Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Ephesians 1:6

What is the main theme of Ephesians 1:6 according to Lloyd-Jones?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that the main theme of Ephesians 1:6 is the glory of God as the ultimate purpose of our salvation. As he states: "The ultimate objective, the motive of it all is this, to the praise of the glory of his grace. It is all, I say, for the glory of God." He emphasizes that God's redemptive work is not primarily about our benefit but about manifesting His glory through His grace.

How does Lloyd-Jones distinguish between "glorious grace" and "the glory of his grace"?

Lloyd-Jones makes an important distinction that some translations have weakened the text by saying "glorious grace" instead of "the glory of his grace." He explains: "It isn't his glorious grace. It is the glory of his grace, the glory of God as it is revealed and manifested through his grace." This distinction is important because it emphasizes that salvation reveals God's essential glory through the medium of His grace, rather than merely describing grace as glorious.

What does Lloyd-Jones say is wrong with much modern evangelism?

According to Lloyd-Jones, much modern evangelism focuses too narrowly on benefits to humans rather than on the glory of God: "This is the thing that troubles me so much about so much modern evangelism, that it's all in terms of some benefit to men. And God seems to be forgotten, and we need deliverance from this and that, and we need this help and that, and Christ can give it. And the glory of God is never mentioned." He argues this misplaced focus has led to evangelistic methods far removed from the New Testament approach.

How does the Bible typically refer to the advent of Christ according to the sermon?

Lloyd-Jones points out that the Bible consistently uses superlative terms when referring to Christ's advent. He states: "Every single reference to this advent of the Son of God into this world in the scriptures is always in superlative terms." He gives examples from Isaiah and other prophets who "reach their greatest heights always when they are foretelling the coming of the son of God into this world," and notes that the New Testament's "most glorious passages are always the passages that deal with this."

What does Lloyd-Jones identify as the most accurate translation of "wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved"?

Lloyd-Jones argues that the phrase should be translated as "wherein he has highly favored us in the beloved." He bases this on the fact that the Greek word used is the same one used to describe Mary in Luke 1:28 (translated as "highly favored"). He explains: "He uses the same language about us as the angel used about the Virgin Mary... We are highly favored. As Mary was physically, he entered into her spiritually, he enters into every one of us who are his children."

How does Lloyd-Jones define the "glory of God"?

Lloyd-Jones acknowledges the difficulty in defining God's glory but offers several aspects: "The glory of God is the essential being of God. The glory of God is that which really makes God God. It is the very essence of God." He further explains that it includes "beauty," "majesty," "splendor," "greatness," "might" and "eternity." He summarizes it as "an ineffable greatness and majesty and might and beauty and a splendor that is iridescent and radiant in and of itself."

What does Lloyd-Jones identify as the most terrible aspect of sin?

While people often think of sin in terms of specific wrong actions, Lloyd-Jones asserts: "The most awful thing about sin is this, that there, in that act, you are not giving to God the glory that is his due. We have been made that we might glorify God... And the very essence of sin is a failure to glorify God." This shows that sin is fundamentally about robbing God of glory rather than merely breaking rules.

How does salvation reveal the wisdom of God according to the sermon?

Lloyd-Jones explains that God's wisdom is supremely displayed in the way He designed our salvation: "Have you ever thought of the marvelous way in which God has contrived our salvation? There is men in sin, estranged from God and involved in troubles. Look what the world has tried to do about him... Man has been trying to save men, and look what he's made of it. And put over against all that God's way of salvation in Christ, there's the wisdom of God. Man had never thought of it, could never have imagined it."

What does Lloyd-Jones mean when he says Christians have been "chosen to the praise of the glory of his grace"?

Lloyd-Jones explains that believers are not just recipients of God's grace but are themselves meant to display God's glory: "It is through you and through me that God reveals this grace of his and this glory of his." He quotes Ephesians 3:10 to show that "by the church" God displays "the manifold wisdom of God." Christians are called to live in such a way that others will "be compelled to say, what a glorious God. Nothing can explain this and these people save the glory of the Almighty God in redemption in Christ."

How should Christians view themselves according to Lloyd-Jones' interpretation of Ephesians 1:6?

Christians should view themselves as those who have been "highly favored" by God. Lloyd-Jones explains: "That is how you and I should habitually and normally think of ourselves. As we walk the streets of this city and engage in our work with all other men and women, we see them in the darkness of sin. Why am I what I am? And there's only one answer. I have been highly favored. God, in spite of me, has done this to me and for me." This perspective gives all glory to God rather than taking any credit for ourselves.