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What is different about the Christian life from every other life? In this sermon on Romans 7:4 titled “The Essentials of Salvation”, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones states that it is no external matter. He says that the Christian life is one that has been totally reoriented because the Christian has passed from death into life by believing in the gospel. The Christian is not simply one who acts differently, but they have been renewed in Christ and made a new creature. This radical change is brought about because Jesus did not come to improve behavior, but to make new men and women. All must ask if they have been transformed in Christ. Only by believing in the person and work of Christ can anyone be saved. Christ stands at the center of life and it is Christ who calls all to believe in Him. He came and died in order that sinners might be saved and brought to life. He rose from the dead as a testament to the power of His message and gospel. This message of Christ is the most important message one can ever hear for it is the words of eternal life.
What does it mean that Jesus Christ is the foundation of the Christian’s salvation? The theme of Jesus as God’s appointed Savior is found throughout the Gospel of John. In this sermon from John 2:23–25 titled “Captain of Our Salvation,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expounds on this great doctrine and its significance for all. The biblical message of salvation is the proclamation that God has acted in Jesus Christ to redeem His people from sin and bondage. It is wholly a work of grace that cannot be improved on or added to; it cannot be made more perfect than it is. Jesus alone saves. Any desire to add to the work of Christ distorts the gospel and denies Jesus as the sole savior of the world. What does this message mean for humanity? First and foremost, it is a call to repent and believe in Jesus. Sinners should not go another day without trusting in the compassion and love of God. For those that already believe, they must seek to live in the power of Christ and reject all efforts of self-justification. Jesus is the captain of their salvation because He is the only one that can save from sin, death, and the judgment of God.
There is no escape from the penalty of sin. Scripture says that everyone has sinned, and eternal punishment is the only just response by a holy God. In this sermon on Isaiah 1:9 titled “Salvation Impossible to Man,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows the severity of sin and how no one is able to change anything of their own accord. Humanity deserves total destruction because of their sin. All have all rebelled against God and are unholy. They have no plea and because God is holy, He cannot allow His presence to be tainted by sin. Through His word and what He has revealed in it about sinfulness and the Savior He sent for humanity’s sins, no one has excuse. God is justified in His judgment of sinners. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that on their own, no one can do anything about their own salvation. Just one sin is enough to separate people from God so all are left incapable of doing enough good works to save themselves. Thus, human salvation is entirely of God. Dr. Lloyd-Jones asks a crucial question: “are you resting in and trusting on Jesus for your salvation?” Only by believing in Jesus’s sacrifice for one’s sins can they be made right with God. Looking at one’s sin and at what Scripture says regarding the solution leads to repentance today.
In the sermon “The Power… unto Salvation,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones continues his series on Romans 1:16–17 and shows why Paul was not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The same motivation that fueled Paul flows to the Christian today. The gospel that Paul was sharing was unlike any other message the Romans had heard. It is the power of God that enables the Christian to rejoice in hope because He made a way of salvation, is preparing a home in Heaven for the believer, and frees them from all condemnation. The efficient and sufficient work of Christ means His people are His workmanship, His chosen people predestined for His purposes. What hope does the Christian have because the Lord is for them and is justifying them; who then can be against them? The Christian should not be ashamed because this gospel will produce this work and is guaranteed to end in glorification. All are hopeless without salvation but, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, thanks be to God for the saving power of His gospel.
It is common to hear that the Bible is outdated, that it was written so long ago that it no longer has any relevance for the “advanced” world today. The Bible has one clear message throughout— why the world is as it is, and how it can be fixed. In this sermon on Isaiah 5:1–7 titled “A Free Salvation,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones reminds that far from being too old and irrelevant, Scripture is the only tool one can use to help the state of the world today because it speaks to the core questions and desires with which every generation from the dawn of time has wrestled. The first point the passage addresses is the root of the issues faced today. Humanity’s ultimate trouble, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, is that they do not know and believe the truth about themselves, and thus act accordingly. This passage reinforces the idea that people are not evolved animals but rather beings created in the image of God. The second point touches on the unreasonable nature of human behavior and conduct in light of what God has revealed about Himself. Third, Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that human conduct is inexcusable— God has done everything that could be done for them, and yet they still choose rebellion. The solution is repentance from sins—turning from disobedience against God and His commands—and trusting in Jesus for forgiveness of sins.
