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Thoughts On Flooding,
John MacArthur, and Adultery
by Mary E. Stephens
July 19, 2025
July has been a strange month this year. So many things have
happened that it feels like several months have passed in the
last 19 days.
In the first 6-7 days of July we recorded over 16" of rain on
our property, possibly 17". Most of this fell between the 4th
and 7th. We had to deal with an evacuation order first thing on
the 5th which was sent to us by mistake because our lower
property touches a road that was flooding. Sadly, the people
living down near the creek did suffer damages but, as far as I
know, no lives were lost from our immediate neighborhood. The
local stories we have heard dating back to the 1980s and 1950s
floods made us believe that we were not in danger up where we
are, but I was rattled when the order first came through. The
reports from the Guadeloupe River and Kerr County had already
been ramping up on the 4th and we were on high alert already. My
husband did go down to check the creek waters twice - once in
the middle of the night. Our street dead ends at a small river,
and we weren't sure if something was going on down there. He
went to check, but it was not threatening.
The rains kept coming back for days and days as the remnants of
a tropical storm camped over this region. We would think we were
past the worst and there would be another flood warning or flash
flood warning. We were under "stay in place unless fleeing flood
waters" orders more than once over a number of days. Even if we
had needed to evacuate on the worst day, we would have been
stuck because the bridge at the intersection out of our little
road was flooded and not safe to drive through.
It was a difficult time for the Texas Hill Country. Still is, to
be honest. A lot of people have moved on to other events, which
is not surprising, but there are people here who are still
trying to put their lives back together with huge missing pieces
- people, housing, pets, etc. A few people are still missing,
but most have been found (dead or alive) as of now. The people
who have helped with the searching and the clean up are heroes.
The repeating refrain from their stories tends to be that this
was the worst situation of this type that they had ever seen or
worked in. That is mindboggling to me, considering that some of
these people have done these jobs repeatedly.
The one piece of distinctly good news is that lakes which have
been low for years have risen considerably, and more than one
has opened flood gates or the spill way is running over. Another
smaller blessing is that we have had much milder temperatures so
far this July than we did last year.
Psalm 69:1-3
Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto
my
soul. I sink in deep mire, where
there is
no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods
overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine
eyes fail while I wait for my God.
Moving on to the next event...
John MacArthur died this month. I have very mixed emotions about
this. My family went to Grace Community Church for 3 months when
I was six years old. We visited there fairly often over the next
few years. My grandparents, who were missionaries, were members
there and attended regularly during a year they were between
mission fields. I had a great-uncle and great-aunt who went
there for a period of time as well. I even remember eating
dinner once at the MacArthur's table. I remember my dad speaking
of him with respect and appreciation back in the early years.
But, then things changed.
My grandparents moved their church membership in the early 1980s
or when Mr. MacArthur abandoned the King James Version and began
to embrace Calvinism. Somewhere in that timeframe he also
started teaching that the blood of Christ didn't save us and was
of no particular importance, despite clear scriptures to the
contrary (he supposedly retracted this teaching later). My
grandparents and parents were very grieved by these changes. I
myself had the opportunity to hear him speak at a Bible
conference during this time, and having knowledge of him as he
had once been, I was disappointed in how he had changed in
person. He acted like he didn't want to talk with anyone after
the various meetings and he was very stiff and standoffish. It
left me with a bad taste in my mouth, so to speak.
Over the last 10-15 years some very ugly stories have come to
the surface in his sphere of influence, stories of abuse, rape,
and such like. The way he reportedly chose to deal with the
various situations was not just disappointing, but highly
damaging to the name of Christ and to his own reputation. The
way that victims were allegedly handled was shameful and
ungodly, yet he apparently supported or even ordered the things
that were done or demanded of the victims. There was a wife and
children in one situation whom he is said to have tried to shame
into staying with their abuser and allowing him to continue to
abuse her/them in the name of "restoration" and "we are helping
him." A young woman within the circles of his church and college
(or seminary) who was raped by one of the young men there was
reportedly told by leadership that she needed to marry the
criminal, and she was treated very badly, according to her own
testimony. (For further information please see:
https://thewartburgwatch.com/category/john-macarthur/)
Then a year or so ago he said in a public forum that mental
illness is a "noble lie." In essence, he basically discredited
all mental illness as entirely made up. Damage control was
attempted later, and what he wrote on the church web site was
apparently edited. But, he let the cat out of the bag as to what
he actually thought on that subject, and it was not biblically
sound nor did it reflect the love and compassion of Christ.
Why am I saying all this now? Well, I had thought about writing
on some of these subjects sooner. I had things bookmarked that I
wanted to address. Now that he is gone, I feel like I should say
something for one basic reason. People, especially Christians,
love to exalt "great men" after they die. I think I know what
the underlying reason for this is. In
Hebrews 13:7
we read, Remember them which have the
rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose
faith follow, considering the end of
their
conversation. This passage
encourages us to remember how our spiritual leaders end their
lives. How they began is not the point. A lot of people begin
well in the Christian life. Remember what Paul wrote to the
Galatian church in
Galatians 5:7-9,
Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the
truth? This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth
you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
John Mac Arthur ran well at the beginning of his ministry.
I have my own father's and grandfather's witness of this as they
both saw it first hand. But, how he ended is all over the place.
He could say things that were very sound and right, and then
turn around and say something entirely off base or unbiblical.
