Attacks on Assurance, Part 2
A Sermon on Ephesians 6:10-13
Originally preached May 14, 1961
Scripture
10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against …
Sermon Description
Christians can feel as though the Lord has withdrawn His smile from them and are concerned that their current or difficult state may mean that they are not truly a Christian. In this sermon on Ephesians 6:10–13 titled “Attacks on Assurance (2),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that when Christians experience hardship and adversity, they must remember that the Lord allows difficult things in their lives because He wants to grow them as Christians. This ought to be a great comfort in hardship. Adversity encourages the Christian not to rely on their good works, but to be encouraged that they are being matured and prepared for future glory with Christ. They should not question their justification when they experience trials and suffering. Instead they should remember that when they confess their sins, God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse His people from all unrighteousness.
Sermon Breakdown
- The devil troubles Christians by misinterpreting God's dealings with them. He makes them doubt God's love and question whether they are truly saved.
- God disciplines and chastises Christians out of love to help them grow. Difficult times are meant to strengthen faith, not prove lack of salvation.
- The devil uses sin to make Christians doubt their salvation and relationship with God. But sin does not break the relationship between God and his children. Christians are justified once and for all by faith in Christ.
- The "sin against the Holy Spirit" is not a single act of sin, but the prideful, arrogant rejection of Christ and the gospel. Those worried they have committed it demonstrate the opposite spirit.
The Book of Ephesians
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.