The greatest tragedy in the world is the neglect of the Christian message. This neglect causes so much unhappiness and distress. Everything God does is a perfect work and in His salvation nothing is left undone, but many people, even Christians, fail to recognize this greatness. They need a new attitude toward holiness: “Ye shall be my people.” In this sermon on Ezekiel 36:28 titled “A Great and Complete Salvation,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones seeks to view this Scripture from God’s perspective. There is nothing more terrible than to be without God in the world; to do so is to belong to a realm that is dying and decaying—this is a tragic position, yet one the sinner delights in. Gain the assurance that God is a personal God, and that He will not let His people go. Salvation brings a certainty when the Christian goes to God in prayer. “In Christ, we are brought to an inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones shares and encourages that this is reserved in heaven by God for His people. Not only are they a holy nation as His people, but He is their God. He laid Himself down that He might bring them to God. Dr. Lloyd-Jones leaves the listener with one question: “Can you say ‘He is my God’?”
God has not abandoned the world and He has not abandoned His children. Rather, before sin ever entered the scene, God set in motion a plan to save His people from the evil of this world. God sent His Son to the cross and raised Him again that they might dwell in His presence. In this sermon on Galatians 1:3–5 titled “Man’s Need: Salvation,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches the same truth that was proclaimed to the Galatians who had forgotten their great need for the gospel. Christians today are no different in that they also are apt to forget what God has done for them. When Christians forget the gospel, they forget how desperately they need this good news and to be delivered from evil. God is not passive when He looks on His children’s need; He loves them so much and has created a way for salvation. Consider His great grace, mercy, and compassion and praise Him.
What is salvation? Christians may use this word out of context and Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones discusses what the Bible means by the terms “being saved” and “salvation.” Romans 1:16–17 is filled with meaning regarding what happened as a result of the fall of humanity. In the sermon “God’s Great Plan for Salvation,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones conveys that the Christian has a three-fold deliverance from sin through the power of salvation: deliverance from the guilt of sin, the power of sin, and the pollution of sin. Dr. Lloyd-Jones goes on to explain that salvation also has an implication of time: the Christian has been saved, is being saved, and will be saved. Paul glories in this because it emphasizes his point that he is not ashamed to preach this message of reconciliation and deliverance. This gospel applies to both the Jews and the Gentiles, those who followed the law and those who did not, and it shows that all have hope in Christ by grace through faith. Christians were previously under the wrath and destruction of God, but salvation restores them again in the hope of glory.
How great is the gospel? To see the transforming and saving power of the Gospel, there is no better place to look than the early church. In this sermon on Acts 5:29–32, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones looks to the great deeds of the Apostles as they stand against persecution and boldly proclaim the gospel. After the empowering work of the Holy Spirit, Peter, John, and the other disciples have no fear in the face of persecution. They are beaten and imprisoned, but what do they do? They continue to preach Christ and Him crucified. This shows the great power of God, that He can work to change fearful fishermen into bold heralds of the kingdom of God. What does this message have to offer modern Christians and the church of today? The message of God’s faithfulness and the good news of salvation is a timeless message that the church always needs to hear. God has promised that He will give His Holy Spirit to the church, and He will empower believers to take the good news of salvation to the ends of the earth. This is so that all people might know that Jesus is the Savior of the world who has died for sinners so that all who believe are saved and made children of God.
How does one respond to the gospel? What should the attitude be toward Jesus Christ? In this sermon on Acts 5:41-42 titled “God’s Way of Salvation,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones directs attention to hearts and attitudes toward Christ. Is the view of Jesus like that of the Sanhedrin or the apostles? While the Sanhedrin believed in the existence of God, they rejected Jesus the Son and His atoning work on the cross. The apostles, on the other hand, had a different response — they believed in Jesus the Messiah. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones describes how Christians should live in light of the gospel. Christians should rejoice and glorify Christ, ready to suffer in His name. His name is worthy of suffering and sacrifice because, as Christians, Christ is all.
