Under Conviction of Sin
A Sermon on John 4:27-30
Originally preached Oct. 22, 1967
Scripture
27¶ And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? 28The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, 29Come, …
Sermon Description
What was the point of Jesus’s ministry? Many will see the life of Jesus and believe that He presented the life in which the Christian ought to live and, guided by His teachings, they can live a moral and upstanding life. The Christian should ask: “Do I believe that humanity is utterly depraved in their sinful nature and is unable to save themselves, or do I believe that people are just in need of a little help in order to live the good life?” In this sermon on John 4:27–30 titled “Under Conviction of Sin,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones analyzes the interactions between Jesus and the woman at the well to show that the message of Christ is to bring humanity under the conviction of sin. Putting things in order, Dr. Lloyd-Jones places the conviction of sin as the first teaching in the New Testament, making this the building block in which the Christian life can begin. If the listener has taken up the religion of Christianity without becoming a true Christian, this sermon will help decipher between true belief and false belief. Listeners will then be challenged to analyze their lives and if they have ever truly been convicted of their sin and subsequently brought to repentance.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon focuses on John 4:27-30 and the woman of Samaria's statement "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?"
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones says this statement shows the primacy of conviction of sin. Without conviction of sin, we cannot know Christ.
- Conviction of sin is the difference between cults/psychology and true Christianity. Cults and psychology make us feel good about ourselves. True Christianity shows us our sin.
- Conviction of sin is the difference between taking up religion and becoming truly Christian. Many take up religion to imitate Christ or do good works, but they lack conviction of sin.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones illustrates how conviction of sin is primary in the New Testament by looking at John the Baptist, Jesus, the apostles' preaching, and Paul's preaching. They all preached repentance.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones says the Sermon on the Mount was meant to convict people of their sin, not tell them how to live. The law is impossible to follow perfectly.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones says without conviction of sin, we cannot receive God's fullness and grace. We must start with conviction of sin.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns against thinking we are all right as we are. We must be "cast down" and shown our unworthiness before God.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones says conviction of sin is most lacking in the church today. We lack humility and a sense of unworthiness before God.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones says if the Christian message has never made us feel worse about ourselves, we have not truly heard it. It should make us feel hopeless without Christ.
Sermon Q&A
Key Questions from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Conviction of Sin
What is the primary obstacle that prevents Christians from experiencing the fullness of Christ?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, conviction of sin is the primary obstacle that prevents Christians from experiencing the fullness Christ offers. He emphasizes that "unless we are clear about this, it's not surprising that we know nothing else." This conviction of sin must come first, as it is an absolute rule in spiritual life. Without recognizing our emptiness and unworthiness, we cannot receive the fullness Christ provides.
How does the woman of Samaria demonstrate conviction of sin in John 4?
The woman of Samaria demonstrates conviction of sin when she tells the townspeople, "Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ?" She doesn't focus on Christ's personality or his teaching about worship, but on how he exposed her life and sins. Though Christ only specifically mentioned her five husbands and current relationship, she felt as though her entire life had been laid bare before him, which is the essence of conviction of sin.
What distinguishes true Christianity from religious cults according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the fundamental difference between Christianity and cults is that "there is one thing a cult never does. It never produces in anybody a sense of guilt." While cults may help people in various ways, they typically tell people they're "really all right" and just need assistance. In contrast, true Christianity first makes people feel uncomfortable by confronting them with their sinfulness before offering salvation. Cults are "most ingratiating" and "most pleasant" but never create a sense of conviction.
How does conviction of sin differ from merely taking up religion?
Taking up religion involves being interested in Christ as a historical figure, admiring his teaching, desiring to live a better life, wanting to do good in the world, or attempting to imitate Christ. These approaches all assume "we are all right as we are" and have the capacity to follow Christ through our own efforts. True Christianity, however, begins with conviction of sin—seeing ourselves as we truly are, feeling our unworthiness, and recognizing our complete helplessness to save ourselves apart from Christ's work.
What examples does Lloyd-Jones give of how conviction of sin is prioritized in Scripture?
Lloyd-Jones points to several biblical examples showing the priority of conviction of sin: 1. John the Baptist preached "a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins" 2. Jesus began his ministry preaching "Repent ye, and believe the gospel" 3. Jesus told Nicodemus he must be "born of water" (repentance) and the Spirit 4. The parables of the two sons and the Pharisee and publican emphasize repentance 5. Peter's first sermon at Pentecost called people to "Repent and be baptized" 6. Paul preached to the sophisticated Athenians that God "commandeth all men everywhere to repent"
Why does Lloyd-Jones believe the Sermon on the Mount isn't meant to be "applied" to society?
Lloyd-Jones argues that the Sermon on the Mount isn't something we can simply apply to society, as some suggest. Rather, it's "nothing but an exposition of the law" designed to show people their inability to keep God's standards. Christ didn't preach it because "he thought men as they were could keep it," but to convict those who thought they could keep God's law that "they could never do so." It demonstrates our helplessness and need for divine salvation.
What is lacking most in the church today according to Lloyd-Jones?
Lloyd-Jones states emphatically that conviction of sin is "the thing that is most lacking" in the church today. He observes: "We are too healthy, we are too satisfied, we are too pleased with ourselves, we are not sufficiently humbled." The modern church has "an absence of humility, an absence of repentance, an absence of this sense of unworthiness" compared to previous eras. Without this conviction of sin, the church cannot experience individual or general revival.
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.