But God... Part 2
A Sermon on Ephesians 2:4
Originally preached Nov. 6, 1955
Scripture
4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Sermon Description
Christians are citizens of heaven yet remain in the world. In this sermon on Ephesians 2:4 titled “But God…,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones shares that the two powerful words that make this a reality are “but God.” Without God’s action in this world, there would be no hope for the future. Life, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds, cannot be understood unless one views it in light of God. How can this done? He suggests that expository preaching teaches what God says in His word. To be lights in this world, Christians are not simply to strive to solve social issues and wars, but to remind people of the true and only hope: salvation in Christ Jesus. That hope is not to be placed in governments, people, programs or systems, but in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and His saving work on the cross. In addition, Dr. Lloyd-Jones preaches the importance of not simply preaching morality and its benefits. Christians are not to preach at people to be civil. They are to share the gospel and beg people to repent as only then will they change. Christians can look forward to going to their true home in heaven.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon begins by introducing the first two words in Ephesians 2:4, "But God". These two words contain the essence of the Christian gospel.
- The sermon connects these two words to the preceding verses, Ephesians 2:1-3, which describe man's sinful state. Man is spiritually dead, governed by the devil, lives according to worldly principles, and is under God's wrath.
- The sermon argues that the charge that the Christian message is irrelevant to life is unfounded. The Bible addresses the whole of human life. We must start with the truth about God, then apply it to life.
- The sermon outlines the biblical method: start with doctrine, end with application to life. Don't start with situations, end with them. Start by looking to God, not the world.
- The sermon applies this to the current world situation. The Bible explains why there are wars and man's inhumanity to man: man's sinful nature and lusts.
- While man's nature remains unchanged, the world will remain as it is. Optimism that we can solve the world's problems is misguided. Only God's grace can change human nature.
- The Christian message is not an appeal to patriotism, courage, heroism or self-sacrifice. These are pagan virtues, not specifically Christian.
- The Christian message is not just an appeal to follow Christian principles. Unregenerate man cannot follow the Sermon on the Mount. He needs new life from God.
- The Christian message to the world is that without Christ, the world is under God's judgment. The message to individuals is that they can be saved from this through Christ.
- God has put controls on human sin and evil, e.g. instituting government and law. But sometimes He relaxes these restraints to show us the horror of unbridled sin.
- Christians have become citizens of God's kingdom, not of this world. Their hopes and affections are set on the eternal, not the temporal.
- Christians are never surprised by what happens in the world. They expect sin and trouble because of the sinful human heart. They are prepared for anything.
- Christians have a power enabling them to conquer the world's evils. Their faith gives them victory, comfort and strength.
- Christians know they are ultimately safe in God's hands. Nothing can separate them from His love. A perfect world is coming where righteousness will dwell.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones "But God" Sermon Questions and Answers
What is the significance of the phrase "But God" in Ephesians 2:4?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the phrase "But God" contains essentially the whole gospel. It represents God's intervention, something that "comes entirely from outside us and displays to us this wondrous and amazing and astonishing work of God." These two words introduce the Christian message - what God has done to rescue humans from their fallen state described in the preceding verses.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones address the criticism that expository preaching is irrelevant to contemporary life?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that this criticism is "entirely unfounded" and that "there is nothing which really does deal with the contemporary situation, save the Scripture." He explains that proper biblical preaching doesn't start with current events and make remarks about them, but rather starts with biblical truth and then applies it to current situations. He says, "You don't start with a situation, you end with the situation. The Bible invites us at the very beginning to stop looking on the horizontal... It invites us to lift up our eyes and to look at God."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the biblical explanation for war and human conflict?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones points to the biblical doctrine of man's sinful nature as the explanation for war and conflict. He quotes James 4, asking "whence come wars among you?" and answering "even of the lusts that war in your members." He explains that war comes from humanity's fallen condition - people are "governed by these desires of the flesh and of the mind" and are more interested in what they want than what is right. This principle "operates right through society from top to bottom from the individual to the nation."
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones believe that human efforts to achieve lasting peace will fail?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that as long as humans remain in their sinful state, the world will continue as it has been. He calls it a "fatal fallacy" to believe that our generation can fix problems when previous generations couldn't. He states, "If it is this question of the lusts that are in mankind in sin while they are there, there will be wars." He cites Jesus' words that "there will be wars and rumors of wars" and that conditions before his return will be similar to the days of Noah and Sodom. Lloyd-Jones concludes, "The answer of the Bible is that you cannot [outlaw war] while man remains unregenerate."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones consider to be misrepresentations of the Christian message?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies three common misrepresentations: 1. The Christian message is not "a great appeal for patriotism" - while patriotism itself isn't wrong, nationalism that says "my country, right or wrong" is "fatally wrong." 2. It's not merely "an appeal to courage or heroism" - these are pagan virtues that existed before Christianity and aren't specifically Christian. 3. It's not simply telling people to "put into practice Christian principles" like the Sermon on the Mount - this fails to recognize that unregenerated people "cannot do it" because they are "dead in trespasses and sins."
What is the true Christian message to the world according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
The Christian message to the world is that "as it is, it's under the wrath of God" and "under condemnation." The only message to an unbelieving world is judgment, a call to repentance, and an assurance that if they repent and turn to Christ, they will be delivered individually. He states, "The Church, therefore, the Christian faith, has no message to the world apart from that."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe God's control over evil in the world?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that God has "put a control upon the power of sin and of evil" by dividing people into nations and ordaining governments and authorities. He says, "The powers that be are ordained of God" to "keep the manifestations of evil within bounds and under control." Without this divine restraint, "the world would be hell and it would have hurtled itself to perdition long ago." He adds that sometimes God "withdraws that restraint partially" to let people see sin "in all its horror."
What hope does Christianity offer individuals in this fallen world?
The Christian message offers individuals the hope of being "delivered out of this present evil world." While the world remains fallen, individuals can be "taken out of the kingdom of darkness, into the kingdom of God's dear Son." Christians become "citizens of a kingdom which is not of this world" - a spiritual kingdom that "cannot be shaken" or "moved." This means Christians, while remaining physically in this world, have their true citizenship, hopes, and affections set on God's eternal kingdom.
How does the Christian's perspective on world events differ from non-believers according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
The Christian is "never taken by surprise by anything that happens in this world" because they understand human nature and sin. While others are shocked by wars, violence, and evil, the Christian "expected it" knowing that "man in sin must behave like that." The Christian also has resources to face difficulties - they are "linked to a power that enables him not only to bear whatever may come to him in such a world, but indeed to be more than conqueror over it all." Christians know that regardless of what happens, they are "safe in the hands of God" and nothing can separate them from God's love.
What is the ultimate hope for Christians regarding the future of this world?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes the Christian's ultimate hope as looking forward to "a new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness." Christians know that in the future, they will have renewed, glorified bodies "like that of the risen Christ" and will "walk the face of this very earth out of which evil and sin and vile death shall have been burned out by the fire of God." They will "dwell in a perfect world" with Christ as its light and "enjoy it forever and ever."
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.