“Cuando alguno es tentado, no diga que es tentado de parte de Dios; porque Dios no puede ser tentado por el mal, ni él tienta a nadie. SANTIAGO 1.13 El curso completo de todos los eventos y circunstancias está ordenado en el decreto divino, desde el hito más profundo del plan divino hasta el detalle más insignificante. Dios también determina el número de cabellos de nuestra cabeza (Mateo 10.30). En última instancia, tenemos que admitir que el pecado es algo que Dios quiso que sucediera. Él lo planeó, lo ordenó. El pecado no es algo que entró y le tomó por sorpresa, lo agarró con la guardia baja o echó a perder sus planes. La realidad del pecado figuró en sus propósitos inmutables desde la eternidad pasada. De modo que el mal y todas sus consecuencias estaban incluidos en el decreto eterno de Dios antes de la fundación del mundo. Sin embargo, del mismo modo Dios no puede ser considerado como el autor o creador del pecado. «Dios no puede ser tentado por el mal, ni él tienta a nadie» (Santiago 1.13). «Dios es luz, y no hay ningunas tinieblas en él» (1 Juan 1.5). Dios en ningún sentido causa, incita, aprueba, autoriza o consiente el pecado. Dios no es la causa o el agente del pecado. Lo único es que permite a los agentes del mal hacer sus obras, y luego anula la maldad mediante sus sabios y santos propósitos. Los propósitos de Dios al permitir el mal siempre son buenos. Es por esto que José pudo decir a sus hermanos que lo habían vendido como esclavo: «Vosotros pensasteis mal contra mí, mas Dios lo encaminó a bien, para hacer lo que vemos hoy, para mantener en vida a mucho pueblo» (Génesis 50.20).”
John F. MacArthur, Jr. is a fifth-generation preacher who serves as a pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California. He is also a prolific author, conference speaker, and is president of The Master's College and Seminary. MacArthur received a B.A. from Los Angeles Pacific College, his M.Div. from Talbot Theological Seminary, Litt.D. at Grace Graduate School, and D.D. from Talbot Theological Seminary. In addition to his administrative responsibilities, he regularly teaches Expository Preaching at the seminary and frequently speaks in chapel.
MacArthur's pulpit ministry has been extended around the globe through his media ministry, Grace to You, and its satellite offices in Australia, Canada, Europe, India, New Zealand, Singapore, and South Africa. In addition to producing daily radio programs for nearly 2,000 English and Spanish radio outlets worldwide, Grace to You distributes books, software, audiotapes, and CDs by John MacArthur. In thirty-six years of ministry, Grace to You has distributed more than thirteen million CDs and audiotapes.
John Fullerton MacArthur, Jr. is a United States evangelical writer and minister, noted for his radio program entitled Grace to You. MacArthur is a fifth-generation pastor, a popular author and conference speaker and has served as the pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California since 1969, and as the President of The Master's College (and the related The Master's Seminary) in Santa Clarita, California.
Theologically, MacArthur is a conservative far-right Baptist, a strong proponent of expository preaching, a dispensationalist and a self-described Calvinist. He has been acknowledged by Christianity Today as one of the most influential preachers of his time, and is a frequent guest on Larry King Live as representative of an evangelical Christian perspective.
MacArthur has authored or edited more than 150 books, most notably the MacArthur Study Bible, which has sold more than 1 million copies and received a Gold Medallion Book Award. Other best-selling books include his MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series (more than 1 million copies), Twelve Ordinary Men, (more than 500,000 copies), and the children's book A Faith to Grow On, which garnered an ECPA Christian Book Award.