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Sermon #4193

Common and Special Grace

A Sermon on Ephesians 6:10-13

Originally preached Dec. 11, 1960

Scripture

Ephesians 6:10-13 ESV KJV
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against …

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Sermon Description

Humanity is in a helpless state of sin and depravity as a result of the fall. People are fallen and wholly unable to save themselves. In this sermon on Ephesians 6:10–13 titled “Common and Special Grace,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims the grace of God is the answer to this great problem. For in God’s love He has not left the world alone in its wickedness and depravity. He has provided a means of salvation in Jesus Christ as the only escape from sin. He has also provided common grace to restrain the sinful actions of people and nations. One of the most prominent forms of common grace is the institution of government. While government does not save souls, it nevertheless restrains mankind’s sinful desires and actions. It is only by the saving power of the special grace of God that hearts and minds are renewed and turned to the light. Outward confirmation of the law of God can never bring salvation and true life. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones exposes the lie of false religions and teachers who replace the grace of God with human works. There is true life in Christ Jesus in the gospel. This is the only hope that God has given the world, and it is the only hope that the church can proclaim to sinners and fallen people.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The sermon begins by emphasizing the importance of understanding the spiritual forces of evil that exist in the world according to Ephesians 6:10-13. These forces are more powerful than humans and are the reason the world is in its current state.
  2. The sermon then discusses the historic fall of man as described in Genesis 3. After God created the world, man fell and the world became ruled by Satan. All people are born as children of Satan until they are redeemed.
  3. Despite man's fall and hopelessness, God is concerned about the state of the world because His glory and honor are at stake. He will not leave the world as it is.
  4. God's plan to redeem the world is the central message of the Bible. His plan began immediately after the fall and is demonstrated through common grace and special grace.
  5. Common grace refers to God's general blessings and control over the consequences of the fall that are given to all people. This includes the institution of government to limit evil and the development of culture and civilization. Despite common grace, man continued to fail, leading to God punishing the world with the flood.
  6. Special grace refers to God's particular plan of redemption for certain people. This begins with Abel, continues through the line of the patriarchs, and eventually leads to the formation of the nation of Israel through Abraham. The law was given to Israel to guide them and point to the future redemption through the Messiah.
  7. In addition to common grace and special grace, God has also used the ministry of angels to help humans in their struggle against evil. Angels are spiritual beings interested in man's salvation who serve and protect God's people. Examples are given from the Old and New Testaments.
  8. While God's actions through common grace, special grace, and angels sustained His people in the Old Testament, they were not enough. The Old Testament looks forward to the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, to fully redeem people from the power of Satan.

Sermon Q&A

Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Ephesians 6:10-13

What are the two main powers that Christians are wrestling against according to Lloyd-Jones?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Christians are not wrestling against flesh and blood (other humans), but against spiritual powers. As he states, "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." These unseen spiritual forces are the real enemies Christians face in their daily battles.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain man's condition after the Fall?

According to Lloyd-Jones, after the Fall in Genesis 3, "the world became the kingdom of Satan. Satan became the God of this world." He emphasizes that "everybody who is born into this world is born a child of wrath. We are born as it were, citizens of the kingdom of darkness, of the devil, of evil and of Satan, every one of us." Man is, by nature, under the dominion of Satan and utterly helpless against these powerful spiritual forces.

What is the difference between common grace and special grace according to the sermon?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones divides God's grace into two categories: Common grace is "God's activity in controlling the results of the fall and indeed in controlling the activities of the devil and these principalities and powers as they affect men." It includes the institution of government and general culture to keep evil in check. Special grace, on the other hand, is God's redemptive work of delivering people from evil completely, beginning with Abel and continuing through the line of the patriarchs to the formation of God's people Israel.

What role do angels play in God's plan according to Lloyd-Jones?

Lloyd-Jones describes angels as "ministering spirits sent to help and to function for the heirs of salvation." He provides numerous biblical examples of angelic ministry, including appearances to Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Gideon, Samson, Elijah, and Daniel in the Old Testament, and to Peter, Paul, Philip, and Cornelius in the New Testament. These good angels counter the fallen angels (demons) and assist believers in their spiritual warfare.

Why does Lloyd-Jones say that studying the first three chapters of Genesis is essential?

Lloyd-Jones states that "a man who doesn't constantly go back to the first three chapters of Genesis is, apart from anything else, just a fool. He's an intellectual fool because he's forgetting the fundamental postulate." These chapters establish the basis for understanding the human condition, explaining the Fall, and showing how God immediately began His plan of redemption. Without this foundation, one cannot properly understand the Bible's message or the world's current state.

How does Lloyd-Jones describe the central message of the Bible?

Lloyd-Jones describes the Bible as "the account of what God has done and is going to do about men confronting the devil and the principalities and powers." He emphasizes that we must "keep your eye on the campaign" rather than getting lost in details. The Bible presents the history of redemption, showing God's intervention to save mankind from the dominion of Satan and restore His own glory that was challenged through the Fall.

Why does Lloyd-Jones say God is concerned about the fallen state of man?

According to Lloyd-Jones, God is concerned "because his own glory is involved, his own name is involved, his very honor is involved." He explains that "this world, after all, is God's will. He made it. He made man." If God had either abandoned man or destroyed him after the Fall, "he would have been defeated by the devil." God's concern is ultimately about His own glory and demonstrating His power over evil.

What does Lloyd-Jones identify as the problem with modern approaches to evil?

Lloyd-Jones criticizes modern approaches that "don't believe in punishment any longer" because they "don't know about the devil and the principalities and powers." He points out that society believes in "being kind to everybody" with a "positive approach," but we are "seeing the results of it." He argues that biblical teaching recognizes that "evil has got to be controlled, it's got to be punished" to prevent chaos and anarchy.

How does Lloyd-Jones explain the division of humanity throughout biblical history?

According to Lloyd-Jones, "God at the very beginning shows us quite clearly that he is dividing the human race into two sections." The first group is "those who are going to be controlled in their evil" through common grace, and the second is "those who are going to be delivered and redeemed from the evil" through special grace. This division began with Cain and Abel and continues throughout history in "the Christians, the non-Christians, the redeemed, the lost."

What comfort does Lloyd-Jones offer to Christians facing spiritual warfare?

Lloyd-Jones offers several comforts: First, that God is concerned and involved in the battle; second, that the spiritual forces are "ultimately not against me, but against God"; third, that God has provided angels as "ministering spirits" to help believers; and fourth, that God has a plan of redemption that spans all of history. As he states, "When you feel lonely and isolated, remember that they [angels] are there" and "God is thus caring for us."

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.