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Sermon #4045

In the Heavenly Places

A Sermon on Ephesians 2:4-7

Originally preached Dec. 4, 1955

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Scripture

Ephesians 2:4-7 ESV KJV
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in …

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Sermon Description

There is true hope in Christ. One of the most comforting and practical teachings of Scripture is that all who are united to Christ in faith have been seated with Him in the heavens. But what does it mean to be seated in the heavenly places? In this sermon on Ephesians 2:4–7 titled “In the Heavenly Places,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones brings this great news of hope with the reminder that the Christian has been delivered from this present evil world and its coming judgement because of the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. For this reason, Christians should seek to set their minds not on earthly and carnal things, but in that which is heavenly and good. Christians should put their hope with Christ who has died in their place and ascended to heaven where He rules. This does not mean that the Christian has no obligation to do good while on this earth, but it simply means that they should be as pilgrims who are always looking toward the inheritance with Christ Jesus in heaven. This affects how Christians are to conduct themselves, for they should seek what is good, pure, and holy, fleeing from all worldliness and immorality. They should not be like the unbeliever who in their worldliness cares for nothing but what is present in the here and now. The Christian should always seek the heavenly inheritance that they have in Christ by believing in His gospel.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The passage under consideration is Ephesians 2:4-7 which speaks of God quickening and raising us up with Christ and seating us with Him in the heavenly places.
  2. The "heavenly places" refers to the third heaven, the place where God's presence and glory are especially manifested.
  3. As Christians, we no longer belong to this world. We are strangers and pilgrims passing through.
  4. As Christians, we are no longer under the dominion of Satan or in his kingdom. We have been translated into the kingdom of God's Son.
  5. As Christians, we are no longer under the wrath of God that is coming on the world. We have passed from judgment into life.
  6. As Christians, we belong to the kingdom of God. Our citizenship is in heaven.
  7. As Christians, we are under the control of the Holy Spirit, not the spirit that works in the children of disobedience.
  8. As Christians, we should be heavenly minded, not earthly minded. Our life is hidden with Christ in God.
  9. As Christians, we have access into the holiest of all, into God's presence. We can draw near with boldness.
  10. As Christians, we already experience something of the life of heaven even now. We taste the first fruits.
  11. As Christians, we share in Christ's victory and rest. The work is finished. We reign with Him.
  12. We must resist the devil by faith in the victory of Christ. He will flee from us.
  13. We must look at eternal, unseen realities, not temporal things. Our light affliction is producing an eternal weight of glory.

Sermon Q&A

Understanding "Seated in the Heavenly Places" According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

What does it mean that Christians are "seated in the heavenly places" according to Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, being "seated in the heavenly places" means that Christians have been spiritually positioned with Christ in the heavenly realm. This is not a future promise but a present reality. Lloyd-Jones explains: "We are seated together with Christ in the heavenly places. Now, at this moment we are in that position." He emphasizes that this is "the supreme thing of all. This is the highest glory. This is the most priceless thing that is true of us as God's people." For Lloyd-Jones, this position is already accomplished and is part of our union with Christ.

How does Lloyd-Jones explain the "heavenlies" in Ephesians 2?

Lloyd-Jones explains that "the heavenlies" (as he prefers to translate it rather than "heavenly places") refers to "the third heaven" - the realm where "God especially manifests his presence and his glory, the place in which the glorified body of the Lord Jesus Christ now dwells." He clarifies that this is different from the first heaven (the atmosphere) and the second heaven (where stars, moon and sun are). The heavenlies is the spiritual realm to which believers now belong through their union with Christ.

What are the negative implications of being seated in the heavenlies according to the sermon?

According to Lloyd-Jones, there are three main negative implications:

  1. "The Christian no longer belongs to this world" - we are "strangers and pilgrims" here
  2. "We are no longer under the dominion of Satan, and we are no longer in the kingdom of Satan"
  3. "We are no longer under the wrath of God that is coming upon the whole world"

As he states: "The Christian is taken right out of it. He's already passed from judgment into life. It won't touch him. It won't affect him. It won't harm him at all."

What are the positive implications of being seated in the heavenlies with Christ?

Lloyd-Jones identifies several positive implications:

  1. "We belong to the kingdom of God" - our citizenship is in heaven
  2. "We are under the control of the Holy Spirit" - led by Him rather than by the world
  3. "We are in a realm where we are near to God" - with access to enter "the holiest of all"
  4. "We already know something of the life of heaven, even in this world" - experiencing "foretastes" and "glimpses of glory"

What does the word "seated" signify about the Christian's position according to Lloyd-Jones?

Lloyd-Jones explains that "seated" indicates:

  1. Completion - "Sitting down is a sign of completion" just as Christ "sat down" after completing His redemptive work
  2. Rest - "No longer labor, rest"
  3. Victory - "A sign of victory" as Christ is "seated" expecting until His enemies become His footstool

For the believer, this means "the work of your redemption is already complete. You need nothing further, once and for all... If you're in Christ, you're eternally safe, complete."

How should Christians respond to their position in the heavenlies according to the sermon?

Lloyd-Jones urges Christians to:

  1. Realize and understand this truth about their position
  2. Rest in the finished work of Christ - "Rest in the finished work of Christ, the rest of faith"
  3. Resist the devil from this position of victory - "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you"
  4. Live with an awareness of separation from the world - "Set your affections on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth"
  5. Draw near to God with confidence - "Can you draw nigh unto God and know that he's with you and you are with him, and all your fears are taken away?"

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.