Discipline
A Sermon on Ephesians 6:10-13
Originally preached Nov. 19, 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
Does God ask more of His people than they can do? In this sermon on Ephesians 6:10–13 on “Discipline,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says no. God gives believers the ability to do what He calls them to do. This is seen throughout Scripture in the many instances of miracles. God commands people to do seemingly impossible tasks, like Moses striking the rock in the wilderness so that water would flow out, or Peter asking Jesus to command him to walk on the water. God gave these men the ability to perform these miracles, not because they could do them of themselves, but because God aided them through His Holy Spirit. Sanctification is similar as well. Believers are never passive nor are they able to be transformed daily by their own strength. This is why the grace of God is needed to enable and to empower believers to live lives of holiness and service. Many people mistake this to mean either that sanctification is entirely a work that they do, or think that sanctification is wholly a passive act. But it is the Spirit that enables believers to live as God commands. For as in all of life, it is the Holy Spirit that makes all who repent and believe in Christ new creatures who seek to love God and neighbor and honor the gospel.
Sermon Breakdown
- We must be active and diligent, not passive. We have been given power through the Holy Spirit, but we must develop it.
- We must take in spiritual nourishment (reading the Bible, prayer) and exercise (putting faith into action) to strengthen our faith.
- We must live out our faith in practice. The best way to keep strength is to do the work. Idleness leads to temptation.
- We must add virtue (moral vigor), knowledge (insight), temperance (self-control), patience (endurance), godliness (walking with God), brotherly kindness, and charity (love) to our faith.
- Virtue: Do not be languid or lethargic. Pull yourself together and be active. Shake off spiritual sickness and laziness.
- Knowledge: Exercise your senses and gain understanding of the truth. The more we know of God, the more we know His strength.
- Temperance: Control yourself in all areas of life. Do not waste energy through lack of self-control. Control your temper, desires, and appetites.
- Patience: Go on steadily. Do not do things by fits and starts. Continue patiently through obstacles and disappointments. Do not wait for the mood to strike you. Start and keep going.
- Godliness: Walk consciously in the presence and sight of God. Obey the command to walk before God and be perfect. Realize God sees all you do.
- Brotherly kindness: Love your brethren. Harsh thoughts of others drain your energy. Helping others helps you become strong.
- Charity: Have universal love for all. Do not merely like others, but love them with God's love.
- Use the name of the Lord. His name is a strong tower. Invoke His name and be strengthened. Remember what He has done. Threaten the enemy with His name.
Sermon Q&A
Understanding Spiritual Warfare and Being Strong in the Lord: Insights from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean by "being strong in the Lord and in the power of His might"?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, "being strong in the Lord and in the power of His might" does not mean passive reliance on God where we simply "hand it all over to the Lord" and do nothing. Rather, it means we are to be as active as possible while being empowered by the Lord. As he states: "He doesn't do it for us. He enables us to do it. It is we who are conscious of his power and the power of his might as we proceed to action." The power is placed within believers at rebirth, but we must actively develop and exercise this power.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones refute the concept of Christian passivity?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones strongly refutes the concept of Christian passivity, calling it "misleading teaching" and "dangerous teaching." He points to Peter's exhortation in 2 Peter 1:5-11 where believers are repeatedly told to "give all diligence" and to "add to your faith." He emphasizes: "You've got to do it, as a man can never be strong by just sitting down and reading books about exercises. So the Christian will never be strong until he does these things." The consistent biblical command is for believers to be active, not passive.
What are the key elements we should add to our faith according to 2 Peter 1?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' exposition of 2 Peter 1:5-11, believers should add to their faith:
- Virtue (moral energy and vigor)
- Knowledge (insight and understanding)
- Temperance (self-control)
- Patience (patient endurance)
- Godliness (consciousness of walking with God)
- Brotherly kindness (love for fellow believers)
- Charity (universal love to all)
He explains that these qualities must be actively developed and practiced, not passively received.
How does idleness affect our spiritual strength according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that idleness is spiritually dangerous. He states: "We are never in a more dangerous position and condition than when we're idle." He cites King David's fall into sin with Bathsheba as an example of how idleness creates opportunity for temptation. Quoting Isaac Watts, he says: "For Satan finds some mischief still for idle hands to do." He emphasizes that consistent activity in the Christian life is essential for spiritual strength and protection against enemy attacks.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach about self-control and spiritual strength?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that self-control (temperance) is essential for spiritual strength. He explains that many Christians are weak because they waste their energy through lack of self-control, particularly in areas like anger. He states: "If you can't control yourself, what hope have we got when we meet the enemy, the devil?" He cites Proverbs 16:32: "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city." Self-discipline conserves spiritual energy that can then be directed toward spiritual warfare.
How should Christians use the name of Jesus in spiritual warfare?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that using the name of Jesus is a powerful weapon in spiritual warfare. He states: "The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous runneth into it and is safe" (Proverbs 18:10). He provides biblical examples including David facing Goliath ("I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts"), Peter healing the lame man ("In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk"), and Revelation's statement that believers "overcame him by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony." Invoking Christ's name provides strength, confidence, and power in spiritual battles.
What's the relationship between love for others and spiritual strength?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that loving others, particularly fellow believers ("brotherly kindness"), is essential for spiritual strength. He explains: "There are many, many weak Christians, and the main cause of their weakness is that they don't love their brethren." He notes that harboring unkind thoughts about others "drains you of energy" and leaves you "weaker," making you vulnerable to enemy attacks. In contrast, exercising brotherly kindness makes believers stronger: "The more we exercise it, the more we go about doing good to one another and helping one another, the stronger we become ourselves."
How does godliness contribute to spiritual strength?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones defines godliness as "consciousness of walking in the sight of God" or "walking with God." He teaches that this awareness of God's presence empowers believers. Quoting God's command to Abraham in Genesis 17:1, "Walk before me and be thou perfect," he explains this means: "Realize that you are always in my presence and that you are always doing these things not only for me, but as realizing that I'm watching you and that I'm taking a delight in you." This consciousness fills believers "with this strength and power that comes from the Lord."
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.