IMO, If this were coming from someone other than John MacArthur it might indeed be a grace/works issue.
John MacArthur's track record in consistently preaching that Salvation is by grace alone behooves us to understand this in the sense of: 1. Repentance is emphasized, which is a change of direction, including walking up the narrow way, towards Jesus. I have heard too many evangelical messages that miss this important part of the gospel. And known of too many people who prayed a "sinner's" prayer and never walked with Jesus the rest of their lives. So from this perspective, this might be an antidote to easy believism, as the article says.
I'm sure that if John MacArthur were to preach it, his centeral text would be : James 2:14-18
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
KJV