The Scripture of Truth
A Sermon on Ephesians 6:14
Originally preached Feb. 4, 1962
Scripture
14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Sermon Description
The question of the age is that of true authority. In this sermon on Ephesians 6:14 titled “The Scripture of Truth,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains how people are desperate for any note of authority. But even the Christian church is confused about what is truth. Cults are successful because they speak with an authoritative voice. All the troubles of the church and the world today are due to a departure from the authority of the Bible. The Christian church has often not helped this by putting philosophy in the place of revelation. The Protestant and apostolic church’s position is that the Bible is the word of God, uniquely inspired and inerrant. The Protestant Reformers judged the Roman Church and its traditions by what they found in the Bible. No one can ever arrive on their own at a knowledge of God. They either submit completely to the authority of the Bible or have no authority at all. God’s revelation can be received and attained only as a result of the work of the Holy Spirit upon and in the believer. Dr. Lloyd-Jones asks: “how do we face the future, temptation, the devil, and the uncertainty of life?” It is by having “loins girt about with the truth” of the word of God, as revealed in the Bible.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon examines Ephesians 6:14 which exhorts believers to "stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth."
- The sermon emphasizes the importance of truth and authority for the Christian life. Without truth, we have no way to stand against the devil and his schemes.
- The sermon argues that truth and authority cannot come from human reason, feelings, experiences, or church tradition. These are subjective and prone to error.
- The sermon asserts that the Bible alone should be the Christian's authority. It claims to be the very word of God, not just containing the word of God.
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The sermon outlines why the Bible should be the Christian's authority:
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God is infinite and incomprehensible. Finite human reason cannot know Him apart from revelation.
- Humans are sinful and twisted. Our minds are blinded to spiritual truth apart from God's grace.
- The Bible claims to be the word of God. The prophets and apostles claimed to speak God's words, not their own.
- Jesus Himself submitted to the authority of the Old Testament and claimed His words carried God's authority.
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The Holy Spirit illuminates our minds to understand the Bible. We must come to it with humility, not relying on human wisdom.
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The sermon concludes by exhorting Christians to submit to the Bible's authority if they want to stand against the devil. We must come to it with humility, acknowledging our dependence on God's Spirit to understand His truth.
Sermon Q&A
Understanding Truth as Armor: Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Ephesians 6:14
What does it mean to have your "loins girt about with truth" according to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, having your "loins girt about with truth" means establishing the Bible as your ultimate authority and foundation. He explains that truth must be objective and external—something we can define and test other beliefs against. This truth serves as the first piece of spiritual armor needed to fight against the devil and his powers. Without properly girding ourselves with biblical truth, we stand no chance in spiritual warfare.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones argue that human reason alone cannot be our authority?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that human reason is inadequate as an authority because of both our finite nature and our fallen condition. He explains that the finite cannot comprehend the infinite—our limited minds cannot encompass the eternal, absolute God. Additionally, he points out that we are not just finite but also "sinful and fallen and unclean and twisted and perverted," making it impossible for us to arrive at divine truth through our own reasoning. He quotes 1 Corinthians where Paul writes that "the world by wisdom knew not God."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the core problem in the church today?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies the core problem as confusion about authority—specifically, the abandonment of Scripture as the supreme authority. He states: "All the troubles in the church today, and most of the troubles in the world by consequence, are due to a departure from the authority of this book." He traces this problem to the higher criticism that came from Germany over a century ago, which put philosophy in place of revelation and treated the Bible as just another book. This has led to drift, uncertainty, and vulnerability to false teachings.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones view the relationship between revelation and human knowledge?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones establishes that divine revelation is necessary because human knowledge is inherently limited. He explains that God must give us knowledge since we cannot attain it ourselves. He quotes Paul saying that "the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God. Neither can he." Lloyd-Jones states that the entire Bible from beginning to end is God's revelation to humanity—truth that we could never discover through philosophy, science, or human reasoning. He emphasizes that this revelation can only be properly understood when the Holy Spirit enlightens us.
What illustration does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use to demonstrate the importance of authority?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones shares a personal experience where he intervened when people on a train were about to send a man having an epileptic seizure to the hospital unnecessarily. Though they didn't know his medical background, they listened to him because he spoke with authority. He uses this as a parable for how people today are bewildered and ready to listen to any voice that speaks with certainty—even without knowing the basis of that authority. This explains why cults succeed while the church fumbles, and highlights the need for the church to speak with the genuine authority of Scripture rather than mere opinion.
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.