Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the Church as God's Building: Questions and Answers

What is the third picture Paul uses to describe the Christian church in Ephesians 2?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the apostle Paul uses three pictures to describe the Christian church in Ephesians 2. The third picture is that of a building or a temple in which God dwells. As Lloyd-Jones explains: "At the moment, we are engaged in studying this third picture in which he says that the church is a kind of building, a great temple in which God dwells and is yet going to dwell in a still larger and fuller manner." This metaphor emphasizes the church as a holy dwelling place for God's presence.

What does the phrase "fitly framed together" mean in the context of Ephesians 2?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that "fitly framed together" (which he notes is a translation of one Greek word into three English words) emphasizes that believers are related not only to the foundation (Christ) but also to one another. This phrase indicates that: 1. There is an element of choice and rejection in the building process 2. Christians are not identical (like bricks) but diverse (like stones) 3. There is "diversity in unity" in the church 4. Each stone must be properly prepared to fit with others

He states: "And we said that what he teaches, therefore, is this, that in this building and in our finding ourselves as stones in this building there is an element of choice."

According to Lloyd-Jones, when does the preparation of stones for God's building take place?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphatically teaches that the preparation of stones (believers) takes place before they become part of the church building. Drawing from 1 Kings 6:7, he states: "The house, when it was in building, was built of stone, made ready before it was brought thither, so that there was neither hammer nor axe, nor any tool of iron heard in the house while it was in building."

He clarifies: "Before any of us can be truly members of the Christian Church... a mighty work of preparation is essential." This preparation is the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration and conversion that must happen before someone can truly be part of the church. As he puts it: "We are not in the church in order to become Christians. We are in the church because we are Christians."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the secret nature of God's preparatory work in believers?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes the preparation of believers as a secret, mysterious work of the Holy Spirit that happens in the depths of the soul. He explains:

1. "It is a work that is done by the Holy Spirit, and it is done in the depths of the soul. And it is indeed a very mysterious work and a very secret work."
2. "The world knows nothing about it, like the people in Jerusalem knew nothing about the preparation of these stones."
3. "It's possible for us to be working in an office with people, or even living in the same home with people. And this mighty work of preparation is going on and they know nothing about it."
4. "Sometimes the person themselves doesn't fully understand what's happening: 'All we know is that we suddenly become dissatisfied with ourselves and with our lives, and we don't know why.'"

He quotes Jesus' words to Nicodemus: "The wind bloweth where it listeth, thou seest it not, thou canst not tell whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth. So is everyone that is born of the spirit."

What does Lloyd-Jones identify as the biggest problem with the church today?

Contrary to popular opinion, Dr. Lloyd-Jones states: "The greatest trouble with the church today is that she's too big." He argues that the church's problem is a "mixed multitude" of true believers and nominal Christians. He criticizes the modern emphasis on size and numbers:

"Surely there is nothing which is quite so fatal... when we are thinking about the church as to think in terms of size and of numbers, which is the controlling thought today... Oh, how utterly unscriptural it is."

Instead, he emphasizes that "God doesn't work through big battalions. He's not interested in numbers. He's interested in purity, in holiness, a vessel that is fit and meet for the master's use. We must concentrate not on numbers, but upon doctrine, upon regeneration, upon holiness."

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach about doctrinal debate within the church?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones interprets the absence of hammers and tools during Solomon's temple construction (1 Kings 6:7) to mean that fundamental doctrines should not be debated within the church. He states:

"There should be no discussion and no debate and no disagreement in the church about vital truths... There should be no discussion in the christian church as to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ... as to the position and the condition of men in sin... as to the substitutionary atonement and regeneration and the person of the spirit."

He clarifies that this doesn't mean doctrine is unimportant—rather, it means "the doctrine should be agreed upon beforehand" so "there is no longer any need of discussion." He contrasts this with the modern tendency to downplay doctrine for the sake of unity, arguing that "nothing unites except doctrine" and that true unity comes from shared beliefs, not avoiding theological discussion.