A Sense of Balance (1)
A Sermon on Romans 14:17
Originally preached Jan. 26, 1968
Scripture
17For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Sermon Description
Lopsided Christianity is an unappealing religion. Divisions and fracturing over minutia have severely harmed evangelism and the church’s witness to the world. The apostle Paul’s battle cry in Romans 14:17 is that the kingdom of God is not about minutia such as meat and drink. Following Paul’s teaching in this sermon on Romans 14:17 titled “A Sense of Balance (1),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones applies this point to the contemporary church. Today’s Christians are just as guilty of making the kingdom of God about minutia – subsidiary doctrines, church government, particular church leaders. It is vitally important, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, to preserve a sense of balance in all areas of the Christian life. While not advocating unity at all cost, Dr. Lloyd-Jones does challenge the contemporary church over unnecessary denominational divisions. He is not merely concerned in this message of affirming church unity, but seeks a diagnosis of church division instead. Beyond denominations, Dr. Lloyd-Jones scrutinizes the usefulness of “movements” within evangelical Christianity which isolate a particular part of the faith (i.e. evangelism) from the whole. This can equally lead Christians to lose their sense of balance. Finally, Dr. Lloyd-Jones remarks about the nature and character of theological education and the propensity of institutions to isolate the study of Scripture away from its intended context of worship. In all this, trouble arises when Christians forget what the kingdom of God is about.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul introduces a new subsection in Romans 14:17-19 to provide a fresh point in his argument.
- Paul lifts the discussion from particular arguments to the overall condition of the Christian life. He provides a summary statement of the gospel and Christian life.
- The key principle Paul introduces is the importance of balance and proportion in the Christian life. Failure to maintain this balance and proportion has caused many problems in the church.
- Paul argues the kingdom of God is not about specific doctrines or practices but about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
- Paul suggests there is an element of ridicule toward those overly focused on specific doctrines or practices. He aims to direct attention to the bigger principle of balance.
- The principle of balance and proportion applies to doctrine, church governance, and daily Christian living. Failure in this area has caused church divisions, harm to evangelism, and problems in theological education.
- Denominations should not be based on a particular leader, doctrine, or view of church governance. Movements should not be based on a particular doctrine like evangelism, holiness, or prophecy.
- Religion and Bible study should not be treated as subjects or entities in themselves. They should always point to a relationship with God.
- Theological education needs to maintain an attitude of worship and relationship with God. It should not treat theology as an abstract science. Early leaders worked to keep education practical, spiritual, and focused on God.
- The church has suffered when it has forgotten that the kingdom of God is about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit—not about specific doctrines, practices, or methods.
Sermon Q&A
Exploring Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Romans 14:17 - Questions and Answers
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasize as the main principle in Romans 14:17?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes the vital importance of preserving a sense of balance and proportion in the Christian life. He explains that in Romans 14:17, Paul is lifting the debate about food and drink "from the realm of particular arguments to the whole position and condition of the Christian." The main principle is that we should not become so absorbed in minor details and particulars that we forget the whole. As Lloyd-Jones states, "nothing has done more harm, I sometimes think, to the Christian witness in the world, than this lack of balance."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones define "the kingdom of God" based on Romans 14:17?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Romans 14:17 shows that "the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost." He emphasizes that the kingdom of God is not about external practices, dietary restrictions, or debates about minor doctrinal points. Rather, it's about our relationship with God that produces righteousness, peace, and joy through the Holy Spirit. Lloyd-Jones points out that Paul uses this statement to redirect the Roman Christians from their petty arguments to the central aspects of Christian life.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as common causes of church divisions?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies three primary causes of church divisions throughout history:
- Churches founded on a man (such as Lutheran churches or Wesleyan churches)
- Churches founded on a particular subsidiary doctrine (such as mode of baptism)
- Churches founded on a particular view of church government (episcopal, presbyterian, etc.)
He argues that all these divisions contradict the principle in Romans 14:17, as they elevate secondary matters above the central elements of the Christian faith - righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones apply the principle of Romans 14:17 to theological education?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones critiques the approach to theological education that treats theology as merely an academic discipline or "science." He argues that theology cannot be studied objectively like other subjects because it always involves a relationship with God. The early theological academies understood this and conducted their teaching "in an atmosphere of worship." Problems arise when "theology became an abstract science, and it was handled like any other subject whatsoever." True theological education, according to Lloyd-Jones, should maintain spiritual vitality and keep the focus on righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit rather than merely academic qualifications.
What comparison does Dr. Lloyd-Jones make between secular problem-solving and Christian problem-solving?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones compares secular and Christian approaches to problem-solving by using the analogy of a polluted stream. He says the secular approach treats symptoms rather than causes: "Isn't it a sheer waste of money and a waste of energy to be pouring chemicals into a polluted stream when the source of infection is in the lake out of which the stream comes?" Similarly, he argues that secular attempts to solve human problems fail because "instead of getting to the center of the problem, it always begins and remains on the periphery." The Christian approach, by contrast, addresses the root problem - "man in sin and his consequence, selfishness and his laziness" - rather than merely treating symptoms through bureaucracy and organization.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones question the legitimacy of "movements" within the Christian church?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones questions the legitimacy of movements within the church because they tend to isolate and overemphasize one aspect of Christian life or doctrine. He states, "I take leave to question the legitimacy of movements at all in the Christian church." He believes movements may only be justified "when the church becomes apostate, when the church is failing to perform her functions."
He specifically critiques: - Separate evangelistic movements - Holiness movements - Prophetic movements
These specialized movements, he argues, violate the principle of Romans 14:17 by particularizing and failing to keep the balance of the whole Christian faith. They often lead to spiritual pride and further divisions.
What biblical example does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use to illustrate the danger of missing the whole because of focus on details?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones uses Jesus' rebuke of the Pharisees in Matthew 23:23 to illustrate this danger: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye paid tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith. These ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides which strain at a gnat and swallow a camel."
This perfectly captures what Lloyd-Jones calls the danger of "being so concerned about minutiae and details as to forget great principles." The Pharisees were so focused on minor details of the law that they missed Christ himself - they "strained at a gnat and swallowed a camel."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones view the teaching of religion in schools based on the principle in Romans 14:17?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones states, "I've never believed in the teaching of religion in schools" because "it's not a subject." He explains, "Scripture is not a subject in a school syllabus" and "Religion is not a subject. Scripture is not a subject amongst subjects." From his perspective, treating religion or Scripture as just another academic subject misunderstands its true nature.
This connects to the principle in Romans 14:17 because it reflects the error of compartmentalizing faith rather than seeing it as permeating all of life through "righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost." When religion becomes merely an academic subject, it loses its central purpose of transforming one's relationship with God.
What practical advice does Dr. Lloyd-Jones give for maintaining proper balance in Christian life?
While Dr. Lloyd-Jones focuses more on identifying problems than offering specific solutions in this sermon, he does provide some practical guidance:
- Remember that the kingdom of God is primarily about "righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost"
- Approach theology as worship rather than merely intellectual study
- Avoid overemphasizing secondary doctrines or practices
- Recognize the danger of movements that focus on just one aspect of Christian life
- Keep everything in proper proportion and context
- Be humble and avoid spiritual pride
- Put Scripture's teaching into practice rather than merely acquiring knowledge
As he prays at the end: "O God, help us to see that thy word to us at all times is humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God... keep us humble, we pray thee, and then show us by thy spirit, the meaning of the teaching of thy word, and give us grace to put it into practice."
The Book of Romans
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.