Common Questions About Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Church Citizenship in Ephesians 2:19

What does it mean to be "fellow citizens with the saints" according to Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, being "fellow citizens with the saints" means we are members of God's kingdom, separated from the world and united with all other believers. He explains: "We are no longer like everybody else... as a citizen of the kingdom of heaven, I am different from those who are not citizens of that kingdom." This citizenship connects us with all believers throughout history, including Abraham, Moses, Paul, Augustine, Calvin, and others. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that this citizenship is not merely belonging to an external organization but is a spiritual reality based on our relationship with Christ.

How does one become a citizen of God's kingdom according to this sermon?

Lloyd-Jones clearly teaches that citizenship in God's kingdom comes through two essential elements: redemption and regeneration. He states: "With a great price obtained I this freedom, and by a new birth, I am a citizen of the kingdom of God." Referencing Jesus' words to Nicodemus, he emphasizes that one must be "born again" to even see the kingdom. He further explains that we must be "bought out" of Satan's kingdom through Christ's blood and given a new spiritual birth. He specifically rejects the idea that citizenship comes by heritage, nationality, or moral behavior: "Not because your father and mother were Christians, not because you're brought up in this country, not because you're living a certain kind of life."

What illustrations does Lloyd-Jones use to describe the church in this sermon?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that Paul uses multiple illustrations to describe the church in Ephesians because "any one illustration is not enough. The truth is so great, it's so many sided." In this sermon, he focuses on three main illustrations from Ephesians 2:19-22: 1. The church as a state or kingdom ("fellow citizens with the saints") 2. The church as a family ("household of God") 3. The church as a temple ("built upon the foundation...")

He mentions that elsewhere Paul also describes the church as a body and as a bride. For this sermon, he focuses primarily on exploring the illustration of citizenship in a kingdom.

What are the privileges of citizenship in God's kingdom according to Lloyd-Jones?

Lloyd-Jones identifies several key privileges of spiritual citizenship:

1. Having Christ as our King: "We have a king, the king of kings and the Lord of lords, the son of God himself."
2. Being part of a kingdom with both heavenly and earthly dimensions: "Our citizenship is in heaven... We are here on earth, but our citizenship is there."
3. Fellow citizenship with the saints throughout history: "We are fellow citizens with Abraham... Moses and David and Isaiah... the apostle Paul."
4. A glorious future: "It is a kingdom that cannot be shaken. It is a kingdom that shall have no end." He points out that we will even "reign with him" and "judge angels."

Why does Lloyd-Jones believe many Christians struggle in their spiritual lives?

According to Lloyd-Jones, most Christian struggles stem from failing to realize our position and privileges in Christ. He states: "Nearly all our problems in the Christian life are due to the fact that we fail to realize the privilege of being a Christian." He argues that if believers truly understood what it means to be citizens of God's kingdom, "most of our problems, if not all of them, would be immediately solved." He describes how the "little pinpricks and problems" would become "unthinkable" if we could "rise to the height of our high calling in Christ Jesus and realize what we have in this position."