April 1964

What does it mean to be a Christian? In this sermon titled “Graces, not Gifts,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches from John 1:16 to tell his hearers that the Christian is the one who has received the fullness of God. He preaches that the process of sanctification is part of the Christian life, and therefore it must be part of the Christian message. The only reason God can give gracious fullness of salvation is because He Himself is full to the infinite extent. When God gives salvation, He both imputes and imparts the righteousness of Christ to the believer. This does not mean the Christian life will be easy. Dr. Lloyd-Jones illustrates sanctification as a garden. A person can tend to the soil all their life and never produce any fruit, for they have forgotten to plant seeds. In this illustration Dr. Lloyd-Jones also tells his hearers that the vines are produced by God, and the toiling for His glory must be devoted to ridding the garden of weeds. It is a great encouragement that God is the protector. Listen as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches about God’s graces.

The Gospel is what enables living well in the midst of difficulty. In this sermon on 2 Timothy 1:12, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones poses these questions: what is the Gospel, and how does it impact the Christian? Paul’s main principle in this passage is that everything must be examined, including our lives, in the context of the whole collection of Scripture. Just as a doctor would want to address the root cause of an issue instead of merely trying to fix the symptom, so too, the Christian must look to Scripture and see the roots of the sin and seek to weed it out instead of attempting to merely fix the outward manifestations of the issue. Our framework for understanding this depends on our view of life. Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrasts the biblical view with the unbiblical, which is based on the principle that everything is constantly in flux and that life is a random accident. In contrast, God’s plan has a purpose and is not based on blind chance — it provides hope and rest, and best accounts for the condition of the world today. For Christians, this provides the hope and foundation needed to face difficult times.

In Romans 10:16–17, Paul explains that for a person to come to faith, they must hear the good news. But what comes after receiving faith? In this sermon on Romans 10:16–17 titled “Faith and Obedience,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones answers this question affirmatively by pointing to the early church in Paul’s time. After faith, a change was expected in the believers. They could no longer participate in idol worship or immoral rituals. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that they must submit themselves to the gospel with obedience. A good test to see whether or not a person really has faith is to look at their actions. Are they changed after believing or do they give, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones calls it, “intellectual assent”? These are people who merely acknowledge the gospel as the truth but do nothing to back it up. They never left behind worldly habits and practices. But Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that as James said, faith without works is dead. Obedience shows faith and faith encourages obedience. In closing this sermon on obedience, he extends the message of salvation, reminding believers and unbelievers alike of the joy found within.

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.

As time has progressed and the world has become more secular, many charge that the gospel is useless, outdated, and has failed despite being given several centuries to flourish and establish itself. In this sermon on 2 Timothy 1:12 titled “The Age of Reason,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers some of the criticisms of the gospel and helps the listener understand how they can formulate a biblical answer that is intellectually and spiritually satisfying. The first difficulty is the definition of the gospel. While many different people will offer to have their own “version” of the gospel, Dr. Lloyd-Jones points to Scripture and reminds that Paul defined the gospel therein. Second, many feel that the gospel has failed. Yet Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that it has accomplished exactly what it was established to do: to reconcile people to God through faith in Jesus’s atoning sacrifice for their sins. Third, some object that the gospel is of no value because progress has left it far behind. Yet the struggles of people today are no different than they were in the first century — Scripture is still incredibly relevant. So what is the gospel? What is human authority? Does reason have limits? Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones answers these questions and points to why humans need divine revelation and why Scripture is the best answer to problems today.

How is a person saved? Is it through just hearing the gospel or is it through faith? The debate is a theological divide in the Christian church. In this sermon on Romans 10:16–17 titled “Hearing of Faith,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones gives firm biblical grounding in salvation that comes not just by hearing, but by faith in Christ and His sacrifice on the cross. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that there are two types of hearing: hearing that falls on the ears and hearing that moves a person to believe. Quoting the words of Isaiah, he reveals that this has always been the case. Not every person who hears believes. It was the same in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and today. Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that this is an example of divine inspiration in Scripture. In a relatable “church goer” example, Dr. Lloyd-Jones reviews the elements needed for a person to hear the gospel with faith. That person’s heart must be opened by God and they must then trust in Christ’s redeeming death on the cross. To convey this incredible truth, Dr. Lloyd-Jones draws on other examples from the New Testament that embody and proclaim this faith today.

How can one be sure of their salvation and that they belong to Christ? In this sermon on John 1:16, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expounds on the nature and relationship of assurance and sanctification. He shows that assurance does not require a perfect life, nor does assurance give license to live in sin but the assurance which is found in God’s word begins with a recognition of new life in Christ. This recognition keeps Christians from either seeing assurance as a result of perfect sanctification or seeing assurance as license for no sanctification. But biblical assurance is a product of a heart that has been transformed by Christ, and this life is then lived out in the power of the Holy Spirit. Christians can have knowledge of their assurance by living a Spirit-empowered life of love and faith. The devil often uses false assurance to deceive and destroy people, but by seeking to live a life of faith and obedience lived in the power of God, Christians can have a true knowledge of their relationship with God. This knowledge should encourage Christians to seek to live a life of love toward God and neighbor. It should compel them to hate sin and love righteousness and lead Christians to a deeper love of Christ and His gospel.

In his sermon on 2 Timothy 1:12, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that the gospel will benefit anyone who believes in Jesus Christ— it is good news for all people. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds the listener that the Apostle Paul was a natural pessimist, and yet, he found hope through the gospel. He boldly proclaimed “I am not ashamed.” Scripture’s promises are not dependent upon a person’s temperament or tendencies; it has power for all. Many today hold to a stoic view of life and believe that all are born to die, but this view provides no hope for people. Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrasts this with the Christian view, using the real-life example of songwriter Horatio Spafford who penned the well-known hymn, “It is Well with My Soul.” Spafford wrote this hymn soon after the tragic drowning of his children and losing most of his wealth. Though all here on earth could be going horribly wrong, and though evil and its results seem to prevail, followers of Jesus have hope. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds the listener that this is not automatic — though salvation is received through faith alone, the Christian journey is one in which its followers must play an active part in living out the gospel. He closes by stating that Christianity has no comfort or consolation if one does not believe its truth. Paul’s comfort was deduced from his faith — repent from sins and believe the gospel today in faith.

In his sermon on Romans 10:14–17 titled “The Preacher’s Message (2),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones talks about the great joy believers have within the gospel. Reading from this Scripture passage, he reminds the listener of the basics of the good news and how it should inspire Christians. He says that preaching is God’s chief appointed role for sharing the gospel to the congregation and unbelievers. Because of this responsibility, it’s important for preachers to integrate the good news into their message. Dr. Lloyd-Jones offers this suggestion with a warning to the congregation: do not grow tired of hearing the gospel. It is easy for Christians to forget the amazing power bestowed by God to those who believe. Dr. Lloyd-Jones takes an opportunity to remind Christians of what they have in Christ. He says that God gave His Son for the forgiveness of sins simply because He is rich in mercy and grace, as seen in Ephesians 2. Dr. Lloyd-Jones expounds upon the daily intercession Christ takes for Christians at the right hand of the Father. He goes on to describe the groaning of the Holy Spirit that prays when believers don’t know what to pray for. With these incredible privileges, Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes with a call to obey the gospel and take joy in the promises within.