Knowledge Puffs Up
A Sermon on Ephesians 6:10-13
Originally preached March 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
What does it mean to know God and His word? Some say that by merely knowing many facts about the Bible, they truly know God. But in this sermon on Ephesians 6:10–13 titled “Knowledge Puffs Up,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on the need to know God with true knowledge. Many Christians are tempted to think about the Bible as just another book from which to learn. But this is not the Bible of the living God. Scripture demands that Christians approach it as God’s word and in a way that they learn who God is. Mere theoretical knowledge is not the goal of Christian growth. Christians must encounter God as He has revealed Himself in His word, and they must look to Scripture as the speech of God. Christians must seek to know God, not merely know about Him. They must have a personal knowledge of God. Theological debates cannot replace loving God and each other, for true knowledge of God is a saving knowledge based in His Son, Jesus Christ. This sermon calls each and every Christian to a deeper and fuller knowledge of God as found in His word.
Sermon Breakdown
- The danger of becoming theoretical in our whole attitude towards this precious knowledge.
- The danger of believing the doctrines concerning God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit rather than to have a simple faith in the three blessed persons.
- The danger of ceasing to come under the power of this truth.
- The danger of intellectual pride. Knowledge, says Paul in one corinthians eight, knowledge puffeth up.
- The danger of having started in the spirit to go back to the flesh.
- The danger of being obsessed by one aspect of the truth.
- The danger of becoming interested in externals only.
- The danger of becoming a spiritual crank.
- The whole problem connected with doubts.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Sermon Questions on "The Wiles of the Devil"
What are the "wiles of the devil" according to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the wiles of the devil are manifested in many different ways. The devil attacks both the church as a whole and individual believers. He primarily attacks believers through three main routes: the mind, experience, and practice/conduct/behavior. The devil is strategic and customizes his attacks based on our personality and weaknesses, making his approach highly personalized.
How can Christians become too theoretical in their approach to faith?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns that Christians can become "more concerned about and interested in our intellectual knowledge of Christian truth than in our knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ himself." This happens when believers focus on doctrines concerning God rather than having simple faith in the persons of the Trinity. In this state, Christianity becomes merely a body of theoretical truth or philosophy, and the vital relationship with the person of Christ is lost. He describes this as "approaching all this great and glorious truth as you'd approach any other truth."
What does Lloyd-Jones say about intellectual pride in Christian life?
Lloyd-Jones describes intellectual pride as being "puffed up" with knowledge. He references 1 Corinthians 8 where Paul says "knowledge puffeth up." This pride makes people despise others who know less, like the situation in Corinth between the "strong" and "weaker" brothers. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that "nobody can be proud in the presence of God" and "nobody who really knows the Lord Jesus Christ can be puffed up." He warns we "know nothing yet as we ought to know" and are merely "paddlers on the very edge of this mighty, endless ocean of truth."
What is meant by "having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh"?
Lloyd-Jones explains this refers to Christians who begin their faith journey understanding justification by faith alone, but then unconsciously begin to rely on their works. He describes it as bringing in "fatal additions" to faith, similar to the Judaizers who insisted on circumcision. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that everything in Christian life must remain on the level of the Spirit and by faith. He reminds listeners that even on their deathbed, they will be "utterly, entirely and absolutely dependent upon the Lord Jesus Christ and his perfect work."
How can Christians become obsessed with one aspect of biblical truth?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns that the devil can fix a person's attention on just one aspect of truth, making them see nothing else in Scripture. These Christians become consumed by a single doctrine or emphasis, always speaking, writing, and underlining only that particular aspect. He mentions several examples: physical healing, sanctification, Calvinism, and "deeper truths." This obsession narrows one's spiritual vision and often leads to pride because "the narrower you are circle, the more expert you can become in it."
What's wrong with being preoccupied with biblical externals according to Lloyd-Jones?
Lloyd-Jones warns against becoming interested in externals only - things like church machinery, church government, denominational allegiance, and mere traditionalism. He also mentions unhealthy fixations on biblical history, prophetic details, biblical numerics, and different Bible translations. In these cases, believers become sidetracked by superficial elements rather than embracing the whole truth. He says such preoccupations can lead to "some of the driest periods in church history" and make individuals "cease to have any concern about the souls of the lost."
How should Christians handle doubts according to Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that the devil often plants doubts and then makes Christians think those doubts are their own, causing them to condemn themselves as sinful. He emphasizes: "There is nothing sinful in being assailed by doubts. Some of the greatest saints have been attacked by doubts." The key distinction is whether you accept or reject those doubts. Lloyd-Jones suggests that a Christian being assailed by doubts might actually be in "a safer and a healthier condition" than someone who claims never to have doubts, because the devil inevitably attacks true believers.
What solution does Lloyd-Jones offer to combat the wiles of the devil?
The solution Lloyd-Jones offers is to "take unto you the whole armor of God." He emphasizes needing every piece of the armor, leaving "no unguarded place" because the devil can attack from anywhere. He concludes that "it is only as we are strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, and clothed with this whole armor, that we shall be able to withstand the wiles of the devil."
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.