Godliness
A Sermon on John 17:17
Scripture
17Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Sermon Description
The tool used by God in the sanctification of His people is the truth of His word. In John 17:17, Jesus prays that the Father will sanctify His people with the truth. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones unfolds this text, he asks and answers two important questions: “What does it mean to be sanctified?” and “What is the first truth or doctrine the Christian must consider and study to be sanctified?” In this sermon on John 17:17 titled “Godliness,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that sanctification is the process of becoming more like Christ. The believer is striving to live a holy life and growing in godliness. This godliness that reflects the holiness of God is not just a removal or avoidance of sin in the believer’s life. Godliness that truly demonstrates sanctification is a life that loves God with all of one’s being. If that is the case, then what is the first doctrine or truth to be considered? It is the doctrine of God. The Christian cannot assume the truth about God. The truth or doctrine about God is the starting place of sanctification. As he explains from Scripture, Dr. Lloyd-Jones demonstrates that this first truth is what ultimately leads to godliness.
Sermon Breakdown
- The truth that sanctifies is the truth about God himself. There is a tendency to take God for granted and forget about God.
- The Bible starts with God in every respect. The Bible is primarily a revelation of God, designed to bring us to a knowledge of God.
- We must be careful to take the whole truth about God, not just as savior but also as creator, judge, etc. We tend to be subjective and only interested in aspects of God that meet our needs.
- There is a tendency to pray more to Jesus than to God the Father, due to compartmentalizing the truth. Prayer in the Bible is generally addressed to God the Father, in the name of Jesus, by the Spirit.
- The essence of sin is to forget God. The essence of sanctification is to live consciously under, for, and to the glory of God.
- Sanctification means God is at the center, before considering what we do or don't do. The main characteristic of the sanctified is God is central.
- We tend to start with ourselves and our problems, rather than starting with God. We must start with God, not ourselves.
- The condition of sanctification is the opposite of the condition of sin. Sin is self-centeredness, sanctification is God-centeredness.
- The truth about God's holiness, justice, righteousness, and judgment must be preached, not just for evangelism but for sanctification. God is a consuming fire.
- Salvation is God's plan, not man's. It originates with God, not us. God's purpose is to separate a people unto himself, zealous for good works.
- We must see ourselves in God's plan, not start with ourselves. Our greatest need is humility.
- The essence of the Christian life is fellowship and communion with God. To be sanctified is to walk in the light, in fellowship with God.
- We must work out our salvation with fear and trembling, meaning reverence and godly fear, not craven fear. Fear of wounding God's holiness, love, purpose, and work in us.
- The Bible describes sanctification in terms of godliness, holiness, and righteousness - not primarily victorious living. Sanctification means God-likeness.
- If we focus only on victory, we risk being self-satisfied and superficial. Godliness keeps us striving and dissatisfied in ourselves.
Sermon Q&A
What does Martyn Lloyd-Jones teach about the central truth that sanctifies Christians?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the central truth that sanctifies Christians is the truth about God Himself. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that sanctification begins not with our problems or sins, but with a right understanding of who God is. As he states in the sermon: "The first truth of sanctification, according to the scripture, is the truth about God himself." He points out that many Christians tend to "take God for granted" when discussing sanctification, focusing instead on specific sins or personal problems rather than starting with God.
How does Lloyd-Jones describe the common error Christians make when approaching sanctification?
Lloyd-Jones identifies that the common error Christians make is starting with themselves rather than with God. He explains: "Our tendency always is to start with ourselves. Instead of starting with God, we start with ourselves. I've got this sin that's worrying me... And my tendency is to say, what can be done about this sin, this problem of mine?" This self-centered approach reduces God to "merely an agency who is there to help me to solve my problem," which Lloyd-Jones calls "a totally and thoroughly unscriptural view and an unscriptural approach to the Almighty."
What does Lloyd-Jones say is the essence of sin versus the essence of sanctification?
Lloyd-Jones defines the essence of sin as forgetting God: "The essence of sin ultimately is to forget God. The essence of sin does not reside in the particular thing that I do. The essence of sin is to refuse to glorify God as he should be glorified." He describes sin as "self-centeredness" and "selfishness."
In contrast, sanctification is "that condition, that state in which a man lives his life under God, consciously under God, and for God and for the glory of God." The main characteristic of a sanctified person is that "God is in the center of his life."
How does Lloyd-Jones define true holiness according to Scripture?
Lloyd-Jones defines holiness as loving God completely: "I don't know a better definition of holiness than this: 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soul and all thy mind and all thy strength.' That is holiness." He emphasizes that holiness is not merely the absence of sin: "Holiness is not simply to have certain problems solved in my life. No, you may get rid of certain sins from your life and still be far removed from holiness." Instead, "essential holiness is that condition in which a man loves God with his heart and his soul and his mind and his strength."
What terminology does Lloyd-Jones prefer for describing sanctification and why?
Lloyd-Jones points out that the Bible describes sanctification in terms of "godliness," "holiness," and "righteousness" rather than modern terms like "victorious living" or "life of victory." He explains: "I notice that the Bible itself describes sanctification always in terms of godliness and holiness and righteousness. I don't see that the typical characteristic biblical description of the sanctified life is victorious living or the life of victory or overcoming."
He prefers these biblical terms because they focus on our relationship to God rather than just overcoming specific sins. As he states: "If you describe it in terms of godliness and holiness and godlikeness and righteousness, then your view will always be positive." This keeps Christians from becoming "self-satisfied" and "smug," and instead encourages them to continue "hungering and thirsting after righteousness."
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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.