He could stand up for righteousness and then turn around and
allegedly support the destruction of victims while protecting
criminals. (And, yes, I am calling them what they are in the
eyes of the law, because it is the government that is meant to
be the punishers of evil doers. The church has no right or
business to try to "restore" and "build up" men or women who
should be dealt with as criminals by the powers that be,
Rom.13.)
Another deeply disturbing aspect of the end of John MacArthur's
life is the production of the Legacy Standard Version which was
produced by the Master's Seminary and University. MacArthur
himself had founded these institutions, and the men involved
were wholly under his influence. He boldly and blatantly
declared regarding this updated version of the New American
Standard Version, "This is the best translation the English
language has ever seen." (source)
The complete and utter disregard for the scholarship and
knowledge of languages that went into the King James Authorized
Version is astounding. If he believed that his little group of
scholars outstripped and outsmarted the men God used to
translate the KJV, he was delusional. For those of us who have
informed ourselves about the origins, inerrancy, and
the preservation of
the KJV, this statement is beyond common arrogance, and it
is insulting to a work that God did and has blessed for hundreds
of years in the Authorized Version.
All this to say, remember Ravi Zacharias. The stuff bubbling up
out of the depths of John MacArthur's mind, mouth, and
ministries for years now is not a good sign. Generally, it is
safe to assume that there is worse that may come out. If more
and more rubbish and filth begins to float to the top as time
goes on, don't be shocked. Our faith never stands nor falls to
the reputation of one man, no matter how great he may have been
in his lifetime. If we are grounded on the true and only Rock,
Jesus Christ, then the disappointments and sorrows of this life
cannot destroy us, whether they be literal floods, or the
destruction of the reputation of a man we had once honored.
Matthew 7:24-25
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth
them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house
upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and
the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for
it was founded upon a rock.
1
Corinthians 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink:
for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and
that Rock was Christ.
Psalm 118:8-9
It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence
in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put
confidence in princes.
Lastly...
I wanted to touch on the subject of the CEO who was caught in an
adulterous situation with his HR officer at a concert. There are
a lot of people saying that it was terrible that that happened
to him and her. Some people are even going so far as to call her
a wonderful person, and even "a saint." He himself allegedly
wrote a letter in which he apologized to his wife, family, and
the team at the company of which he was head. He also apparently
claimed he was going to reflect and take accountability.
However, he allegedly wrote, "I also want to express how
troubling it is that what should have been a private moment
became public without my consent. I respect artists and
entertainers, but I hope we can all think more deeply about the
impact of turning someone else's life into a spectacle."
Let's just take this situation apart and look at it more
closely.
How do you avoid having your sin become a public spectacle? By
not committing the sin in the first place. (By the way, what he
did there is called blame shifting, just so you know.)
How do you avoid having your private moment of adultery
displayed on a big screen at an event? By not doing that at an
event with a big screen where they have a "kiss cam." Whether
that's a concert or a football game, or whatever the case may
be, if you're going to go out in public and do stuff you ought
not to be doing, you have zero - ZERO - grounds for complaint.
Period. Full stop. I mean, let's be honest, if they had gone out
to eat in some out-of-the-way restaurant, they could still have
been recognized and had photos of their affair all over social
media the next morning. It would be less likely, but still the
fact is that when you cheat on your spouse you're asking for
trouble.
And it isn't karma that will get you. The world likes to throw
that word around a lot these days, but it's obvious they don't
know what it means. That is a Hindu concept that has nothing to
do with this. This is the simple principle that God Almighty
built into the human experience - you reap what you sow, and you
can't escape consequences forever.
Galatians 6:7
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap.
Numbers 32:23
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the
LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.
So, whose fault is it that this happened to them? It's their
fault. Not the music group's, not the camera man's, not the
people who are sharing the clip (though, that has it's own
issues). It's theirs. Only theirs. They chose to go there
together and to do that.
Proverbs 6:27-33
Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? So he
that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her
shall not be innocent. Men do not despise a thief, if he
steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; But if he be
found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the
substance of his house. But whoso committeth adultery
with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it
destroyeth his own soul. A wound and dishonour shall he get; and
his reproach shall not be wiped away.
And let's just be clear, "saintly" women, "good" women, don't
cheat on their husbands.
Proverbs 30:20
Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and
wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
Proverbs
31:10-11 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is
far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in
her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
Yeah, none of this is nice. It's a sordid mess. It's horrifying
for their family members who might have learned about it from
the internet instead of quietly in person. But, the reality of
situations like this is that, had this not happened, they might
have never been caught. Sometimes God allows transgressors to be
put in these public situations of shame as a warning to others.
Our world is full of people who have watched others "get away"
with evil and wickedness, and many people have taken that
onboard and are living their own lives assuming they can get
away with these things too. Sometimes a situation like this is
the only thing that will keep the kids or other people from
following the bad example that was given to them.
It isn't a joking matter. It isn't nice for the family. Even
though the adulterous pair may have deserved what they got from
doing something so stupid in such a public way, it isn't nice
for them. A lot of us aren't impressed with having to see this
story being spread across the media, social media, and perhaps
private conversations, and so it isn't nice for us. But, let the
people of God be reminded.
Proverbs 14:14
The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways...
You can't get away with sin. God is watching and He
knows. If He so wills, He can drag anything out to the light of
day.
Proverbs 9:6
Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of
understanding.
I have no idea if there was any previous warning that these two
should have heeded, but it also brings this to mind:
Proverbs 29:1
He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall
suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. If you
are involved in anything of this sort, take it as a warning and
repent and turn from your sin.
Proverbs 28:13
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso
confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Psalm 66:18-20
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to
the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not
turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.
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