Testing the Spirits (5)
A Sermon on John 1:26-33
Originally preached March 14, 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
What is the place of spiritual gifts in the life of believers and the church? How should Christians approach the command to test the spirits? In this sermon on John 1:26–33 titled “Testing the Spirits (5),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones helps the church think through these questions and how to apply the answers to life. “The general purpose of our baptism with the Holy Spirit is evangelism,” he says. What are the main points of the Scriptural texts that address spiritual gifts, such as in 1 Corinthians? First, gifts should never be used as an end in and of themselves— all gifts are temporary and, as is written elsewhere in Scripture, are to be used for the benefit of others. One of the primary reasons for these texts was because a spirit of competition had entered in among the believers, and they were becoming so distracted that they were losing sight of the bigger picture. The main reasoning for these gifts is to glorify the Lord. The second point, according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, is evangelism. The third is the edification of the body. Some Christians live in pursuit of these gifts, but Dr. Lloyd-Jones offers a helpful reminder— do not seek the gifts selfishly, but rather indirectly by pursuing the Lord and trusting that He will give what is needed to accomplish His purposes.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon is focused on 1 Corinthians 12-14 which deals with spiritual gifts. The primary purpose of these chapters is to correct the abuse and misuse of spiritual gifts in the Corinthian church.
- Spiritual gifts are not meant to be an end in themselves. They are not meant to be the central focus. The central focus should always be on Jesus Christ.
- Spiritual gifts are meant to glorify God and for evangelism. They are meant to benefit and edify the church.
- There are wrong ways to seek spiritual gifts such as seeking them for selfish reasons, to feel important, or for thrilling experiences. The right way is to seek God and His love.
- It is wrong and dangerous to try and induce spiritual gifts through psychological methods. Spiritual gifts are given through the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit, not through human effort or methods.
- The best way to receive spiritual gifts is by seeking God, His love, His glory, and the power to witness - not by directly seeking the gifts themselves.
Sermon Q&A
What Does Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts?
What is the primary purpose of the baptism with the Holy Spirit according to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the primary purpose of the baptism with the Holy Spirit is to enable believers to be witnesses. He states: "The baptism of the Holy Spirit is essentially designed for witness. Our Lord told the disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they should be endued with power from on high." He emphasizes that this special empowerment was necessary even for those who had been with Jesus during His ministry, had seen His miracles, resurrection, and received His teaching. Despite all they had experienced, they were still instructed to wait for this spiritual empowerment before beginning their witness.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones distinguish between the baptism of the Spirit and spiritual gifts?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that it's possible to be baptized with the Holy Spirit without possessing certain specific spiritual gifts. He states: "We've seen that it is possible for one to be baptized with the Holy Ghost without having some of these special gifts." He points to historical examples like "Whitfield and the Wesley brothers and Finney and D.L. Moody" who were "clearly patently baptized with the Holy Ghost as a separate experience" but "never spoke in tongues and they didn't work miracles." He emphasizes that we must "keep these things distinct and clear in our minds" rather than assuming all spiritual gifts must accompany the baptism with the Spirit.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the central problem in the Corinthian church regarding spiritual gifts?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies the central problem in the Corinthian church as a lack of proper perspective about spiritual gifts. He notes that Paul wrote to the Corinthians because "they had abused these gifts" and were "suffering from a lack of proportion in their understanding of these spiritual gifts." The gifts had "become central in Corinth. They were occupying the very center of the stage." This led to divisions, competitive attitudes, disorder, and improper displays of the gifts. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that "they must never be regarded as ends in themselves" but should point to Christ rather than becoming the central focus of the church's attention.
What warning does Dr. Lloyd-Jones give about forming movements centered on spiritual gifts?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones strongly warns against forming movements centered on spiritual gifts. He states: "It seems to me that to form movements with respect to the gifts of the Spirit is utterly unscriptural." He extends this principle beyond just spiritual gifts, saying he cannot see justification "for a movement in connection with holiness" or "a movement just to teach prophetic teaching" either. He argues that "you don't specialize on doctrines in the Christian life" because "the Church is a whole and our doctrine is a whole." When movements focus exclusively on gifts, they lose proper balance and proportion, leading to the same problems the Corinthians experienced.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach about the proper way to seek spiritual gifts?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that while we should "covet earnestly the best gifts" as Scripture says, there's a right and wrong way to seek them. The wrong approach involves:
- Seeking gifts with selfish motives or to make oneself important
- Trying to "induce or produce in ourselves the gifts of the Spirit"
- Using psychological techniques like relaxation, breathing exercises, or surrendering one's speech organs
- Manipulating emotions through repetitive singing or other methods
The right approach, according to Lloyd-Jones, is to "seek Him. Seek His love. Seek His glory... Be filled with a love to Him. Then you'll get your gifts." He emphasizes that we should "don't seek the gifts directly. Seek them indirectly" by focusing on Christ rather than the gifts themselves. This is what he calls "the way power, excellence, of obtaining the gifts."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones view the relationship between spiritual gifts and evangelism?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that there should be a strong connection between spiritual gifts and evangelistic outreach. He states that "the object of the gifts is an evangelistic one" and we "must test anything that claims to be a movement of the Spirit in terms of its evangelistic power." True movements of the Spirit always have an outward focus - "All the great movements of the Spirit...have always been great evangelistic movements." In contrast, counterfeit movements tend to be inward-focused, creating "a little coterie...where they just turn around amongst themselves having wonderful experiences, but nobody else gets any benefit." Authentic spiritual gifts should ultimately lead to effective witness beyond the church.
What warning does Dr. Lloyd-Jones give about psychological manipulation in relation to spiritual gifts?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones strongly warns against psychological techniques that attempt to produce spiritual manifestations. He calls out specific practices like being told to "relax your body," "breathe in deeply" to receive the Spirit, or "surrender your jaw and your tongue" to speak in tongues. He declares such approaches "purely carnal" and potentially dangerous, stating: "This is nothing but the power of suggestion. It's typical of the methods of psychology." He warns that by trying to "help the Spirit," people may actually be opening themselves to psychological manipulation or even demonic influence. True spiritual gifts come sovereignly from God without human manipulation - "The Spirit giveth these gifts severally to every men as he will."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach about the proper order of the spiritual gifts?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that the Corinthian church had wrongly elevated the gift of tongues above other gifts. He notes that Paul "always puts it last in the list" and that "it seems to be the least of the gifts." While Paul affirms tongues as a legitimate gift, saying "prohibit not to speak in tongues," he emphasizes that it should not "monopolize the whole of the life of the church." Paul instructs believers to "covet earnestly the best gifts" and particularly to desire prophecy above tongues. Lloyd-Jones points to Paul's statement that "in the church he would rather speak five words with his understanding than 10,000 words in an unknown tongue" as evidence of the proper ordering of gifts.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones interpret 1 Corinthians 12:31 about "a more excellent way"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones challenges the common interpretation of 1 Corinthians 12:31 where Paul writes, "Yet show I unto you a more excellent way." He argues this verse is often misused to suggest we should abandon interest in gifts in favor of love. Lloyd-Jones points out that the original Greek doesn't contain a comparative form and should be translated: "Moreover, I show you an excellent way" or "I show you a way according to excellence."
Rather than contrasting gifts with love, Lloyd-Jones believes Paul is showing the excellent pathway to obtain gifts: "If you really want the gifts, go in for the graces." He points to the beginning of chapter 14 where Paul says, "Follow after charity and desire spiritual gifts," showing he hasn't dismissed the gifts. The best approach is to "seek his love...seek to know him in the very vitals of your being" and through this pathway, "you will receive the gifts."
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.