Darkness and Light
A Sermon on Ephesians 4:17-19
Originally preached Feb. 9, 1958
Scripture
17This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their …
Sermon Description
The greatest hindrance to belief in the gospel does not arise from human intellect, but from the heart that has been darkened by sin. In this sermon on Ephesians 4:17–19 titled “Darkness and Light,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones highlights the warning of Christ that all people in their natural state are alienated from God and unable to pursue what is good and right. This is because the effects of the fall extend to every aspect of humanity. It corrupts the mind, hardens the heart, and distorts the will. Despite this fallen state, humanity still places great worth and confidence in their ability to reason and know morality. This is evident in the many great philosophers of the ancient world who after all their learning and knowledge were still never able to come to true knowledge of God. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches, this shows that what people need is not simply more knowledge, but a new heart and mind that is freed from the mastery of sin and its domination. However, freedom from sin comes only through the gospel of grace and the sovereign working of the Holy Spirit. This is why it is so important to pray that God would work in the hearts and minds of others to reveal Himself to them and give them a true understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul describes the vain and empty life of unbelievers in Ephesians 4:17-19.
- Their lives are aimless and pointless, amounting to nothing in the end.
- Paul explains why people live this way. He says their understandings are darkened and they are alienated from the life of God due to ignorance and hardness of heart (Ephesians 4:18).
- The most disastrous effect of the Fall was the darkening of human understanding. The Bible frequently refers to unbelievers as "fools" who lack understanding.
- Unbelievers live in darkness and cannot see the truth, even though they claim to be wise (1 Corinthians 1-2).
- The gospel is compared to light overcoming darkness. When people are saved, their eyes are opened and they are turned from darkness to light (Acts 26:18).
- Even the most intelligent unbelievers have darkened understanding. Their intellects are useless until enlightened by the Holy Spirit.
- Christians should not be surprised or troubled that unbelievers reject the gospel. Their understanding is darkened so they cannot see the truth.
- Christians' duty is to pray for revival - for the Holy Spirit to open blind eyes and overcome darkness. No human effort can overcome spiritual darkness. Only the Spirit can do this.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Sermon Questions and Answers: Understanding Spiritual Darkness
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the primary reason why people live empty, vain lives according to Ephesians 4:17-19?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' exposition of Ephesians 4:17-19, the primary reason people live empty, vain lives is that "their understandings are darkened." He explains that this darkening of the understanding is the fundamental condition that leads to ignorance, hardness of heart, and ultimately estrangement from God. As he states, "This is the order, if you like, because their understandings are darkened. They're full of ignorance, their hearts are hardened. And those two things in turn lead to their estrangement from God."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the psychological condition of unbelievers in this sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides what he calls "a masterly intellectual and psychological analysis of the life of the unbeliever." He explains that unbelievers suffer from: 1. Darkened understanding (intellect blinded by spiritual darkness) 2. Ignorance that stems from this darkened understanding 3. Hardness of heart resulting from this ignorance 4. Alienation from the life of God as the ultimate consequence
He claims this analysis represents "profound psychology" that accurately describes not only ancient pagans but also modern sophisticated intellectuals who reject Christianity.
What biblical metaphors does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use to describe the condition of unbelievers?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones employs several biblical metaphors to describe unbelievers: 1. Darkness - "The state of the unbeliever is always described as one of darkness. He's a man who is walking in darkness even at noonday, groping about in the dark." 2. Blindness - "The people that sat in darkness have seen a great light." 3. Foolishness - "There is no word that the Bible uses more frequently with respect to the man who's not a Christian than the word fool." 4. Night vs. Day - "You are no longer of the night. You are children of the day." 5. Veiled minds - He mentions Paul's teaching about a "veil over his heart, a veil over his mind."
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones think that intellectual ability doesn't help people understand spiritual truth?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that intellectual ability doesn't help people understand spiritual truth because the problem isn't intellectual capacity but spiritual blindness. He illustrates this with the analogy of trying to see Scotland through a mist: "My mechanism was as normal as it had ever been. But I couldn't see Scotland. Why? The mist. The darkness of the mist."
He emphasizes that "the greatest brain in the world can't see through a mist" and that both "the mightiest philosopher and the most ignorant savage" are in exactly the same position regarding spiritual truth until the Holy Spirit removes the darkness. As he puts it, "it isn't a matter of intellectual ability. It's a matter of this power of vision. Man has lost it."
What solution does Dr. Lloyd-Jones offer for the spiritual darkness of unbelievers?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that only the Holy Spirit can remove spiritual darkness. He states: "There is only one thing that can move the mist, take away the pole, and that is the gale of the Spirit." Human methods, organizations, and arguments cannot overcome this darkness.
His practical solution is twofold: 1. For unbelievers: "Realize it and cry out for light. Ask God to open your eyes." 2. For Christians: "Your supreme duty and mine, my dear friends, is to pray for revival. To pray that the Holy Ghost will so descend upon the church that we shall speak in a manner that men will see." He urges believers to have compassion on unbelievers and pray that "the Spirit of God may come in such power that their darkness may be removed and their eyes may be opened."
What story does Dr. Lloyd-Jones tell about William Pitt and William Wilberforce to illustrate spiritual blindness?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones tells the story of William Pitt the Younger (a Prime Minister) and his friend William Wilberforce (the anti-slavery campaigner) attending a sermon by Richard Cecil. While Wilberforce, who had experienced evangelical conversion, was "lifted up to the highest heavens, was reveling and glorying in the truth, having a feast for his soul," Pitt turned to him afterward and said, "I haven't the slightest idea as to what that man's been talking about."
This illustrated that despite Pitt likely having "a greater brain" than Wilberforce, spiritual truth meant "nothing at all to him." Lloyd-Jones uses this to show that intellectual ability isn't what enables spiritual understanding - it's the illumination that only comes from the Holy 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.