The Profound Paradox: Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Who Is Man
In a world consumed with self-definition and identity confusion, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones's timeless exposition of 2 Timothy 1:12 addresses the most fundamental question of human existence: "Who is man?" His insights reveal that our understanding of humanity shapes every aspect of life—from personal fulfillment to societal organization to eternal destiny.
The Modern Identity Crisis
Today's culture offers numerous competing visions of human identity. Scientific materialism reduces humanity to mere biological processes. Political ideologies define us primarily by social categories. Psychological theories explain us as bundles of drives and impulses. Meanwhile, popular culture celebrates self-definition without limits.
"I'm not surprised that the modern world is as it is, in trouble and perplexity, full of despair and of hopelessness," observes Dr. Lloyd-Jones. "Modern man doesn't know what man is. How can he know what's gone wrong if he doesn't know what he is? How can he put things right if he's wrong in his whole conception of himself?"
Amid this confusion, Dr. Lloyd-Jones presents the biblical view of humanity with clarity and conviction—addressing not merely academic theory but practical wisdom for living meaningfully in a troubled world.
The Essential Contradiction in Human Nature
What distinguishes Dr. Lloyd-Jones's analysis is his unflinching recognition of the profound contradiction within human nature. "Man is a contradiction," he states. "Look at man from one angle and you'll say he's great, he's noble, he's wonderful. But then you take another look at him and you say that he's small, he is vile, he is ignoble, he's ugly."
This contradiction appears vividly in modern history:
"Look at this very century... these phenomenal achievements of modern men, these amazing scientific discoveries... But remember, it's also been the century of Buchenwald and of other concentration camps. It's the century of the bombs and of the two most devastating wars that the world has ever known."
Only the biblical perspective adequately explains this paradox—a creature made in God's image yet fallen from that original glory. Neither optimistic humanism nor pessimistic nihilism captures the full picture. Man is simultaneously capable of astonishing nobility and shocking depravity.
The Biblical Understanding of Human Nature
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies several essential elements of biblical anthropology:
1. Created in God's Image
Unlike other creatures, humans possess unique qualities reflecting their divine origin: "Man is a creature who has been made by God in his own image and likeness." This includes:
- Intellectual capacity: Not merely animal instinct but the power of self-reflection
- Moral nature: Not just conditioned behavior but genuine moral judgment
- Religious character: An innate sense of the eternal and transcendent
These qualities exist universally: "Even the most primitive races... all have a sense of a supreme high God. It's innate in human nature. Man has got a religious nature."
2. Possessing an Immortal Soul
Central to biblical anthropology is the recognition that humans are more than physical beings: "Man is body, soul, spirit... what makes man man is this other aspect, this power and capacity that he has... above all, his capacity for God."
The apostle Paul demonstrated this conviction even facing execution: "I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." What he committed was his soul—that eternal essence that constitutes human identity.
Dr. Lloyd-Jones observes, "A man can't think of himself as going out of existence. You may say that when you die it's the end, but you can't believe that... There is something about us that suggests we are immortal."
3. Man's design for Divine Purpose
Life has meaning beyond mere survival or pleasure-seeking: "Man, being made in the image and likeness of God was meant to be the Lord of creation. He was meant to be God's representative in this world."
Dr. Lloyd-Jones cites the Westminster Shorter Catechism: "The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever." We were created for relationship with God—a purpose that explains both our greatness and our restlessness when disconnected from Him.
The Root of Human Tragedy
Why, then, is human life characterized by suffering and frustration? Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies the fundamental problem: rebellion against God has disrupted humanity's intended state.
"Man was made in the image and likeness of God. But he rebelled against him. He became inflated with his own importance. He wanted to be as God, so he deliberately defied God and broke his commandments and went his own way."
This rebellion produced three devastating consequences:
1. Broken Relationship with God
"Man has lost the face of God. Man is out of correspondence with God. Man no longer knows God."
2. Internal Imbalance
"Man has lost his balance... Man today is no longer governed by his spirit and his rational soul. What's he governed by? He's governed by lust and desire."
This explains why human beings act in self-destructive ways despite their intellectual capacities. The higher governing faculties no longer maintain proper control over desires and impulses.
3. External Conflict
"The whole world is as it is tonight because of lust, because of desire, man sets himself up as an autonomous, independent unit... He lives as he wants to live. And he says, 'These are my rights. Why shouldn't I express myself?'"
When everyone makes this claim, the result is inevitable conflict: "The world divided into two. The haves and the have nots... all out for the same thing and all wanting it."
The Only Adequate Solution
Having diagnosed humanity's condition, Dr. Lloyd-Jones points to the only remedy: "What a man needs is to be saved... He'll never have peace and rest until he's been delivered from himself, delivered from the thraldom of circumstances, delivered from the world, the flesh, the devil."
This salvation comes through Jesus Christ, who "hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light." Only through Him can humanity's original purpose be restored.
The doctor emphasizes that human solutions—whether political, educational, or psychological—cannot address our fundamental problem: "The biblical teaching is that man himself can do nothing about it and that all his efforts will ever prove to be a disappointment."
Our best efforts fail because they cannot transform the human heart: "The heart of men is desperately wicked and deceitful. Who can know it?" Only God can provide the new birth that changes us from within.
Questions People Ask About Human Nature
What makes humans different from animals?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, humans differ fundamentally from animals in possessing:
- Self-consciousness and capacity for self-reflection
- Moral reasoning beyond mere conditioning
- Religious awareness and sense of the transcendent
- Intellectual capabilities that surpass mere instinct
- An immortal soul that survives physical death
As T.H. Huxley (no friend to Christianity) acknowledged: "Between man and the highest beast there exists... an enormous gulf, a divergence immeasurable and practically infinite."
Why do humans behave in contradictory ways?
The biblical explanation for human contradiction is our status as fallen image-bearers. We retain aspects of our original nobility (explaining our capacity for reason, creativity, and altruism) yet suffer from the corrupting effects of sin (explaining our selfishness, cruelty, and moral failures).
This dual nature accounts for why the same century produced both remarkable achievements and unspeakable atrocities—why the same person can perform acts of breathtaking generosity and shocking malice.
What is the purpose of human life?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones affirms that human life has purpose beyond mere survival or pleasure. We were created:
- To know God personally
- To represent God's character in the world
- To exercise responsible dominion over creation
- To find fulfillment in relationship with our Creator
"Man's happiness depends upon one thing only... his relationship to God." Until this relationship is restored, we remain restless despite our accomplishments.
The Path Forward
For those troubled by questions of identity and purpose, Dr. Lloyd-Jones offers this guidance: recognize your true nature as both gloriously created and profoundly fallen. Acknowledge your need for divine intervention. Turn to Christ, who alone can restore what sin has damaged.
In a world offering countless inadequate answers to the question "Who is man?", the biblical perspective provides both sobering realism about our condition and magnificent hope for our redemption.
To explore Dr. Lloyd-Jones's full exposition on this vital subject, visit Who is Man? - MLJ Trust. Discover how understanding your true identity can transform how you view yourself, your purpose, and your ultimate destiny.