's College and The Master's Seminar.