What is the purpose of God's law and why was it given? From the pulpit of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones in this sermon on Romans 8:3–4 titled “Salvation of God through Christ,” listen as the words of Paul are explained showing what the law could not do, why the law could not do it, how the Lord has done what the law could not, and the result that is produced in Christians. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones walks through these four points in his sermon. The law cannot enable the sinner to fill its own demands, which is righteousness. A believing Christian is no longer under the law or the under the reign of sin, but rather living a life under grace in a new life with Christ. The law fails because it depends on the person and their efforts and they are weak. However, it does show the great need to be delivered from sin. Finally, at the heart of the gospel, God has provided salvation through His own actions. God gave the law, but not in order to save. Christ alone produces the only way of salvation and justification. Dr. Lloyd-Jones continually emphasizes Paul’s point that the law cannot save and that it only allows the Christian to see the sin in their lives.
Who is Jesus? Many say that Jesus was merely a good teacher. He was a teacher; the greatest teacher who has ever lived, but He is more. Christ did not merely come to teach, for teaching cannot conquer sin. Law cannot change a person. Jesus came to change lives. In this sermon on 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 titled “The Holy Spirit in Salvation,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that Christians once were something else, but they have been transformed. The Christian is a new being, no longer under the power and sway of the devil. The wicked one cannot touch them. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this is not achieved through Jesus’s gift of teaching, but it is achieved through Jesus’s gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit emancipates the new believer by giving them knowledge of and a taste for Christ. The believer has new affections and desires. Jesus, therefore, is seen in human weakness, failure, hopelessness, and despair. All must go to Him, just as they are, and find new life. Humanity needs more than His teaching; people need Him. Indeed, Jesus is more than a teacher. He is more than a law-giver. Jesus is the Savior who will never leave nor forsake His people.
In this sermon on John 3:17 titled “Man and His Need of Salvation,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches how the Bible not only tells what the gospel is, but it also tells why the gospel is needed. Often times people jump straight to the message of the gospel without looking at why people need the gospel. God’s word is clear on why Jesus had to come and Scripture tells that humankind loves darkness rather than light, and for this reason the whole world already lies under the judgment of God. But the light of the gospel pierces even the darkest cloud because it tells that despite humanity’s sin, rebellion, and evil, God sent His Son into the world. God so loved the world that He came and died in the place of sinners and rose from the dead so that they might have new life. God has overcome the power of sin and the devil so that all who believe in Jesus are not only restored to their original state of righteousness, but they are made even higher. This sermon calls all to believe in Jesus, repent of sins, and trust Him in order to become children of God, pure and holy. This gospel is truly good news.
Why did God give the law? Even in the time of the apostles, there were those who believed that the law was the means of salvation. They thought that by keeping the law, God would save them. But in this sermon on John 1:17 titled “The Law, Our Schoolmaster,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that this is an entirely wrong way of understanding the law. It was given in order to show the need for salvation, not as a means of earning salvation. The apostle Paul tells that Christ alone is the way of salvation and it is only by believing in His life, death, and resurrection that there is salvation. This is a salvation of grace and grace alone. This sermon confronts with the questions: what does one believe about the law? What are the trappings of a life of legalism and works, one apart from the grace of God? The only way of salvation is not found in keeping the law, but in believing in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Is assurance essential for salvation? Can one doubt their salvation and still be truly saved? In this sermon on Romans 8:15 titled “The Spirit of Adoption,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers that assurance is not essential for salvation. It is possible for those who have truly been born again and who trust in the Gospel to doubt if they have been saved. This is because they are saved by the work of Christ, not our act of believing. It is not as if faith is a great work that earns the Christian favor with God. Scripture tells that faith itself is a gift from God in order that the Christian might be saved. Salvation is received by God enabling them to believe in the gospel. This is a great hope to all who are plagued by doubts of God’s love for them. Salvation is a gift of God, but not all who are saved are assured of their salvation. As Christians grow in love of God and neighbor and to understand God more and more, all Christians can have a stronger assurance of salvation. All believers can know that Christ has died for them and loves them.
