Questions from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Ephesians 3:17

What does it mean to be "rooted and grounded in love" according to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, to be "rooted and grounded in love" means that our entire Christian life must be firmly based upon and draw its strength from love. He explains this using two pictures: a tree with deep roots gripping the earth for nourishment and stability, and a building with a deep, solid foundation. The phrase means love must be the very foundation of our lives, not a superficial or occasional feeling, but the deep basis from which everything else grows. As he states, "Love must be the very foundation of his life. And rarely, he cannot know nor manifest this wealth and largeness of the christian life unless his life is based upon, founded upon, grounded upon, this love."

Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasize the importance of foundations in the Christian life?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes foundations because there are "no shortcuts in the spiritual life." He explains that just as a wise master builder pays tremendous attention to the foundation of a building, especially for tall structures, Christians must take time to establish a proper foundation before seeking higher spiritual experiences. He warns against rushing through spiritual development: "If you want this massive building, well, then you've got to spend a great deal of care and time and attention with your foundation." He reminds listeners of Jesus' parable of building on rock versus sand, noting that the one who "digged deep and laid the foundation on a rock" was able to withstand storms, while the one who built hastily on sand was demolished by trials.

How does our relationship with God need to be characterized according to the sermon?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, our relationship with God must be characterized by love, not merely intellectual knowledge or fear. He asks, "What is our habitual attitude towards God? Is it one of love?" He explains that God is not impersonal or merely "that x, that unknown quantity in your philosophical system." Rather, "God's a person. And therefore, if we are in the christian relationship to God, it will be one of love, inevitably." He reminds listeners of the first commandment to "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and soul and mind and strength" and describes the Christian's relationship to God as that of a child to a father, characterized by love rather than "merely one of fear or of dread."

How should Christians relate to one another according to this sermon?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that Christians must love one another as part of being grounded in love. He states firmly: "We are not only to love God, but we are to love one another. We are to love the brethren." He emphasizes that no matter how many meetings or conventions someone attends seeking spiritual blessing, "we'll never get it unless our life is grounded in love, unless we love one another." He challenges listeners with Jesus' teaching to "love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you." This differentiates Christians from non-Christians, who only "love people who love him, but he doesn't love his enemies."

What should be a Christian's attitude toward God's commandments?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Christians should love God's commandments rather than view them as burdensome. He asks, "Do I love the Lord's commandments?" and quotes the Psalmist who said, "Oh, how love I thy law" and "I love thy commandments above gold." He also cites the apostle John: "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous." He warns that those who regard the Christian life as "narrow, irksome, grievous" and are "always fighting against it" will never experience being "filled with all the fullness of God." Instead, Christians should be able to say, "I count it my supreme delight to hear thy dictates and obey."

What characteristics should Christian love have according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?

According to the sermon, Christian love should be:

1. Stable and unwavering: "Our love must not be fitful, it must not be variable. It must be solid on a foundation that never shakes and never move."

2. Self-generated rather than dependent on circumstances: "Our love is meant to be like God's love...It's a love that starts within and goes out."

3. Unaffected by changes in others: "Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds...Love never faileth."

4. Able to withstand trials: "Can it stand up to trials and tribulations? They come. They're bound to come. But our love, if it's deeply grounded, can stand whatever may be happening."

5. Enduring like Paul and Silas who sang praises to God even while imprisoned: "Nothing but a great deep love to God can stand up to the trials and the stresses and the hazards and the strains of life."

Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say belief alone is not enough in the Christian life?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that while belief is essential and will "take you a long way," it is not sufficient by itself to withstand life's greatest challenges. He states: "When the real storms come, belief is not enough. It takes love to stand up to the storms." He quotes Blaise Pascal, saying "the heart has its reasons, which reason knows nothing of," suggesting that love provides stability when intellectual understanding fails. As he puts it, "When all around my soul gives way, he only is my strength and stay. When I don't understand, when my intellect is baffled, and when I cannot explain, love still holds." This is why being rooted and grounded in love is essential before one can "comprehend with all saints this love of Christ which passeth knowledge."