Final Perseverance
A Sermon on John 1:16
Originally preached April 19, 1964
Scripture
16And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
Sermon Description
What is the result of salvation? Often times Christians speak of their salvation as simply being forgiven or saved from sins. While this is true, in this sermon on John 1:16 titled “Final Perseverance,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that salvation is more than being forgiven. According to him, salvation is salvation unto good works and a life of holiness. The idea that one can be a Christian while continuing to live in sin and rebellion is not taught in the Bible. This is because the Bible always teaches that God uses good works to enable Christians to persevere to the end. God gives the Holy Spirit that equips the faithful to live a life of good works. This same Spirit keeps all true believers from falling away and losing their salvation. All who are saved persevere to the end. This is only because God has promised to keep all those whom He has saved. This sermon gives great hope to all believers who have truly trusted in God. To those who do not know Jesus, it promises a salvation that is secure and stable to all who believe in the gospel.
Sermon Breakdown
- Christians have received grace upon grace from Jesus Christ. This is what makes us Christians.
- We are destined for eternal glory and to see God face to face. This is the Christian's destiny.
- However, we still live in a world with sin, temptation and spiritual opposition. How do we persevere to the end? This is the key question the sermon addresses.
- We must put into practice what we already know from Scripture. We must make specific efforts through our will and actions. However, this is not enough on its own.
- The Holy Spirit dwells within Christians to guarantee our ultimate redemption and bring us to perfection.
- The Holy Spirit yearns for our sanctification with a jealous envy. He longs for our glorification.
- The Holy Spirit gives us more grace to enable us to resist temptation and persevere. His grace is greater than any sin or temptation.
- The Holy Spirit reminds us of Jesus' presence and victory which gives us strength. We can say "I fear no foe with Thee at hand to bless".
- The Holy Spirit gives us strength for each day and situation. "As thy day, so shall thy strength be". He gives greater grace for greater trials.
- God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. He always provides a way of escape.
- The Holy Spirit can even heal backsliders and restore those who fall into sin through his abundant grace. His grace never fails.
Sermon Q&A
What Does "Of His Fullness Have All We Received, and Grace for Grace" Mean According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
What is the meaning of "of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace" in John 1:16?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, this verse provides a comprehensive definition of what makes someone a Christian. He explains that "of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace" means that a Christian is one who has received and continues to receive from the fullness of Christ, experiencing grace upon grace. This puts the Christian life in proper perspective by showing that salvation is entirely in Christ, not in our own works or efforts.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain sanctification in relation to John 1:16?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones connects sanctification to this verse by explaining that sanctification means "the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ is being formed in us." He bases this on 1 Corinthians 1:30, which states that Christ "has been made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption." Sanctification is the practical process by which we are progressively made more like Christ, receiving from His fullness and experiencing "grace upon grace." It's a continual growth process where believers are "changed from glory to glory."
What is the role of the Holy Spirit in sanctification according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the Holy Spirit is the primary agent of sanctification. The Spirit: - Was sent to glorify Christ, not Himself - Mediates Christ to believers and builds them up in Him - Dwells in every true Christian - Yearns for our sanctification "even unto jealous envy" - Fights the battle within us and for us against sin - Provides "more grace" to overcome every temptation - Guarantees our ultimate glorification
He emphasizes that "the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy" (James 4:5) means the Holy Spirit yearns jealously for our complete sanctification.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach about the danger of antinomianism?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns about antinomianism, which he describes as being "against law" or not recognizing that the purpose of salvation is that "the law should be fulfilled in us." He observes that many people mistakenly emphasize being saved as if it were the end of a journey rather than the beginning, which leads to: - Carelessness about sin - Slackness and indolence in spiritual life - The false idea that once saved, it doesn't matter what you do - Forgetting that Christ redeemed us to be "zealous of good works"
He emphasizes that "the object of salvation is not to enable us to sin with impunity, knowing that we are forgiven," but rather to enable us to "walk after the spirit" and fulfill God's law.
How does Lloyd-Jones explain the doctrine of the final perseverance of the saints?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the doctrine of the final perseverance of the saints addresses how believers, though destined for glory, can live in this world while facing the world, the flesh, and the devil. Key points include:
- Our perseverance is guaranteed by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us
- We have responsibility to "cleanse our hands" and "purify our hearts"
- God provides "more grace" - greater than any temptation we face
- The statement "he giveth more grace" means:
- God's power is greater than any sin or temptation
- The Spirit reminds us of Christ's presence
- As difficulties increase, grace increases ("as thy day, so shall thy strength be")
- God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear
- Even if we backslide, God's grace restores us
Lloyd-Jones concludes that Christ is "made unto us sanctification" as definitely as He is made our righteousness, ensuring our ultimate glorification.
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.