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Sermon #4206

Physical, Psychological, Spiritual

A Sermon on Ephesians 6:10-13

Originally preached April 23, 1961

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Scripture

Ephesians 6:10-13 ESV KJV
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against …

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Sermon Description

Why is it important to have a biblical understanding of humanity? Many people both inside and outside the church have a flawed view of humanity that either overemphasizes the spiritual nature at the expense of the physical nature, or vice versa. They downplay the need for spirituality and replace it with modern psychology. In this sermon on Ephesians 6:10–13 titled “Physical, Psychological, Spiritual,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that the Bible teaches that people are body, mind, and soul. They are more than the matter that they are made of, but the human body also affects its spirit. There is a great danger to turn all sin issues into problems of psychology. They say that a person’s problems are never a result of their sin but are a result of their circumstances. The Bible tells something different. According to the Bible, people are sinful and willingly rebellious. They have rejected God. The answer is in the gospel of Jesus Christ for the redemption of sins. This does not mean that all problems are the result of sin, but it does mean that all problems find their ultimate answer in the gospel. This sermon points all to the glorious truth that Jesus is a sufficient Savior.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The devil attacks us in the realm of experience by confusing us about the role of experience in the Christian faith.
  2. The devil drives us to extremes regarding the role of feelings in the Christian life.
  3. The devil creates confusion between the physical, psychological, and spiritual realms.
  4. Some mistake the physical or psychological for the spiritual, causing spiritual trouble.
  5. Some mistake the spiritual for the physical or psychological, avoiding spiritual problems.
  6. We must recognize we have a physical body, mind, and spirit that interact.
  7. We must not become victims of our temperaments or psychological conditions as Christians.
  8. We must recognize differences in personality and temperament and not expect all Christians to be the same.
  9. Conversion does not change our fundamental temperament or personality.
  10. We must control our temperaments and not let them control us.
  11. Psychological problems may require medical help, but spiritual problems require spiritual solutions.
  12. There is a tendency today to explain away sin and problems in psychological terms rather than spiritual terms.
  13. We must apply biblical truth to our lives and think spiritually rather than psychologically.
  14. We must remember we are children of God and not fear physical dangers or trials as others do.
  15. We must stand strong in faith as Christians and not flee from problems or look for unbiblical solutions.

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.