Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones's Sermon on Ephesians 2:19

What is the main passage Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones's sermon focuses on?

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones focuses on Ephesians 2:19-22: "Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God. And indeed, we must go on and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord, in whom ye also are builded together for inhabitation of God through the spirit."

What three pictures does Paul use to describe Christians in this passage?

According to Lloyd-Jones, Paul implies three pictures: "The first picture that he implies is the picture of a state. Christians are fellow citizens in a great kingdom, a great state. The second thing is, they're members together of a family, of the household of God. And thirdly, he thinks of the Christians and of the Christian Church as a temple in which God himself dwells."

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say is the difference between a "stranger" and a "foreigner" in this context?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains: "What's a stranger? Well, strangers are those who find themselves among a people, not their own when you're a stranger, you are amongst people who are not your own people." For the term "foreigner," he says: "Originally this word meant this. It was a description of someone who dwelt near a community, but not in it...It means that, no, this man is living in the country. He hasn't a citizenship of that country. He is not naturalized...he's a man who's living on a passport."

What is the fundamental principle Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes about being a Christian?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that "the difference between the Christian and the nonchristian is clear and definite." He states: "Every one of us in this building at this moment is either a Christian or else not a Christian. We are either in Christ, or else we are outside Christ... There is no mean between two opposites." He rejects the idea of "hoping to be" or "trying to be" a Christian, stating: "To be on the doorstep isn't being inside."

When does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say it becomes vital to know whether one is a Christian or not?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that this becomes vital "at the time of testing." He explains: "You can go on for years while you're well and hail and haughty... Suddenly you take nil and you find yourself for months on a sick bed. You won't belong before you know whether you're a Christian or not. It makes a vital difference. Then or when there's an illness in a member of the family, when there's a bereavement or a death, some terrible, heart rending sorrow."

What test does Dr. Lloyd-Jones suggest for determining if you are truly a Christian?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones offers several tests, beginning with a "general feeling": "Do you feel really at ease in the church? You quite at ease amongst christian people? Do you feel quite at home? Or have you got an uncomfortable feeling that you're somewhat an outsider?" He also mentions understanding the language of faith, interest in spiritual subjects, conforming to God's laws, and concern about the church's condition.

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones call the Christian's "birth certificate"?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones states: "What's the Christian's birth certificate, you say? I'll tell you... The spirit himself beareth witness with my spirit that I am a child of God. It's the sealing of the spirit. It's the assurance that can only be given by the Holy Spirit himself who hath sealed us and who is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use the illustration of family relationships to explain Christian identity?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones uses the concept of family to explain that there's something deeper than superficial connection: "Blood is thicker than water." He explains that in families, there is "this elemental, fundamental, organic thing that's deeper than everything else," and similarly, Christians have a fundamental connection that goes beyond mere association. He notes: "We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren."

Can someone be a Christian but not have assurance of salvation?

Yes, according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones: "You may be a Christian, though you do not know. The sealing of the spirit. Definitely. If you've passed my other tests, I would assure you that you're a Christian." However, he encourages Christians not to settle for this state but to seek assurance: "Don't be content with that. Insist upon having your certificate."

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say about understanding spiritual language and subjects?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that true Christians desire to understand spiritual language and subjects even if they initially don't comprehend them: "They're precious terms to the children of God... It's like a little child listening to grownups. It brings out a big word. It doesn't understand it. Well, what's the child doing? Well, it's trying to prove it's a member of the family... the children of God are like that. They may not know what justification and sanctification mean, but because their children, they want to, and they begin to read and study and they ask questions."