Do Christians truly rejoice in Jesus Christ? Do they rejoice in the salvation He has freely given? Listen to this sermon on John 4:13–14 titled “The Need of Man” as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones speaks on salvation and what it reveals. He begins by bringing up the saddening lack of rejoicing most Christians have towards salvation. He explains that this lack comes directly from a failure to see the utter and complete need of Jesus’ salvation. One cannot truly rejoice in the salvation Christ offers if they do not first see their need and realize their complete inadequacy in saving themselves. The whole Bible, especially the Old Testament, points directly to the fact that all need a Savior. People can only be moved by salvation if they see their need for it. Not only do they have to recognize their need, but they have to know their complete need. This is realizing that without Christ and His salvation they are spiritually dead and ignorant. But the good news is that as Christians, they have a Savior who came to earth, died, and rose again victorious over death. He is the deliverer. Let all run to Him, realizing the complete need, and rejoice in His salvation.
What is the result of salvation? Often times Christians speak of their salvation as simply being forgiven or saved from sins. While this is true, in this sermon on John 1:16 titled “Final Perseverance,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that salvation is more than being forgiven. According to him, salvation is salvation unto good works and a life of holiness. The idea that one can be a Christian while continuing to live in sin and rebellion is not taught in the Bible. This is because the Bible always teaches that God uses good works to enable Christians to persevere to the end. God gives the Holy Spirit that equips the faithful to live a life of good works. This same Spirit keeps all true believers from falling away and losing their salvation. All who are saved persevere to the end. This is only because God has promised to keep all those whom He has saved. This sermon gives great hope to all believers who have truly trusted in God. To those who do not know Jesus, it promises a salvation that is secure and stable to all who believe in the gospel.
God’s great plan of salvation is found in Jesus Christ. But as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains through Stephen’s sermon on Acts 7, this plan of salvation was foreseen in the Old Testament and in the sacrificial system. One clear foretelling came when God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac upon an altar. While in the end God provides a ram for Abraham to sacrifice instead of his son, this looks forward to when God gives His only Son to die upon the cross for the sins of the world. God tells that the blood of bulls and goats will not atone for sins and Dr. Lloyd-Jones proclaims that it is only the perfect blood of Jesus Christ, true God and true man, that can take away sins and make sinners righteous. This is the whole message of the Old Testament: the need of salvation for all and the need for God to supply the means of this salvation. This is why the Old Testament is so central to Christianity; the Old Testament tells of the need of salvation and of the futility of human means. It is the overarching narrative of Scripture that tells of the fallenness of humanity and the great gospel of Christ that is the only salvation of the world.
People love to make distinctions between themselves and others, between their tribe and other tribes. Fallen hearts tend to make these distinctions so as to elevate themselves above others, especially in religious matters. The apostle Paul has tirelessly labored in Romans to emphasize that there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile –– all sin falls short of the glory of God. If one does not follow the apostle here, they will construct different ways of salvation that appeal to the flesh. One may think being moral, good or kind is the way of salvation. But God’s way of salvation has always been the same — those who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. There is no distinction between Jew or Gentile in any sense, whether in sin or salvation. In this sermon on Romans 10:11–13 titled “Jew or Gentle, No Difference,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expounds Paul’s teaching and brings contemporary application. Specifically, he applies Paul’s teaching here to dispensationalism and its teaching that makes a distinction between salvation for Jews and salvation for the church. In an amicable spirit, Dr. Lloyd-Jones challenges the popular movement by rightly connecting the Old Testament teaching on salvation with the New Testament. He emphasizes that there is only one way with one gospel and no distinctions.
The Christian can struggle with assurance of salvation, feel tormented by past sins, or disbelieve that they could truly be saved. In this sermon focused on Ephesians 6:10–13 titled “Attacks on Assurance (1),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones diagnoses the real cause of struggles with assurance. Often the devil causes the Christian to question whether anyone can be sure of their salvation or he makes them feel presumptuous to be so certain of their salvation. The truth is that only the devil makes one look back at sin—Christ makes them look back to His work on the cross. That is where the Christian must place their confidence. God commands His people to be certain of their salvation and to know the truth that they are saved as seen in 1 John 5. Christians are encouraged to not be so busied with the state of their spiritual health that they make themselves ill but instead lay hold of the promise of salvation and rest in Christ.
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