The Conversion Experience
A Sermon on John 3:8
Originally preached Jan. 23, 1966
Scripture
8The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Sermon Description
In this sermon on John 3:8 titled “The Conversion Experience,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones evaluates the life of a true believer. How does one know that their conversion is genuine? What are the marks of a true believer? He shares that conversion is like the first creation. The Christian is “nothing” being made into “something.” When they are regenerated, they recognize the Spirit dealing with them and cry out for life. After a person is regenerate, they will be seen in a family likeness. True believers become like the family they are a part of; that is, God’s family. This is because there is now a seed of divine life in them. The true believer has a fundamental seriousness about them. This is not to say they are not joyful or humorous, but they now know the fear of the Lord and respond to life in that way. The listener should ask themselves: do I see a fundamental seriousness in my life? Do I respond to God’s saving of me from his wrath with a warm sense of joy and behave as a person under control?” If so, the Christian should be encouraged that they have not laid hold of God, but God has laid hold of them.
Sermon Breakdown
- Family likeness - There is a likeness between Christians that shows they belong to the same family. This likeness is more prominent than differences in nationality, profession, etc.
- Consciousness of being dealt with - Christians are aware God is dealing with them and interfering in their lives. They recognize something is happening to them rather than them being in control.
- Humbled - Christians have been humbled by the realization they need to be born again. They recognize they were dead in sin and needed resurrection. This is a humbling truth.
- True repentance - Christians have experienced godly sorrow over their sin which leads to repentance. They mourn over the evil in their heart, not just the consequences of sin.
- Fundamental seriousness - Christians have a fundamental seriousness and sobriety about them. They are not flippant or superficial, especially regarding spiritual things. However, they can still have joy and humor. They have a holy joy.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on the New Birth
What does Jesus mean when he says "The wind bloweth where it listeth" in John 3:8?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Jesus is using the wind as an illustration to describe the mysterious and supernatural nature of regeneration or being born again. Just as we cannot see the wind itself but only its effects, we cannot see the actual act of regeneration (which is God's act) but can observe its results and manifestations in a person's life. As Lloyd-Jones explains: "You don't see the wind, and you don't understand it in an ultimate sense. What you do see is the effects and the results. Thou hearest the sound thereof. You can see its effect on the branches and the leaves on the tree or on cloves hanging on a line." The new birth is similarly mysterious yet real in its effects.
What is the difference between regeneration and conversion according to Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones clarifies that regeneration is God's act upon us, not our act toward God. He states: "What makes a man a Christian, not anything he does. It's what's done to him." Regeneration precedes conversion in the order of salvation. As he explains: "A man does decide, of course, but he can only do so after this has happened to him. The natural man doesn't want to decide... You don't decide for Christ, and because of that, become born again." Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that regeneration is the implanting of divine life in the soul, a supernatural act of God that then enables a person to respond in faith.
What are the various biblical terms used to describe regeneration?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that the importance of regeneration is shown by the variety of terms used to describe it in Scripture: - Being "born again" (John 3:3) - "Regeneration" - "New creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17) - Receiving "a new heart" or "clean heart" - Being made "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4) - Being "begotten by God through the word" (James) - Having a "seed of life" implanted in us (1 John) - Experiencing a spiritual "resurrection" (Ephesians 2:1)
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the "family likeness" of Christians?
Lloyd-Jones explains that when someone is truly born again, Christianity becomes their most obvious characteristic - more prominent than their nationality, profession, education, or any other trait. He states: "When a man is born again, that becomes the most obvious thing about him." This family likeness manifests as spiritual-mindedness: "The general impression that the Christian gives is that he is a Christian, that he's got this new life in him... he at once gives you the impression that he's a spiritually minded person." Lloyd-Jones distinguishes this from merely having an intellectual interest in religious matters, noting that one can discuss Christianity with "a kind of secular mind" while lacking this essential spiritual quality.
What does Lloyd-Jones identify as evidence of true repentance versus false repentance?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones distinguishes between mere remorse (the "sorrow of the world") and true repentance (or "godly sorrow"). True repentance involves not merely being sorry for specific sins and their consequences, but grieving over one's sinful nature itself. He explains: "The man who's born again is the sorrow of a man who's discovered that his heart is evil, that his heart is sinful. He's a man who's enabled to say, with the apostle 'in me, that's to say, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing.'" The genuinely repentant person mourns not just actions but their sinful condition, saying with David, "Create within me a clean heart, renew a right spirit within me," and hates sin because it grieves God.
What does Lloyd-Jones mean by the "fundamental seriousness" of a Christian?
Lloyd-Jones describes this as a general characteristic that's difficult to define but essential to recognize. He explains that the Christian has "a fundamental seriousness" about them - they're "never flippant, never light, never superficial" when it comes to spiritual matters. This doesn't mean Christians are solemn, pompous, or dull - they can be happy and even humorous. However, they approach life with an underlying seriousness because they understand spiritual realities and their own sinful nature. Lloyd-Jones notes: "The man who's born again must be like this because, as I say, he's a man who has discovered that by nature he was such that he couldn't be improved. He must be born again. He sees evil and sin, the state of the world and all that it has involved and what is coming."
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.