Questions About Sin and Salvation According to Martyn Lloyd-Jones

What is the main text Martyn Lloyd-Jones is preaching from in this sermon?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, he is preaching from "Paul's epistle to the Ephesians, the second chapter and the first three verses." He quotes the Scripture which begins with "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein time past ye walked according to the course of this world..."

How does Lloyd-Jones define the term "flesh" in Scripture?

Lloyd-Jones explains that the term "flesh" is used in four main ways in Scripture: 1. A general term representing the whole of mankind ("all flesh is grass") 2. The physical covering of our bones (our physical body) 3. A spiritual meaning representing human nature in a state of sin - "the entire nature of men apart from the renewing grace of Christ" 4. A more restricted spiritual sense referring to "the sensuous part of our nature, to the body, to the animal part of our nature"

What are the two main manifestations of "the lusts of the flesh" according to Lloyd-Jones?

According to Lloyd-Jones, the lusts of the flesh manifest themselves along two main lines: 1. The desires of the flesh (the bodily/animal part of our nature) 2. The desires of the mind (the intellectual and emotional part of our nature)

How does Lloyd-Jones describe the desires of the flesh?

Lloyd-Jones describes the desires of the flesh as including hunger, thirst, desire for sleep, pleasure, happiness, contentment, sex, and the desire to attract and be attractive. He emphasizes that these things are natural and "in and of themselves are right and good," but in sin they "suddenly take control, become imperious in their demands, begin to assert themselves" and drive us.

What examples does Lloyd-Jones give of "desires of the mind"?

Lloyd-Jones gives numerous examples of desires of the mind, including: - Jealousy, envy, malice, pride, hatred, wrath, bitterness - Foolish talking and jesting (desire to be clever) - Ambition, lust for wealth, desire for position, social status, importance, power, success - Craving for something new, gossip - Clever talk, argument and disputation - Excessive reading (when it becomes a substitute for thinking) - Obsession with hobbies, games, and interests - Lust for knowledge, learning, literature, art, music, drama, philosophy

Why does Lloyd-Jones say his message is relevant to the political and economic crisis of his time?

Lloyd-Jones argues that understanding the biblical doctrine of sin reveals "the futility and the fatuity of all the politicians" who think they can solve problems by calling upon people to discipline themselves voluntarily. He says this approach fails because people are "driven" by lusts and desires they cannot control: "Man's driven by desires, by lusts he cannot discipline himself." Only the power of God can deliver people from these controlling lusts.

According to Lloyd-Jones, who is affected by the lusts of the flesh?

Lloyd-Jones emphasizes the universality of this condition, stating: "This is true of all men without exception." He says, "We all had our conversation in times past, and were the children of wrath, even as others." He insists that even the most respectable, educated, and moral people are equally affected by these lusts, whether of the flesh or of the mind.

What does Lloyd-Jones say is the only solution to the problem of sin?

The only solution is "the exceeding greatness of his power toward usward that believe." Lloyd-Jones calls it "the expulsive power of a new affection" (quoting Thomas Chalmers). He states: "It is only the power of God in the Lord Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, that can deliver us."

How does Lloyd-Jones connect his teaching on sin to his earlier sermons?

Lloyd-Jones mentions that this is his third time addressing this passage, and he connects it to his earlier teaching about understanding "the greatness of his power to usward that believe." He explains that to measure God's power, we must understand "the depth out to which God has had to raise you, and then the height to which he's taken." The sermon is part of his exposition showing how deep the problem of sin really is.