Born Again
A Sermon on John 3:8
Originally preached Feb. 27, 1966
Scripture
8The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Sermon Description
In this sermon on John 3:8 titled “Born Again,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses those who wrongly assume they are believers and illustrates signs of a truly born-again Christian. The condition and position of the Christian is foundational: they must be born again. Listen and learn about the love that ought to characterize all believers – love for the brethren. This is not merely to have a natural liking for fellow believers, but it is a choice. Find out how love and church unity are inseparably bound together, and how these serve as the foundation for what influence the church can have. Dr. Lloyd-Jones speaks about the clear and visible marking of the true Christian in that the child of God ought to be more interested in the state of one’s soul than in their nationality, class, or ability. Christ-like love is the one common language that binds the church together. The Christian must be grieved by godlessness and weaknesses of the present church, but anxious about the future of the Christian church. Love for one another must be ever increasing, growing in the hope of the glory to come, and bearing patiently with one another. The Christian is a “man who prefers the society of the brethren to the best society that the world can afford.”
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon focuses on 1 John 3:14 which states "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren."
- Loving and liking are two different things. Liking is natural and uncontrolled, loving is a choice and duty.
- We are commanded to love one another, not like one another. Loving means treating people you don't like as if you do like them.
- Those born again have the same life, outlook, desires, hopes, fears, and battles which brings them together.
- We speak the same "language" and understand each other in a way the world does not.
- We share secrets and experiences with each other that we cannot share with the world.
- We fight the same enemy and have the same hope of glory which binds us together.
- We recognize each other intuitively as brethren. This relationship means more to us than any other.
- We feel comfortable and belong with other Christians, not awkward.
- We prefer the company of Christians over any society the world offers.
- We sympathize with and are concerned for one another. The suffering of one is the suffering of all.
- We bear with one another and forgive one another as God has forgiven us.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Sermon Questions & Answers on Christian Fellowship
What does Jesus mean when He says "the wind blows where it wishes" in John 3:8?
In this sermon, Dr. Lloyd-Jones examines Jesus' teaching to Nicodemus about the new birth. Jesus uses the wind as an analogy for the Holy Spirit's work in regeneration, showing that the new birth is sovereign, mysterious, and beyond human control. Just as we cannot see the wind itself but can observe its effects, so too we can see the evidence of the new birth in a person's life through various manifestations. This teaching highlights the foundational nature of being born again - it's not something we can produce ourselves, but rather God's supernatural work within us.
What is the difference between loving and liking other Christians according to Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones makes a crucial distinction: "Loving and liking are not the same thing." He explains that liking is natural and beyond our control - we naturally like some people more than others based on personality and temperament. However, loving is a spiritual duty and choice. He defines Christian love as treating "people whom you actually don't like as if you did like them." The natural man is governed by his likes and dislikes, but the Christian loves even those believers they may not naturally be drawn to. This is a profound test of the new birth - our ability to love beyond natural affinity.
How does John 1 John 3:14 serve as a test for true conversion?
Lloyd-Jones highlights 1 John 3:14 as a crucial test: "We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren." This is a categorical, absolute proof of being born again. The apostle offers this as a clear, objective way to examine one's spiritual state. This isn't merely about having a nodding acquaintance with other Christians or institutional connection, but a genuine spiritual bond. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that this is "one of the most subtle and delicate tests of the new birth," as it reveals whether we have truly received the divine life that naturally expresses itself in love for God's family.
Why do true Christians inevitably love other believers according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides several reasons why Christians inevitably love other believers: 1. They share the same divine life and nature 2. They have the same spiritual outlook and understanding of life 3. They "speak the same language" spiritually 4. They share common interests, concerns, and desires 5. They share certain spiritual "secrets" only believers understand 6. They fight the same spiritual enemy 7. They have the same hope of glory
This love isn't manufactured but flows naturally from the new birth, as those who have God's life recognize and are drawn to others who possess that same life.
What practical manifestations of brotherly love does Lloyd-Jones identify?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies several practical manifestations of brotherly love: 1. Immediate recognition of other believers (an intuitive awareness) 2. Valuing the spiritual relationship above natural connections (nationality, class, etc.) 3. Feeling comfortable in the company of other Christians (not awkward) 4. Preferring fellowship with believers over "the best society the world can afford" 5. Showing genuine sympathy and concern for other Christians' suffering 6. Bearing with one another's faults and weaknesses 7. Forgiving one another freely as God has forgiven us
These manifestations are not theoretical but provide practical ways to examine whether one truly loves the brethren.
How does Lloyd-Jones address the issue of unity among Christians?
Lloyd-Jones addresses unity by focusing on its true foundation. He criticizes approaches to church unity that mimic business mergers or political coalitions. Instead, he argues that before discussing unity, we must understand "what a church is and what a Christian is." True Christian unity isn't institutional but relational - based on shared spiritual life. He warns against institutionalism, which he calls "the greatest curse in the history of the church," where organizations dominate and people become "ciphers." Instead, the New Testament presents unity as arising naturally among born-again believers who recognize each other as family, sharing the same divine life and spiritual outlook.
What specific test does Lloyd-Jones give regarding our reaction to other Christians' suffering?
Lloyd-Jones provides a searching test regarding our response to the suffering of other Christians. Using the example from Acts 12 when Peter was imprisoned, he notes how "prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him." He explains that "only Peter was in prison, but the whole church was in prison in spirit." This demonstrates true spiritual unity - when one member suffers, all suffer. Lloyd-Jones then applies this to our time: "There are many Christian brethren in this and in other lands who are suffering grievous persecution. Does it trouble you? Does it worry you?" He explains that genuine concern for suffering believers is evidence of having "the same life within us, the same blood in us."
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.