Without Christ
A Sermon on Ephesians 2:12
Originally preached Jan. 29, 1956
Scripture
12That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Sermon Description
The greater one understands the depths of their sin, the more they understand the greatness of God’s mercy. For the Christian there is a reciprocal relationship between looking to their life before Christ and the amount of praise they offer to God. If the believer never examines their state of being without Christ, thanksgiving to God for salvation will unlikely mark their life. In this sermon on Ephesians 2:12 titled “Without Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones follows Paul in challenging what it means to be without Christ in order to see just how astounding salvation really is. The worst condition of a person is that they are without Christ. But what does this really mean? Dr. Lloyd-Jones walks through the biblical text in order to show what it means to be a stranger towards God’s covenant people, to be an alien to the commonwealth of Israel. This alienation from God and His covenant people will undoubtedly lead to a life without hope. Soberly listen and contemplate a state without Christ and then rejoice that one can flee to him and find new hope.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul wants the Ephesians to understand their position before they became Christians in order to fully appreciate their salvation.
- To be "without Christ" means to be outside of a relationship with Christ. This is a terrible position to be in.
- Being without Christ means being "aliens from the commonwealth of Israel." This means being outside of God's chosen people and His special interest.
- Being without Christ means being "strangers from the covenants of promise." This means not having God's promises and revelations. The Bible does not speak to those without Christ.
- Being without Christ means being "without hope." There is no hope in this life or the next for those without Christ. Life is meaningless and ends in death.
- Being without Christ means being "without God in the world." Those without Christ do not know God or have fellowship with Him. They do not have His comfort and strength.
- In contrast, those in Christ have hope, know God's promises, have His special interest and care, and have fellowship with Him. They can face any circumstance with His strength.
- The only solution for those without Christ is to come to Him in faith and repentance. He will reconcile them to God and give them new life and hope.
- For those in Christ, they should rejoice in their position and relationship with God. There is nothing greater.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Ephesians 2:12
What does it mean to be "without Christ" according to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, being "without Christ" or "outside Christ" is the worst possible spiritual condition. He explains that it means having no living relationship with Christ, being disconnected from Him, and living apart from Him. As he states in the sermon, "There is nothing worse than that. But on the other end, therefore, there is nothing more wonderful than to be in Christ." He emphasizes that everyone is either "in Christ or outside Christ," and this distinction determines our eternal destiny.
What five things characterize those who are "without Christ" in Ephesians 2:12?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies five characteristics of those who are "without Christ" from this verse: 1. Being "aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel" 2. Being "strangers from the covenants of promise" 3. "Having no hope" 4. Being "without God in the world" 5. Living "apart from Christ" (the overarching condition)
He organizes these into two categories: first, the position or relationship to God (aliens and strangers), and second, the inevitable consequences of that position (without hope, without God, in the world).
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain what it means to be "aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the "Commonwealth of Israel" refers to God's specially constituted community of people. He describes it as "a people for his peculiar possession" whom God set apart and took a special interest in. Being aliens from this commonwealth means being outside the circle of God's peculiar interest - not belonging to the covenant people. As Lloyd-Jones puts it: "It's the christian church that corresponds to the Commonwealth of Israel today. It's christian people. And the most terrible thing about a man who's not a Christian is this. That he's outside that circle doesn't belong to them."
What does Lloyd-Jones say about hope for those without Christ?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones states emphatically that those without Christ are "without hope" - which he calls "the most terrible statement in the whole of scripture." He explains that this means having no hope in this life and no hope beyond it. He points to great philosophers, poets, and other religions as evidence that, apart from Christ, there is ultimately pessimism and no real hope. He quotes Shakespeare: "The cloud kept towers, the gorgeous palaces, the solemn temples, the great globe itself, yea, all which it inherits shall dissolve and, like the insubstantial pageant faded, leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with asleep." For those without Christ, there is only death with nothing beyond.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrast being "without God" with the experience of believers?
Lloyd-Jones explains that being "without God" refers to "a subjective absence of God" - not knowing God or having fellowship with Him, and therefore missing "all the help and all the peace and all the joy that comes through the knowledge of God." He contrasts this with numerous biblical examples:
- The psalmist who said, "When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord shall take me up"
- David who could say, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want"
- Paul who was abandoned by friends but could say, "Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with me and strengthened me"
- Jesus himself who said, "And yet I am not alone. For the Father is with me"
He emphasizes that believers always have God with them, even in their darkest moments, while those without Christ face life's challenges alone.
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.