One Faith
A Sermon on Ephesians 4:5
Originally preached June 30, 1957
Scripture
5One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Sermon Description
In this sermon on Ephesians 4:5 titled “One Faith,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones argues that the unifying faith of Christianity is not unity of doctrine, first and foremost, but it is a unity of faith in Christ. This is the faith that justifies all who are truly Christians. It is seen in the saving work of Christ and the application of that work to the hearts and minds of believers by the Holy Spirit. For this reason, the great doctrine of justification by faith alone is at the very heart of the gospel and Christianity. It is this doctrine that the Reformers fought for, and it is this doctrine that is essential to any true understanding of the gospel. This is why it is so vital that the church today guard against all heresies that would add anything to the gospel. For anyone who tries to add anything to faith detracts from God’s glory as the only Savior and hope for fallen humanity. It detracts from the work of Christ on the cross to say that fallen people must do something in addition to the gospel. To reject justification by faith is to reject the saving gospel and to reject true Christianity as found in God’s Word.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon is based on Ephesians 4:5 which states "One Lord, one faith, one baptism."
- The sermon focuses on explaining what "one faith" means in this verse.
- There are two main views on what "one faith" refers to:
- It refers to our subjective faith or ability to believe. But this view is rejected because it is too subjective and the passage is referring to objective truths.
- It refers to the objective body of faith or doctrines that Christians believe. But a complete compendium of theology has never existed and Christians disagree on some points of doctrine.
- The sermon argues that "one faith" refers to the essential message of the gospel concerning salvation by faith alone. This is the faith that was rediscovered during the Reformation.
- This "one faith" is the message that we are justified by faith alone in Christ alone. It is God's act of declaring us righteous based on Christ's righteousness imputed to us.
- This "one faith" has always been the only way of salvation. It was the way people were saved even in the Old Testament, e.g. Abraham was justified by faith.
- This "one faith" is the only way of salvation for both Jews and Gentiles. All people are guilty before God and can only be saved through faith in Christ.
- We break the unity of "one faith" by:
- Bringing in our own good works, boasting in our deeds or understanding. This detracts from faith.
- Denying the centrality of Christ and his work. Salvation is only through Christ.
- Adding to faith, e.g. faith plus circumcision. This was the error of the Galatians and Roman Catholicism which obscures the "one faith."
- The "one faith" is essential to salvation while other matters like baptism, Calvinism vs Arminianism are not essential.
- We must examine ourselves to see if we truly have this "one faith" - are we relying only on Christ's righteousness or also on our own good works and background?
Sermon Q&A
What Does "One Faith" Mean in Ephesians 4:5 According to Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the "one faith" mentioned in Ephesians 4:5?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the "one faith" in Ephesians 4:5 refers specifically to justification by faith alone. He explains that it is "the great principle that is at the very center of the Christian message, at the very center of the Christian way of salvation." Lloyd-Jones argues that this isn't referring to a complete system of theology or to subjective faith as an experience, but to the objective truth that we are justified before God by faith in Christ's work alone.
How does Lloyd-Jones differentiate between subjective and objective interpretations of "one faith"?
Lloyd-Jones explains that some commentators interpret "one faith" as referring to the subjective experience of faith that all Christians share. However, he rejects this interpretation because subjective experiences cannot serve as objective tests of unity. Instead, he argues that "one faith" refers to an objective truth - the doctrine of justification by faith - that can be clearly defined and serves as a unifying principle for all Christians, regardless of other theological differences they may have.
According to Lloyd-Jones, what is the central message of justification by faith?
The central message is that God justifies sinners not through their works but entirely through faith in Christ's finished work. Lloyd-Jones describes it as "God's act, God's way of making any one of us just and acceptable in his holy sight." God declares sinners righteous by imputing their sins to Christ and imputing Christ's righteousness to them. This transaction occurs through faith alone, with nothing from ourselves contributing to our salvation.
How does Lloyd-Jones connect the "one faith" to the unity of the church?
Lloyd-Jones argues that the "one faith" establishes unity because it places all believers on equal footing. He states that "it doesn't matter whether you've been good or bad in your past life... whether you've been brought up in a religious home... or whether this is the first time you've ever been in the house of God." All Christians come to salvation the same way - through faith in Christ's work. This shared foundation creates an essential unity among believers that transcends all other differences.
What are the ways Christians can break the unity of "one faith" according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Lloyd-Jones, Christians break the unity of faith by: 1. Bringing in anything of their own - boasting about good works, understanding, or piety 2. Denying the absolute centrality of Christ and his work 3. Adding to the one faith - like the Galatian heresy of faith plus circumcision or Roman Catholicism's additions of "mechanical grace" through sacraments
How does Lloyd-Jones connect "one faith" to the Protestant Reformation?
Lloyd-Jones states that "this was the faith that was rediscovered at the Protestant Reformation" and "the faith that was preached by the Protestant fathers." He explains that the Reformation was essentially "a rediscovery of the great principle that the just shall live by faith." Lloyd-Jones argues that Roman Catholicism obscured this principle by adding requirements beyond faith alone, which divided the church. He maintains that "it wasn't Luther that divided the church. It was the error of Roman Catholicism."
How does Lloyd-Jones demonstrate that justification by faith has always been God's way of salvation?
Lloyd-Jones points to Abraham as the prime example, citing Paul's argument in Romans 4 and Galatians 3 that Abraham was justified by faith, not works. He states: "It was always been God's way. There wasn't one way of salvation in the Old Testament and now a new one. No, God has always justified by faith." Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that this is the universal principle of salvation throughout all biblical history, making Abraham "the father of every Christian" because "we are the children of faith."
What is the practical application of understanding the "one faith" according to Lloyd-Jones?
The practical application is to recognize that salvation comes entirely through faith in Christ's work, not through anything we contribute. Lloyd-Jones urges his listeners to examine whether they're relying on their background, good behavior, church attendance, or anything else besides Christ. He concludes by saying the one faith "readily and gladly and wholeheartedly acknowledges" that salvation is entirely God's work and "thanks God for it and rejoices in it."
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.