MLJ Trust Logo Image
Search
Sermon #4116

The Wiles of the Devil

A Sermon on Ephesians 4:14

Originally preached Dec. 1, 1957

Share Share on Twitter Share on Facebook
Play Sermon
btn-play
Download Sermon Add to Queue Add to Playlist

Scripture

Ephesians 4:14 ESV KJV
so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (ESV)

Sermon Description

The writers of the New Testament often warn the early church of the threat of false teachers and prophets. In this sermon on Ephesians 4:14 titled “The Wiles of the Devil,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains how these people use lies and false teachings to benefit themselves and gain control over others in the church. These false teachers have been present throughout the history of the church, and are very much active and prominent in modern days. They are crafty in their deceit and, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns, they often target younger believers in the faith to try to convince them of their errors and to join their movement. Because of how deceitful false teachers are, Paul often warns the church to flee from their deceit and to be built up in the true faith of Christ Jesus. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that to truly counter false teaching, the church must emphasize both the truth of God’s word as well as the various false teachings that corrupt and twist the Bible. Preachers and ministers should not be afraid to follow the examples of the apostles to attack false teaching and expose the danger that it is to the church.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The apostle Paul warns believers against being like children who are easily misled by false teachings.
  2. There are many warnings in the Bible against false prophets and false teachings.
  3. The language used to describe false teachers and their teachings is very strong. They are compared to "wolves", "dogs", and "antichrists".
  4. False teachings are planned, organized, and subtle. They aim to deceive people and lead them into error.
  5. False teachings always detract from the glory of Jesus Christ. They elevate man or an institution over Christ.
  6. False teachings are to be hated, opposed, and exposed. It is not enough to just preach the truth. Error must also be denounced.
  7. Many today do not recognize false teachings because they are not warned about them. They have an attitude that we should just focus on the positive.
  8. The responsibility of church leaders is to warn people about false teachings, even if it is not popular. This is to protect people from being misled.

Sermon Q&A

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on False Doctrine and Spiritual Discernment

What dangers do spiritual children face according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Ephesians 4:14?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, spiritual children (new believers) face several significant dangers:

  1. They are unstable and easily "tossed to and fro" in their beliefs
  2. They are susceptible to being "carried about with every wind of doctrine"
  3. They are especially vulnerable to "showmanship" and impressive presentations
  4. They are largely unaware of the dangers surrounding them (what he calls "ignorance" rather than innocence)
  5. They can be deceived by the "slight of men and cunning craftiness" of false teachers

As he explains: "The child is totally unaware of all that, and therefore the part of the business of the teaching and preaching and of the pastors and teachers is to bring these things to the notice of the child."

How does the Bible characterize false teachers according to the sermon?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that the Bible uses extraordinarily strong and even violent language to characterize false teachers:

  1. Jesus called them "ravening wolves" in sheep's clothing
  2. Jesus described the Pharisees as "whited sepulchres" attractive outside but full of "bones and rottenness" inside
  3. Paul called them "grievous wolves" and "enemies of the cross of Christ"
  4. Paul warned they operate "after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders"
  5. Various biblical authors refer to them as "dogs," "antichrists," and promoters of "damnable heresies"
  6. They are characterized as using "lies" and having the mark of the serpent (Satan) upon them

What techniques do false teachers use according to Ephesians 4:14?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones breaks down the specific language of Ephesians 4:14 to reveal the techniques of false teachers:

  1. They use "slight of men" - like someone cheating at dice, they manipulate through tricks, deception, and sleight of hand
  2. They employ "cunning craftiness" - sophisticated sophistry, trickery, and cleverness in their presentation
  3. They "lie in wait to deceive" - using methodical planning like predators tracking prey, they deliberately target vulnerable believers
  4. They present attractive, simplified versions of truth - offering "shortcuts" that seem appealing
  5. They organize brilliantly - showing exceptional zeal, resources, and methods for spreading their message

As Lloyd-Jones notes: "It's brilliant organizing. Let us pay them their tribute... They do it, I say, with a real brilliance."

How can Christians identify false teaching according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides a clear test for identifying false teaching:

"There is one characteristic that is invariable about the false, and that is that it always takes from and detracts from the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ."

He elaborates that false teachings typically:

  1. Give prominence to a person, institution, or organization other than Christ
  2. Don't deny Christ completely (they're "too clever" for that) but diminish His centrality
  3. Elevate human leaders, traditions, or institutions to positions that compete with Christ
  4. Fail the test from 1 John that "every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God"

Lloyd-Jones instructs: "If he isn't essential, if he isn't central, if he isn't above and beyond all and dwarfing everybody and everything. If you see anything rather than him, beware, I say, beware."

Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones believe Christians should oppose false teaching?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that Christians should actively oppose false teaching because:

  1. Scripture consistently models this approach - Jesus and the apostles repeatedly warned against and denounced false teaching
  2. Error is not merely negative but "positive evil" that actively harms believers
  3. False teaching is deliberately designed to deceive and capture Christians
  4. The modern tendency to avoid "negative" teaching leaves Christians vulnerable
  5. The failure to identify and oppose error has weakened the church

He challenges the popular sentiment: "Are you one of those people who says, 'Now look here, there's no need for those negatives'?" He counters that Christ Himself denounced error, and concludes: "It's not a pleasant thing to be negative. It's not a nice thing to have to denounce and to expose error but...I am compelled to do these things."

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.