A Question of Authority
A Sermon on John 5:31-35
Originally preached March 23, 1958
Scripture
31If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
32¶ There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. 33Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. 34But I …
Sermon Description
In part four of his series on John 5:31–35 in this sermon titled “A Question of Authority,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones now turns to the certainty of future judgment. Having established that life and judgment were placed firmly into the hands of Jesus by the Father, Jesus has declared that His testimony is true. His testimony was verified by witnesses, beginning with John the Baptist. Dr. Lloyd-Jones has explained the sum and substance of John’s witness concerning Jesus but there is one remaining truth that must not be lost: the clear inevitability of the judgment to come. In the modern age, people have used science, reason, and rationality to suppress the truth of the judgment. They have declared that God is love and therefore could not be a God of judgment. They have forgotten the moral principle that with actions come consequences. Furthermore, they suppress the truth of death and judgment in their unrighteousness. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that all must believe in the coming judgment or they will neglect the salvation provided for them.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon begins by introducing the passage from John 5:31-35 which talks about Jesus bearing witness to himself through John the Baptist.
- Jesus says that if he bears witness to himself, his witness is not true. But the witness of John the Baptist about Jesus is true.
- The Jews sent to John the Baptist and he bore witness to the truth about Jesus. Jesus wants them to believe John's witness so that they may be saved.
- John the Baptist was like a burning and shining light, and for a while the Jews rejoiced in his light.
- The sermon then provides context about what Jesus said to the Jews who questioned his authority to heal on the Sabbath. Jesus refers to the witness of John the Baptist and God himself about Jesus.
- The sermon asks how has God borne witness to Jesus. The first answer is through the ministry and testimony of John the Baptist.
- John the Baptist specifically said that Jesus is the Son of God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire, and the one who will judge the world.
- The sermon expresses amazement at how little attention is paid to the doctrine of final judgment today, especially compared to concerns about things like hydrogen bombs. People don't believe in a future life or are spiritually blind.
- The sermon argues there are some general arguments that point to a final judgment, like the moral principle at work in life, our sense of moral responsibility, and the idea of a future life demanding judgment. The ultimate argument is that the Bible teaches it, with Jesus himself teaching about the final judgment.
- The sermon addresses objections to the doctrine of final judgment based on God's love. Jesus, who knows God's love best, taught about the final judgment. The doctrine of judgment only comes after the offer of salvation.
- The sermon describes the final judgment as thorough, with no one slipping through the cracks. The books recording our sins will be opened.
- The sermon asks what determines our eternal fate. It is not our heredity or good works, but our nature. Wheat (the saved) will be gathered, and chaff (the unsaved) will be burned. We must have the new nature given by Christ.
- To receive the new nature, we must repent of our sins and believe in Christ as the Son of God who died to save us from our sins. If we do, we will have nothing to fear in the final judgment.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Sermon: Questions and Answers on Judgment and Salvation
What was the main Scripture that Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones focused on in this sermon?
The main Scripture that Dr. Lloyd-Jones focused on was from John 5:31-35, where Jesus speaks about the witness of John the Baptist. He specifically emphasized verse 33-34 where Jesus says, "Ye sent unto John and he bear witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from men, but these things I say that ye might be saved."
What did John the Baptist teach about Jesus according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Lloyd-Jones, John the Baptist taught several key things about Jesus: 1. That Jesus is the Son of God who came down from heaven 2. That Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world 3. That Jesus baptizes with the Holy Ghost and with fire 4. That Jesus will be the final judge who will "truly purge his floor and will gather the wheat into his garner, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable"
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones believe the doctrine of final judgment is neglected?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones expresses amazement that this doctrine is neglected, especially in his time, because: 1. People are more concerned about temporal dangers (like the hydrogen bomb) than eternal destiny 2. People don't truly believe in a future life, focusing only on this present world 3. People are spiritually blind, seeing this life as everything and not recognizing the reality of eternity 4. The devil has blinded people to these spiritual realities 5. People object to this teaching because of modern notions about the love of God
What arguments does Lloyd-Jones provide for the reality of final judgment?
Lloyd-Jones provides several arguments for the reality of final judgment: 1. There is a moral principle at work in life - sin leads to suffering 2. Every person has a sense of moral responsibility and justice 3. The very idea of a future life logically demands judgment and moral consequences 4. God's nature as just, righteous and holy requires judgment 5. The Bible teaches it everywhere - in the Old Testament, New Testament, in Jesus' teachings and the apostles' writings 6. Jesus Christ Himself taught about final judgment repeatedly
What determines one's eternal destiny according to this sermon?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the only thing that determines one's eternal destiny is whether one has received a new nature through Christ. He explains: 1. It's not heredity or being born in a "Christian country" 2. It's not doing good or being religious 3. It's whether one has been born again and received the new divine nature 4. He uses John the Baptist's imagery of wheat and chaff, good trees and bad trees 5. Only those with a nature corresponding to God's nature can dwell with Him
How can a person be saved according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, a person can be saved by: 1. Repenting - realizing one has been trusting in one's own theories and ideas while ignoring God's truth 2. Getting on one's knees and confessing one's sin and folly to God 3. Believing the testimony that God has given about His Son Jesus 4. Believing that Jesus bore our punishment on the cross 5. Accepting God's free and complete pardon 6. Believing that Christ will give the new nature, the new birth through His Spirit 7. Casting oneself upon Christ's love, mercy and compassion
Who was Jonathan Edwards and why did Lloyd-Jones mention him in this sermon?
Jonathan Edwards was, according to Lloyd-Jones, "one of the greatest men that America's ever produced," who died on March 22, 1758, exactly 200 years before the day prior to this sermon. Lloyd-Jones describes him as: 1. "A brilliant, mighty intellect, perhaps the greatest philosopher that America has ever known" 2. A preacher who often preached on the theme of final judgment 3. Known for his sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" 4. Used by God in the great revival that broke out in Northampton, New England 5. Someone who "pleaded with the people to flee from the wrath to come"
Lloyd-Jones mentions him as an example of how preaching on judgment has been used by God to bring people to salvation.
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.