True and False Zeal
A Sermon on Ephesians 6:10-13
Originally preached July 2, 1961
Scripture
10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against …
Sermon Description
Why do people have a hard time finding the proper balance in life between too much activity and too much rest? Society today is saturated with the message that people should always be doing something in order to be productive. Yet others would say that life should be lived casually and restfully. What does Scripture say? In this sermon on Ephesians 6:10–13 titled “True and False Zeal,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains why this battle is so important for a follower of Christ. One way that Satan attacks is through one’s view of their own actions. He tries to keep them from finding the balance between the two extremes of activity for the kingdom of God. What are these extremes? The first is called antinomianism, which is an interpretation that disregards instructions in Scripture as things to be obeyed. On the other side is legalism, a view that demands a strict lifestyle with no room for obedience based on principle. Either of these views, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, will lead to a general slackness in one’s Christian walk and a failure to apply the truth to oneself. Christians are called to follow Christ and to demonstrate their love for Him by obeying His commands, but they must not allow this to build a worldly zeal within — rather, they must overcome this scheme of the devil by realizing that they must obey God out of a desire to please Him and know Him better.
Sermon Breakdown
- The devil attacks our view of conduct and practice. He drives us to extremes: antinomianism (against law) or legalism (justification by works).
- Antinomianism is an intellectual faith without good works. It wrongly applies justification by faith and eternal security. The answer is that faith without works is dead. We are saved for good works.
- Legalism relies on asceticism, good works, and law to be justified. It is a false understanding of separation from the world. The answer is that we are justified by faith alone, not works.
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We must have a balanced view of conduct: faith and works, grace and law, freedom and discipline. We must apply the Word to ourselves and give diligence to grow in godliness.
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The devil also attacks our general behavior, driving us to extremes of slackness or carnal zeal.
- Slackness is a lack of discipline and failure to apply the Word. We must discipline ourselves in time, prayer, church attendance, and self-examination. Revival comes through restored discipline.
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Carnal zeal is living on our own activities and busyness rather than true understanding and growth. It relies on atmosphere and momentum rather than the Spirit. We must avoid extremes and follow Christ's balanced example.
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We must watch against the devil's wiles in our conduct and take up the whole armor of God. The world is watching us, so we must abstain from fleshly lusts and have a good testimony.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Sermon Questions and Answers: The Wiles of the Devil in Christian Conduct
What are the wiles of the devil as they relate to Christian conduct according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the devil attacks Christians in their conduct by driving them to extremes. He explains that "the devil in his wiliness and in his subtlety will attack us at any point whatsoever." In the realm of conduct, he particularly tries to drive believers either to antinomianism (disregarding moral law completely) or to legalism (excessive rule-following), both of which bring Christianity into disrepute. The devil's tactic is "to drive us from one extreme to the other" rather than allowing Christians to maintain the biblical balance.
Why is Christian conduct and behavior so important according to the sermon?
Christian conduct is vitally important because, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains, "those who are outside, those who are not Christian, are always more interested in what we do than in what we are." Non-believers judge Christianity itself by the behavior of Christians. As he states, "They think that what makes a man a Christian is the life he lives. And therefore, if they find us failing in life and conduct and practice, I say they will regard the whole of the Christian message, the gospel of salvation, as something which is more or less useless." Our conduct directly affects how the gospel is perceived.
What is antinomianism and how does it manifest in the Christian life?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones defines antinomianism as being "against the whole notion of law." It manifests in Christians who believe that since they are saved by faith, conduct doesn't matter. He describes it as "the condition in which a man is only interested in the faith of the gospel in a purely intellectual manner." These believers might understand doctrine and enjoy defending it, but they don't apply it to their behavior. They misunderstand justification by faith to mean "it doesn't matter what you do at all" and "do anything you like. Doesn't matter how much you sin, doesn't matter what you do. If you believe in Christ, you're all right."
What does Lloyd-Jones say about legalism as the opposite extreme to antinomianism?
Lloyd-Jones describes legalism as the opposite extreme to antinomianism, where Christians rely excessively on rules, works, and self-denial to live the Christian life. He connects it to asceticism and monasticism, where people "segregated themselves away from the world in order to live the Christian life." He gives examples like "forbidding to marry" or dietary restrictions not required by Scripture. He references 1 Timothy 4, which warns about those "commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving." Legalism is essentially "a returning to a method which relies upon one's own works and activities in order to live the Christian life."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the problem of "general slackness" in Christian living?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes "general slackness" as "a failure to apply the truth to ourselves." He explains that many Christians hear sermons or read the Bible but never apply what they learn. Using James 1 as reference, he says they are like people who look in a mirror and immediately forget what they look like. This slackness is characterized by "a lack of discipline in the Christian life" where believers fail to set priorities, don't make time for Bible reading and prayer, and neglect church attendance. He states that "there is no greater cause of failure in the Christian life than this general slackness in failure to discipline the life."
What does Lloyd-Jones mean by "carnal zeal" in Christian conduct?
By "carnal zeal," Lloyd-Jones means "the tendency to live on our own activities" rather than on Christ. He describes Christians who become extremely busy with religious activities but depend on the "momentum of the movement of the atmosphere of the organization" rather than on genuine spiritual growth. When these Christians are removed from their supportive religious environment, they often fall away because their faith was built on activities rather than on Christ. He warns that many are "living on their busyness, living in the organizations to which they belong" rather than developing a genuine spiritual life that can withstand challenges.
How does Scripture help Christians maintain the right balance in their conduct?
According to Lloyd-Jones, Scripture provides the balanced view that helps Christians avoid both antinomianism and legalism. He points to James 2 which teaches that "faith without works is dead" and Ephesians 2:10 which states we are "created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." He also references 2 Peter 1, which instructs believers to "add to your faith virtue... knowledge... temperance" etc. Lloyd-Jones concludes that we should "be governed by the scripture" and "keep to this divine balance" by "following in his [Christ's] steps" who "always did his Father's will" without going to extremes.
How can Christians protect themselves from the devil's wiles in the area of conduct?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones advises that Christians protect themselves through self-examination, discipline, and balance. He states, "A day should never pass but that we've examined ourselves." Christians need to regularly review their lives and test themselves "in the light of the teaching of the Scripture." He recommends disciplined Bible reading, prayer, and church attendance, while avoiding both slackness and carnal zeal. Finally, he concludes that believers need to "take unto you the whole armor of God. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Nothing less than that will enable us to counter the wiles of the devil."
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.