Baptism in the Spirit (2)
A Sermon on John 1:26-33
Originally preached Nov. 22, 1964
Scripture
26John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; 27He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. 28These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where …
Sermon Description
Listen to this sermon on John 1:26–33 titled “Baptism by the Spirit (2)” as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones makes the first of a series of propositions in regard to the baptism of the Spirit. He claims that someone can be a true believer without being baptized by the Spirit; how can this be? Certainly, no one becomes a Christian without the work of the Holy Spirit in them, but Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones argues these are fundamentally different. He stresses the importance for a balanced doctrine in dealing with the entirety of the Scriptures – what is read in the whole of the Scripture is what should be expected, but the disregard for portions of Scriptures is not acceptable. Follow the promises that are fulfilled in the Book of Acts and see how it is through the light of this book that the epistles are to be read. Questions of an unusual certainty in one’s assurance and saving faith are addressed, confirmation is examined, and the evidence of the life of Christ is illuminated. “There is nothing which is more fatal than to fail to see that the teaching of the epistles always presupposes the history which we have in the book of Acts of the Apostles.” Follow along as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones considers this.
Sermon Breakdown
- John the Baptist predicted that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit. This is a vital doctrine to understand.
- The baptism of the Holy Spirit marks the difference between Old Testament saints and New Testament saints. OT saints were believers but not baptized with the Spirit.
- You can be a believer and Christian without receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This was shown through examples from the OT and NT.
- The book of Acts shows the fulfillment of the promise of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Its purpose is to show how it happened, the results, and how it was recognized.
- The epistles presuppose the history in Acts. You can't understand the epistles without Acts. The epistles were written to correct issues in churches that had experienced the baptism of the Spirit.
- One effect of the baptism of the Spirit is to give assurance of salvation. It is wrong to say all believers have full assurance. Saving faith and assurance of faith are distinct.
- The case of the Galatians shows they had received the Spirit and miracles were being done among them. This shows the epistles presuppose the baptism of the Spirit.
- You can't put Acts against the epistles. All Scripture must be used. Acts shows the fulfillment of the promise of the Spirit.
- The epistles don't exhort people to seek the baptism of the Spirit because they had already received it. They deal with issues that arose from it.
- Jesus himself received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Though the eternal Son of God, as a man He needed the Spirit to empower His ministry. This shows the distinction between regeneration and baptism of the Spirit.
Sermon Q&A
What is the Baptism with the Holy Spirit According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
Based on Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on the baptism with the Holy Spirit, here are key questions and answers that explore this important theological concept:
What is the main difference between regeneration and the baptism with the Holy Spirit?
Answer: According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, one can be a believer and Christian without having received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. While the Holy Spirit dwells in every Christian through regeneration (being born again), baptism with the Holy Spirit is distinct. As he states, "You can't be a Christian at all without having the Holy Spirit in you. A Christian is a man who is born of the Spirit... But that does not mean that he is baptized with the Holy Spirit." This distinction is foundational to his teaching on this subject.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones believe we need to pay attention to the Book of Acts regarding this doctrine?
Answer: Dr. Lloyd-Jones refutes the argument that doctrine shouldn't be based on the historical accounts in Acts. He offers several reasons why Acts is crucial: (1) Scripture should never be set against Scripture; (2) a main purpose of Acts is specifically to show the fulfillment of the promise concerning the baptism with the Holy Spirit; (3) the epistles presuppose what happened in Acts and can't be properly understood without that historical context; and (4) the Book of Acts provides the pattern for what revival looks like in the church.
How do the Epistles relate to the baptism with the Holy Spirit according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Answer: Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that "the teaching of the epistles always presupposes the history which we have in the book of the Acts of the Apostles." He uses 1 Corinthians and Galatians as examples, noting that Paul addresses issues related to the Spirit's baptism in these churches, showing that the members had already experienced this baptism. He states, "You can't understand the epistles except in the light of the background of what had happened in the book of the Acts of the Apostles."
What is the relationship between assurance of salvation and the baptism with the Holy Spirit?
Answer: Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that one of the main effects of the baptism with the Holy Spirit is "to give us an unusual assurance of our salvation." However, he cautions against identifying saving faith with assurance of faith. Many genuine Christians may lack full assurance but still have saving faith. The baptism with the Spirit brings a heightened level of assurance, as exemplified in Romans 8:15-16, where believers cry "Abba, Father" with complete certainty of their sonship.
What does Christ's experience teach us about the baptism with the Holy Spirit?
Answer: Dr. Lloyd-Jones points to Jesus as the ultimate proof of the distinction between regeneration and baptism with the Spirit. Jesus, as the eternal Son of God, still needed the Spirit to descend upon Him at His baptism to empower His ministry. Lloyd-Jones notes, "Our Lord himself could not act as witness and as preacher and as testifier to the gospel of salvation without receiving this endument of the spirit." This shows that baptism with the Spirit is primarily about empowerment for service, distinct from one's identity as God's child.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the greatest need for the church today?
Answer: Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies revival as the greatest need for the church in his time, stating, "The most urgent need of the hour is revival in the christian church, and that means revival in individual christians." He sees the baptism with the Holy Spirit as essential to this revival, bringing power to what he describes as a "christian church more or less powerless, ineffective in a world of sin and shame." He believes Christians with assurance of salvation who experience the power of the Spirit are what the world needs.
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.