In the Image of God
A Sermon on John 1:16
Originally preached Dec. 15, 1963
Scripture
16And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
Sermon Description
From the beginning of history, humanity has sought out self-knowledge. They have sought it through philosophy, religion, and science, yet have found nothing of eternal value. In this sermon titled “In the Image of God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches from John 1:16 that God knows the deceitful heart of humanity. He shows that the truth about humanity is not found within themselves, but rather in the Creator God. Moreover, Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that humans are a fallen race. The image of God has been distorted by sin and sin does not speak the truth about human purpose and nature. Sin convinces people that they are the ultimate authority; that they, like Adam, may decide what is right and wrong instead of submitting to the Creator. The truth about humanity is ultimately found in Christ who is the whole man; that is to say that He was perfect in His humanity. He submitted to His heavenly Father in every way that humans have not. Christ is not merely the full man, He is also the divine mediator and perfect sacrifice. What is the height of mankind? How can a sinful people see a holy God? Look no further than the Son of God incarnate.
Sermon Breakdown
-
The sermon begins by introducing the verse John 1:16 which states "And of his fullness have we received, and grace for grace." Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes that this verse summarizes how Christians receive grace from Jesus Christ.
-
Dr. Lloyd-Jones then discusses how humans cannot become Christians or know God without Jesus's incarnation and sacrifice. Jesus had to become human in order to save humanity.
-
Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that humans cannot truly know themselves or achieve wisdom without God's revelation. Humans have tried to gain self-knowledge and wisdom through philosophy and science but have failed.
4.Dr. Lloyd-Jones discusses several modern views of human nature including the biological view, the Marxist view, and the Freudian psychological view. He argues that these views contradict each other and fail to fully explain human nature.
-
Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that humans are full of contradictions like being both great and petty. This is why humans cannot achieve self-knowledge alone. Only God can fully understand the human heart.
-
Dr. Lloyd-Jones cites Jeremiah 17:9 which states "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" He says this shows that only God can understand the human heart.
-
Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that when humans recognize they cannot achieve self-knowledge alone, they can ask God to search their heart as in Psalm 139:23-24. This is the beginning of wisdom and repentance.
-
Dr. Lloyd-Jones cites Jeremiah 10:23 which states "O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." He says this shows humans cannot direct themselves and need God.
-
Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that the only way to truly understand human nature is to look to Jesus Christ, the perfect God-man. Jesus is the "second Adam" who shows what humans were meant to be.
-
Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes by saying we can only know ourselves and achieve wisdom by knowing Jesus Christ. We must "behold the man" - Jesus Christ.
Sermon Q&A
Understanding the Wisdom of Christ Through Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon
What does Lloyd-Jones mean by "of his fullness have we received and grace for grace"?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, this phrase from John 1:16 refers to how Christians receive everything from Christ's fullness. The preacher explains that "all that the Christian has he receives from him." This fullness includes new life (as mentioned in verses 12-13) and continues as believers receive more and more from Christ. The phrase emphasizes the ongoing nature of receiving Christ's fullness - a continuous supply of grace upon grace, or as some translations put it, "grace for grace."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrast human wisdom with Christ's wisdom?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones shows that human wisdom always falls short in two critical areas: understanding God and understanding ourselves. He explains that human wisdom, at its highest point, could only reach a concept of "the unknown God" but couldn't truly know Him. Similarly, despite philosophies from ancient Greeks ("know thyself") to modern psychology (Freudian theory), humans remain unable to truly understand themselves. In contrast, Christ as God's wisdom provides true knowledge of both God and humanity. As Lloyd-Jones puts it: "There is no wisdom, there is no knowledge until he goes right away back to the first chapter of Genesis."
What are the modern theories of human nature that Lloyd-Jones critiques?
Lloyd-Jones identifies several modern theories that attempt to explain human nature: 1. The biological view - seeing man as merely an evolved animal 2. The physiological view - explaining humans as the interaction of various glands 3. The Marxist/communist view - explaining humanity through economic factors 4. The psychological view - particularly Freudian theory focused on the unconscious
He demonstrates that these theories contradict each other and ultimately fail to explain the contradictions within human nature - how humans can be simultaneously great and petty, noble and vile.
Why does Lloyd-Jones say we can only know ourselves by looking at Christ?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that we can only know ourselves when we see ourselves "under God." He quotes Jeremiah 17:9-10: "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart." Since we cannot truly know ourselves due to our own biases and self-deception, we need divine revelation. Christ, as "the Son of Man," reveals perfect humanity. Lloyd-Jones concludes: "You'll never know man, you'll never know yourself until you look into the face of Jesus Christ." Christ shows us both what we were meant to be and what we can become through His grace.
What contradictions in human nature does Lloyd-Jones identify?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that humans are "a mass of contradictions." Specifically: 1. Man can be truly great (achievements in science, research, discovery) yet incredibly petty (like children shouting "I'm bigger than you") 2. Man is capable of nobility and self-sacrifice yet also capable of "vileness" and "foulness" 3. Man has intellectual capability yet often acts foolishly
These contradictions, which Lloyd-Jones says are standing out "more clearly perhaps than they've ever done before" in our modern age, explain why humans struggle to understand themselves. Only the biblical narrative of creation and fall adequately explains these contradictions.
How does Lloyd-Jones describe Christ as "the second man"?
Lloyd-Jones describes Jesus as "the second man" and "the last Adam," contrasting Him with the first man, Adam. He explains: "The first man Adam was created perfect, but he fell. Here's the second man, and he is also perfect." Christ is both "perfect God" and "perfect man." As the Son of Man (Jesus' favorite self-designation according to Lloyd-Jones), Christ represents true humanity - "This is man. This is manhood. This is what a man is meant to be." Unlike the first Adam who failed, Christ as the last Adam succeeds and enables believers to become truly human as God intended.
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.