A Life in Christ
A Sermon on John 5:25-26
Originally preached Feb. 16, 1958
Scripture
25Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 26For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have …
Sermon Description
Regeneration is not defined by morality, but rather it is defined by new life in Christ. In John 5:24, Jesus summarizes the gospel by focusing on the new life that comes by believing. In this sermon on John 5:25–26 titled “A Life in Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones unpacks the implications of this new life. He states, as Jesus does in the text, that the Father has life in Himself, and He has given this life to Jesus. How does Jesus dispense this new life? New life is realized through the means of regeneration. According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, regeneration is the power of Christ to give new life. Furthermore, he wants there to be no confusion about the results of regeneration. Regeneration does not bring about simply a moral person. On the contrary, regeneration brings new spiritual life to the sinner that radically changes the controlling disposition of his or her soul. Personality, temperament, and cognitive abilities remain the same, but through regeneration, the governing disposition of the regenerate sinner is now changed forever. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones challenges the listener to consider the new life found in Christ and passionately desires that all possess it.
Sermon Breakdown
- Jesus emphasizes the importance of his statement by saying “Verily, verily”.
- Jesus is referring to spiritual resurrection, not physical resurrection of the dead. He has the power to give spiritual life.
- Those who receive spiritual life will live. They will have eternal life.
- Jesus has life in himself, just as the Father has life in himself. The Father has given Jesus the power to give life.
- Jesus' power to give life will cause people to marvel. His followers and those who receive life will marvel at the change in themselves.
- Receiving spiritual life means undergoing a profound and radical change. It is like passing from death to life.
- Becoming a Christian is not just modifying your life or becoming more moral. It means receiving a new heart and nature. It means a change in the controlling disposition of your life.
- Receiving spiritual life is mysterious and beyond human understanding. It is miraculous and supernatural.
- Receiving spiritual life does not depend on human psychology, ability, or goodness. It depends entirely on Jesus. He gives life to whomever he wills.
- You can know you have received spiritual life if you gain an interest in spiritual things, understand spiritual truths, desire God's word, find prayer easier, see the world differently, desire holiness, and enjoy fellowship with other Christians.
- Spiritual life is essential to have fellowship with God, enter heaven, and enjoy eternal life with God. Without it, heaven would be hell.
- Jesus calls people to hear his voice and receive life. Those who receive life will live eternally. Those who do not will remain in their unbelief and sin.
Sermon Q&A
Understanding Spiritual Life in Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon
What does Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones say "verily, verily" means in Jesus' teaching?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, when Jesus uses the formula "verily, verily," it indicates that what He is about to say is "unusually important and significant." Lloyd-Jones explains, "It is his own distinction. We know and believe that everything he said, that every word that he ever uttered is of vital importance. But he himself now and again went out of his way to emphasize certain particular statements, and he did so in this particular manner by saying, verily, verily." He adds that it could also be translated as "Amen, Amen" or "Truly, truly."
What is the main subject of this sermon by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
The main subject of Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermon is regeneration - specifically Christ's power to give new spiritual life to those who are spiritually dead. He states clearly, "Here is our subject this evening regeneration. The power of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to give us new life, to give us a second birth." He focuses on Jesus' words in John 5:25-26 about how "the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God. And they that hear shall live."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the difference between true Christianity and mere religion?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones makes a clear distinction between true Christianity and mere religion. He explains that many people think Christianity means "living a good life, being forgiven when you fail... attending a place of worship now and again and keeping within certain limits." However, he emphasizes this is not true Christianity but merely "morality" and "religion." True Christianity, he explains, "means receiving this life from Christ. It means becoming a partaker of the divine nature. It means that he has quickened us, has put into us this vital principle of spiritual being and life which changes everything."
What examples does Dr. Lloyd-Jones give of people marveling at spiritual regeneration?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones mentions several examples of people marveling at spiritual regeneration: 1. The Jews who marveled at Jesus spending time with "publicans and sinners" who were being transformed 2. The authorities in Acts who were astonished at the apostles' work despite being "ignorant and unlearned men" 3. The amazement at Saul of Tarsus's conversion - "the chiefest persecutor of Christianity" suddenly preaching Christ 4. Society's amazement at "hopeless drunkards" being instantly freed from addiction through hearing a sermon 5. The world's astonishment at the Protestant Reformation and the Puritans 6. The transformation of "the lowest in society" under George Whitfield's preaching at Kennington Common
According to Lloyd-Jones, how does a person know if they have received this new life from Christ?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides several tests for knowing if you have received new life from Christ: 1. "You'll begin to get interested in these things" - spiritual matters, your soul, God, and your relationship to Him 2. "You'll begin to understand" the Gospel that previously didn't speak to you 3. The Bible becomes interesting - "Do you enjoy the Bible, my friend? Do you like reading it? Do you understand it?" 4. Prayer becomes meaningful - "Does prayer mean anything to you?" 5. The world becomes different - "The things that formerly charmed you now repel you" 6. You desire holiness - "You long to be holy, to be clean, to be chaste and to be pure" 7. You begin to like God's people - those you "regarded as the greatest bores in the world"
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say regeneration is absolutely essential?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides two main reasons why regeneration is essential:
-
It's essential for fellowship with God: "Without this life that Christ gives, there is no hope for anyone enjoying fellowship and communion with God." He explains that God is light, and we are darkness, so we cannot commune with Him without His life in us.
-
It's essential for entering heaven: "It is equally and more essential before we can ever hope of entering into heaven." He quotes Scripture stating that nothing unclean can enter heaven, and explains that heaven would actually "be hell for anybody who got there without this life that Christ lives" because they would have no capacity to enjoy the worship and presence of God.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach about the psychology of conversion?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones firmly rejects the notion that conversion depends on psychology or natural temperament. He states: "To become a Christian is dependent upon nothing whatsoever in us. Nothing at all. It doesn't depend at all upon our psychology." He challenges the modern theory that some people have a "religious complex" and others don't, pointing out that Christians throughout history have had vastly different psychological makeups. He mentions John and Peter and Paul as examples, as well as George Whitfield and John Wesley who were "absolutely different" temperamentally yet both preached the same gospel.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the power that brings about regeneration?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the power for regeneration comes entirely from Christ Himself. He illustrates this using Jesus' healing of the impotent man and the raising of Lazarus. In both cases, the recipients had no power of their own, but "the power is in the voice of the Lord. As he speaks. The power enters the man." He emphasizes that "it's he who puts in the life" and this is why psychological makeup or natural ability doesn't matter - "He can put it into the blindest, darkest heart, and dot as he can into the greatest philosopher at this moment."
What final appeal does Dr. Lloyd-Jones make to his hearers?
In his final appeal, Dr. Lloyd-Jones urges his hearers to examine whether they have received this life from Christ. He pleads, "I plead with you. Have you heard the voice of the Son of God? He gives life because if you haven't, this life, this according to the last chapter in the Bible, is your fate." He then encourages those who realize they don't have this life to ask Christ for it: "If you have realized that you haven't got it, ask him for it. Your goodness, your religion, your intelligence will avail you nothing. You need the life of God in your soul." He concludes with the promise that regardless of one's past, they should "Ask and ye shall receive. Seek and ye shall find. Knock become desperate, and it shall be opened unto you."
The Book of John
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.