Son of God; Son of Man
A Sermon on Acts 4:12
Originally preached July 11, 1965
Scripture
12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Sermon Description
All are in dire need of salvation because all are under the judgment of God. Because of the fall, all are born in sin and in guilt. They must get rid of their polluted nature and their guilt before a holy God. How can a sinful person be reconciled with God? In this sermon titled “Son of God, Son of Man,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones joyfully and powerfully states that the great truth of the gospel is the forgiveness of sins and a new nature in Christ. By the gospel, the whole world is made new but in their pride and arrogance, people reject the gospel and its God. They believe that they can make the world a better place by their own endeavors. They do not believe that they are fallen sinners in need of a savior and a new life. They reject the idea that only through Christ can anyone be saved. But the message of Christ and Christ alone is the means of salvation is the gospel. This is the message of salvation from Genesis to Revelation. It is the God-man who came to save His people and bring about the kingdom of God.
Sermon Breakdown
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The sermon begins by introducing the verse that will be the focus of the message: Acts 4:12. This verse states that "salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes that this verse is a continuation of Peter's response to the Sanhedrin after he and John healed a lame man. Peter proclaimed that the healing was done through the power of Jesus Christ, whom the Sanhedrin had crucified.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones outlines that there are three main propositions in this sermon:
I) The Lord Jesus Christ is the savior. The story of the lame man's healing shows that Christ does the saving, not man. Salvation is entirely the result of Christ's work.
II) Jesus is the only savior. Peter affirms this twice in Acts 4:12. Jesus alone can save, and needs no help from any other.
III) The reason Jesus is the only savior is because only he can adequately address the real problem of man, which is sin and separation from God. No one else can represent man before God, bear the guilt of sin, impart a new nature, or conquer sin, death and the devil.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones elaborates on the first proposition, that Jesus is the savior, by contrasting Jesus as savior versus man saving himself through good works or morality. Man cannot save himself because he is fallen, sinful, and powerless. Salvation requires a miracle, which only Jesus can perform.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones defends the second proposition, that Jesus alone is savior, by arguing that Jesus is unique as the God-man. He alone can represent man before God as a man, but also satisfy God's wrath as God. He alone overcame sin, death and the devil through his perfect life and victory over death. No one else qualifies as savior.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones unpacks the third proposition by explaining the real problem of man in depth. Man's problem starts with not knowing God as the holy, righteous judge. Man is guilty, fallen, sinful, and enslaved to sin. Man needs salvation, forgiveness, a new nature, power over sin, and victory over death. Only Jesus can adequately address all these needs as savior.
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In conclusion, Dr. Lloyd-Jones appeals to the listeners to either accept or reject Jesus as the only savior. To reject Jesus is to be left hopeless in sin and death. But to believe in Jesus brings salvation, new life, and eternal joy.
Sermon Q&A
What is the Central Message of Christianity According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasize that Jesus Christ is the only Savior?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Jesus Christ is the only Savior because He alone can address the true depth of humanity's problem. He explains that Christ is unique in that He is both fully God and fully man, making Him the only one who can represent us before God. As Lloyd-Jones states: "He must be God. He must be man. There is none other. He's alone... I need a God as well as men. And here is the God man in all the perfection of his glory." The doctor emphasizes that no other religious figure or teacher has this dual nature, which is essential for our salvation.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as mankind's fundamental problem?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies mankind's fundamental problem as being threefold: guilt before God, a fallen and polluted nature, and powerlessness against sin. He states: "Man is a guilty sinner. He knows it in his heart... Man's very nature is polluted. It isn't simply that he does wrong. He loves it. He enjoys it." He further explains that humans are "under the power of sin, under the power of the devil, under the power of the world and the flesh." This deep diagnosis reveals why mere moral teaching or example cannot solve our condition - we need complete salvation.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrast modern Christianity with true Christianity?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrasts what he calls "radical Christianity" or "modern Christianity" with true biblical Christianity. He states that modern Christianity rejects the exclusive claims of Christ and instead promotes a syncretistic approach that embraces insights from other religions. He says: "To talk about a world congress of faith and to say, oh, yes, we are very interested to hear about the contribution of Hinduism... It's a denial of him." True Christianity, according to Lloyd-Jones, maintains that "Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved."
What does salvation mean according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, salvation is not merely improvement, instruction, or example - it is complete deliverance. He explains: "What man needs? Not help, not advice, not example, not to be improved. He needs to be delivered. He needs salvation. He needs newness." This salvation includes reconciliation with God, removal of guilt, receiving a new nature, gaining power against sin, and victory over death. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes: "You don't need instruction... You don't need example... You need to be born again, you need to be forgiven, you need to be renovated, you need to be made a child of God and an heir of eternity."
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say that modern intellectuals misunderstand Christianity?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that modern intellectuals misunderstand Christianity because they fail to grasp both the nature of God and the depth of human sinfulness. He states: "It is entirely due to their failure to realize the nature and the depth of the problem." He explains that modern people have a sentimental view of God that ignores His holiness and justice: "The modern man's idea of God is a travesty. He's not God. He's a projection of the evil heart of modern men." Additionally, they overestimate human goodness: "The modern man is such a good conceit of himself. He thinks he's so good."
The Book of Acts
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.