Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the Authority of the Holy Spirit: Questions and Answers

What is the main concern of Dr. Lloyd-Jones regarding the church's modern approach to authority?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the church is seeking authority in all the wrong places while neglecting the one true source of authority - the Holy Spirit. He states: "The church is today well aware of the fact that she's lacking in authority and she is seeking for authority. But as I see it, the tragedy is she is seeking for authority almost everywhere except in the one place where it is to be obtained." The church is trying to establish authority through social concern, publicity, organizing, advertising, and institutional unity rather than relying on the power of the Holy Spirit.

How did even Jesus Christ demonstrate the necessity of the Holy Spirit's power?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that even Jesus Christ, the Son of God, needed the Holy Spirit for His earthly ministry. He references Jesus' baptism where "the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove" and quotes John 3:34 that "God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him." Jesus Himself declared in Nazareth, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel." Lloyd-Jones concludes, "Even the son of God himself, when he was here on earth, could not preach and do his work without the Holy Spirit."

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the cause of the church's neglect of the Holy Spirit's authority?

The preacher suggests that the church's neglect of the Holy Spirit's authority stems from becoming too respectable and formal. He explains: "For some reason or another, the Church of God has become respectable... I think it came in in the Victorian period, somewhere around about the middle of that period, when Christian people... began to feel that we must have order and decorum. Everything must be done in a dignified manner." He observes that in the fear of enthusiasm and excesses, the church has "gone to the other extreme and are undoubtedly guilty of quenching the spirit."

How does the Holy Spirit authenticate the scriptures according to the sermon?

According to Lloyd-Jones, "The authority of the Holy Spirit is seen in the scriptures themselves." He references 2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:20-21, noting that "it is the control of the spirit over the writers and the speakers that establishes the authority of the scriptures and of the Lord himself." He points out that some biblical writers admitted they didn't fully understand what they were writing, proving they were "secondary authors" with "the Holy Spirit as the primary author."

What is the relationship between the Word of God and the Holy Spirit according to Lloyd-Jones?

Lloyd-Jones teaches that "the word and the spirit must always go together." He explains that there is no contradiction between them since "it is the spirit who has given us the word." He advises that all spiritual impressions should be tested by Scripture: "What I may think is a leading from God is not a leading from God if it contradicts the word. I test every movement, every feeling, every sensation, every experience by the word." The preacher emphasizes we need "not the word only, not the spirit only, but the spirit through the word."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the role of the Holy Spirit in evangelism?

Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that evangelism cannot be effective without the Holy Spirit's power. He references Acts 1:8 where Jesus told the apostles, "Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me." Lloyd-Jones points out that even the apostles who had spent three years with Jesus, witnessed His miracles and resurrection, could not effectively witness without the Spirit's power. He concludes, "There is only one authority to witness to Christ, and that is the power of the Holy Spirit. Not a brilliantly organized meeting, not entertainment... There is only one authority, the authority of the Holy Ghost."

What historical pattern does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify in the church's attempts to regain authority?

Lloyd-Jones identifies a repeating pattern throughout church history where the church tries to regain authority through human means rather than seeking the Holy Spirit's power. He cites examples from the 18th century (Boyle lectures and Bishop Butler's apologetics), the 19th century (Newman's Anglo-Catholic movement and increased academic training), and modern times (social concern, publicity, and organizational unity). In each case, these human methods failed, while revivals through the Holy Spirit's power succeeded in restoring the church's authority and impact.

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean by "dead orthodoxy" and how is it cured?

By "dead orthodoxy," Lloyd-Jones refers to being doctrinally correct about Christ and Scripture but without spiritual life or power. He explains: "There have been people who have been perfectly orthodox about our Lord and perfectly orthodox in their view of the scripture, but they have been quite lifeless. They have been quite useless." The cure for this condition is the Holy Spirit's work: "It is only as we come to consider this great biblical teaching and doctrine concerning the Holy Spirit that we can see how these things, which are absolutely essential and which must come first enter into the practicalities of our whole situation."

How does the Holy Spirit provide assurance to believers according to the sermon?

Lloyd-Jones identifies three levels of assurance, with the Spirit's direct witness being the highest form. The lowest form is logical deduction from Scripture: "The scriptures say, whosoever believeth is not condemned. Do you believe? Yes. Very well. You're not condemned." The second is seeing the fruit of the Spirit in one's life. But the highest assurance is "The spirit himself beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God." He explains this is "not a deduction... not an argument that you work out. The spirit himself speaks to you direct, immediate, without any intermediary assuring you of these things."

What practical action does Dr. Lloyd-Jones urge his listeners to take in response to this message?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes by urging his listeners to pray for revival: "There's one thing every one of us can do and that is to pray for revival." He distinguishes this from merely praying for particular persons or campaigns, stressing that revival prayer is "much more important than all that." He reminds his audience that "when the Holy Spirit does this end, more can happen in five minutes than in 50 years," citing the 3,000 conversions at Pentecost. His final exhortation is "to pray to God without ceasing to visit the church again in revival and reawakening."