Testing the Spirits (1)
A Sermon on John 1:26-33
Scripture
26John answered them, saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. 27It is He who comes after me, of whom I am not worthy even to untie the strap of His sandal.” 28These things took place in Bethany beyond the …
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
What does one do if confronted with miraculous spiritual events? In this exposition of John 1:26–33 by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones titled “Testing of the Spirits (1),” he begins the discussion of how to process and test the spirits. First, Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes that, throughout history, revival (which he deems as “many people being baptized in the Holy Spirit”) may or may not be accompanied by miraculous gifts, and is actually more often than not lacking these miraculous occurrences. However, in light of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes several errors. First, some people say that the baptism always has to be accompanied by the miraculous gifts, but it is arrogant to say the Holy Spirit has to work that way. Next, there are those who deny the miraculous gifts and quench the Spirit. This, too, according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, is unbiblical. Lastly, there are those who accept all things without testing anything, which Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues can be dangerous. The Christian must accept and test. In light of this, Dr. Lloyd-Jones states that they must not rely solely on feelings, nor the credibility of people, but should examine what is being taught. The Christian must not be surprised if Satan attacks those closest to the Lord.
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.