Testing the Spirits (4)
A Sermon on John 1:26-33
Originally preached March 7, 1965
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
With “Testing the Spirits (4),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones continues his sermon series in John 1:26–33 on testing the spirits where he expounds on its importance for Christians and how they can be wise and discerning with what they see and hear. Having spent many sermons working through general principles to guide this process, Dr. Lloyd-Jones puts forth what he sees as the ultimate test in discerning the spirits. In 1 Corinthians 12:3, Paul declares that any spirit is not of God if it says anything contrary to the truth that Jesus Christ is Lord. This is because it directly contradicts the rest of Scripture— in many ways, it would function to cause the claims of Scripture to fold in on itself, and this is not to be. This testing of the spirits is often thought to be applied when analyzing ideas from outside Christian circles, but this is not always the case. Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides examples of people who accepted things as being from the Lord when they were not. Not everything that claims to be a message from God is, and believers must be wise to understand the differences and live accordingly. Many stories exist of people who wrongly thought they had messages from God, causing much difficulty that could have been easily avoided by comparing it with the teachings of Scripture. This sermon provides a helpful look at how Christians can avoid this mistake.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon focuses on 1 Corinthians 12:3 and 1 John 4:1-3 which discuss testing the spirits.
- The supreme test is whether someone confesses Jesus as Lord and believes in his incarnation. However, this is not enough. More tests are needed.
- False prophets and false Christs will show signs and wonders. We must be discerning.
- Even evil spirits confessed Jesus as the Son of God, so confession alone is not enough.
- Examples of those who confessed Christ but were misled: Robert Baxter and the Irvingites.
- We must test the spirits and not rely on confession alone.
- The purpose of 1 Corinthians 12-14 is to bring order and balance, not just discuss spiritual gifts.
- The church at Corinth had become disorderly and indecent, so Paul wrote to correct them.
- The gifts must be viewed properly in relation to Christ and the purpose of the church.
Sermon Q&A
Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit: Questions & Answers
What does Lloyd-Jones identify as the supreme test of the Holy Spirit's work?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the supreme test of the Holy Spirit's work is that it glorifies Christ. He cites John 16:14 where Jesus says of the Holy Spirit, "He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you." Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the Holy Spirit will not speak from Himself or call attention to Himself, but will always "focus the light upon the Son of God." This is the "test of all tests" - does a claimed spiritual experience or manifestation exalt and center on Christ?
Why does Lloyd-Jones say orthodox confession alone is not enough to validate spiritual gifts?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that while confessing "Jesus is Lord" (1 Corinthians 12:3) is essential, it's not sufficient by itself to validate spiritual manifestations. He provides several scriptural examples: Matthew 24:23-24 warns of false Christs showing "great signs and wonders"; in Mark 3:11, unclean spirits declared "Thou art the Son of God"; and in Acts 16, a girl with a divination spirit correctly identified Paul as "servant of the most high God." Lloyd-Jones concludes, "even if the confession is made of the name of Christ, it doesn't guarantee that everything that is being done is of necessity the work of the Holy Spirit."
What does Lloyd-Jones say is the primary purpose of Paul's teaching on spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12-14?
Lloyd-Jones explains that Paul wasn't primarily writing to give a detailed explanation of each spiritual gift. Rather, his main purpose was to address "trouble and confusion and even division in the church at Corinth" over these matters. The apostle's primary objective was to restore order, balance, and proper perspective regarding the gifts. Lloyd-Jones highlights the concluding verse (1 Corinthians 14:40) - "Let all things be done decently and in order" - as capturing Paul's essential purpose in writing these chapters.
What historical example does Lloyd-Jones use to illustrate false spiritual manifestations?
Lloyd-Jones repeatedly references Robert Baxter, who was involved in the Irvingite movement in London in the early 1830s. He describes Baxter as an orthodox Christian who genuinely desired to exalt Christ, yet was deceived by a false spirit. When questioned about strange manifestations, Baxter would respond that "Christ is more real to me, and I'm more concerned for his glory, and I love him more than I've ever done." Lloyd-Jones uses this example to show that sincere Christians who pass the basic doctrinal test can still fall prey to spiritual deception.
Why does Lloyd-Jones consider the baptism of the Holy Spirit the most urgent need for today's church?
Lloyd-Jones states that "the one thing that should be uppermost in our minds at this moment is the need of a baptism of the spirit by the christian church to lift her out of her formality or lethargy or deadness." He describes this as "the supreme need" that would bring "authentication of the message," "sifting of the true from the false," and "God coming down upon this word of truth." He emphasizes that merely condemning moral decline is futile - what's needed is "this power of the Holy Ghost upon the world" to bring revival to the church.
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.