1. It usurps the authority of God over the mind and soul of the hearer.
2. It usurps the Lordship of Christ over His church.
3. It hinders the work of the Holy Spirit.
4. It manifests a lack of submission to Scripture.
5. It severs the preacher personally from the regular sanctifying grace of Scripture.
6. It removes spiritual depth and transcendence from the souls of people so that it cripples worship.
7. It limits the preacher from fully speaking the mind of Christ.
8. It depreciates by example the spiritual duty and benefit of studying Scripture intensely.
9. It breeds a congregation weak and indifferent to the glory of God and Christ.
10. It robs people of their only true source of help.
11. It creates a destructive disconnect between sound doctrine and life.
12. It denigrates God by omitting those truths that trouble, offend and terrify the soul.
13. It disconnects people from the legacy of the past.
14. It removes protection from error that is so deadly to the church.
15. It deceives people into thinking they've heard from God when they haven't.
These were MacArthur's speaking points during a three-day lecture series at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary on September 2-4, 2003.
