The Wrath of God
A Sermon on Ephesians 5:6
Originally preached Nov. 9, 1958
Scripture
6Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Sermon Description
Why is the world the way that it is? In this sermon on the wrath of God given on Armistice Sunday from Ephesians 5:6, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones reflects on the world wars and proclaims the great reality that all are either in the kingdom of Christ, promised an inheritance of glory, or outside the kingdom and under the wrath of God. Since the time of the fall of mankind, humanity has been deceived by vain words about this reality. Modern humanity has gradually gotten rid of the concept of sin and wrong and replaced it with psychological explanations and treatments. Because of this, God reveals His wrath, His settled hatred of sin, in various ways from condemnation of conscience, to sufferings that come from sin, to giving people over to their sin (Romans 1). Yet His wrath is not only a present reality, but also a sure future reality. Though the world ridicules all who hold to and proclaim this truth, Jesus Christ will come back to judge the whole world, universally and individually, in righteousness, casting all who have rejected His gospel into eternal misery and reigning with all who believed in Him in eternal glory.
Sermon Breakdown
- The world does not realize three fundamental truths: our conduct affects our relationship with God; there are only two possibilities in our relationship with God - in His kingdom or under His wrath; this relationship determines our eternal destiny.
- The world fails to realize these truths because it is deceived by vain and empty words. These vain words make sin and evil seem natural and redefine them as variations of normal or disease. This deception leads to a relaxation of discipline and punishment.
- The notion of sin and evil is disappearing. Sin is now seen as self-expression or living a full life. This view reduces man to a beast or machine and manipulates him. The chaos this view leads to shows it is deception.
- The world does not know the truth about God's wrath. God's wrath is his attitude against sin, his determination to punish it. It is revealed now through conscience, suffering, chastisement, and God giving people over to their sin. It will be fully revealed in the final judgment.
- God's wrath comes upon the disobedient. We must flee from the world under God's wrath and turn to Christ to be forgiven and gain an inheritance in His kingdom. Christians must pray for revival and proclaim the truth to save people from God's wrath.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on God's Wrath and Deception in Modern Society
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the primary deception affecting modern society?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the primary deception affecting modern society is the rejection of biblical standards of sin and morality. He explains that modern man is being "deceived by vain words" - particularly the idea that there is no such thing as sin, only psychological variations or diseases. He states: "The world is as it is in sin, and the world is as it is and undergoes all these agonies and turmoil for one reason only, and that is because it is being deceived." This deception began with Satan in the Garden of Eden and continues today through what Lloyd-Jones calls "empty words" that dismiss God's moral standards.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones define the "wrath of God" in his sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones defines the wrath of God not as uncontrolled rage or temper like human wrath, but as "God's attitude towards evil and sin." He explains: "It is his displeasure at sin. It is his hatred of sin. It is his settled hatred of sin. The wrath of God is God's declared determination to punish sin." He emphasizes that God's wrath is controlled, deliberate, and stems from His holiness in response to sin and evil that originated with the devil.
What are the ways the wrath of God manifests according to the sermon?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, God's wrath manifests in both present and future ways:
Present manifestations: - Condemnation of conscience and remorse immediately after sin - Physical suffering resulting from sin (like the "morning after the night before") - Mental suffering and unhappiness caused by sin - Confusion and moral chaos in society - Divine chastisement of individuals and nations - God "giving people over" to their sinful desires (Romans 1)
Future manifestations: - The second coming of Christ - The final judgment - Eternal punishment for those outside Christ's kingdom
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain modern social problems according to his sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones attributes modern social problems to the rejection of God's truth about sin and the adoption of psychological explanations for human behavior. He explains that modern thinking has led to:
- Explaining sin as merely "variations of the normal" or "disease" rather than moral failure
- The relaxation of discipline in homes, schools, and society
- The abandonment of punishment in favor of psychological treatment
- The legitimization of behaviors previously recognized as sinful
He specifically points to Romans 1, saying that God has "given over" society to its own sinful desires as punishment for rejecting Him: "God gave them over to a reprobate mind. It's one of God's ways of dealing with this world." He even suggests that the two World Wars were "punishment to the arrogance and the pride and the vanity and the folly of mankind."
What solution does Dr. Lloyd-Jones offer for those under God's wrath?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones offers repentance and faith in Christ as the only solution for those under God's wrath. He states: "If you realize that all your suffering and pain and agony are due to the fact that you've disobeyed God, that you're a rebel against him in your heart and in your life, if you realize it and go to him and confess it and acknowledge it, which means repentance, and if you then tell him that you believe his gracious message concerning his only begotten son... he will forgive you."
He concludes by urging Christians to pray for revival and for the Holy Spirit to empower the church to proclaim God's truth to a deceived world, saying: "Let us pray for a revival. Let us pray that the spirit of God may so descend upon the church... to rise up with such power and to proclaim the truth in such clarion calls and terms that even the dead shall be awakened."
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.