Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the Kingdom of God: Questions & Answers

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean by "the kingdom of God is not meat and drink"?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, when Paul says "the kingdom of God is not meat and drink" in Romans 14:17, he means that the kingdom of God is not to be reduced to small, narrow concerns or particular practices. Lloyd-Jones explains: "What he's saying is you mustn't ever conceive of the kingdom of God as merely one aspect or one part of the kingdom of God." The apostle is warning against reducing Christianity to petty disputes about food regulations or observing certain days. Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that these issues were causing division in the Roman church because they had "lost their sense of proportion" and forgotten the larger reality of the kingdom.

What are the characteristics of the kingdom of God according to this sermon?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes the kingdom of God as: 1. "The sphere of God's rule, the sphere of God's reign" 2. Something that happens both corporately and individually 3. "The prerogative and the sphere of activity of the Lord Jesus Christ" 4. Entirely different from earthly kingdoms ("my kingdom is not of this world") 5. A realm that requires a new way of thinking 6. Something that is not negative, small, or narrow, but grand and glorious 7. Not defined by single issues like eating, drinking, or specific practices

Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the kingdom is characterized by righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, not by external rules and regulations.

How do Christians often misrepresent the kingdom of God according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies several ways Christians misrepresent the kingdom:

1. By making Christianity appear small and negative: "The most terrible thing that you and I can ever do is to give the impression that Christianity is something small or that the church is something small."

2. By reducing it to certain prohibitions: "We must never give the impression that a Christian essentially is just a man who doesn't do certain things."

3. By identifying it with a single doctrine or practice: "The Christian must never give the impression that what essentially makes a man a Christian is that he believes in election" or "that he's been immersed" or "that you only sing psalms."

4. By making denominational identity the focus: "It's been the curse of the last hundred years to give the impression that a Christian is a man who belongs to a particular denomination."

How should Christians think differently in the kingdom of God?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Christians must learn to think in an entirely new way:

1. Move beyond personal opinions: "What happens now is not my opinion, because in the world it is my opinion... The moment you come into the kingdom of God, that's got to go."

2. Stop focusing on personal rights: "My rights... Always my rights... the moment you come into the kingdom of God, that's wrong."

3. Avoid worldly approaches to church governance: "In the church... even those of us who believe in the right of the individual member... must be careful always to show the difference between this and what is commonly called democracy."

4. Think with "the mind of Christ" rather than with worldly wisdom: "We've got to learn to cultivate and to develop that mind and to think of all these various problems and difficulties in that particular way."

5. See the whole kingdom, not just parts: "Everything we do as Christians, and particularly in the realm of the church, must be considered in the light of this whole, the kingdom of God."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones connect the teaching on the kingdom to evangelism?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones makes a powerful connection between properly understanding the kingdom and effective evangelism. He argues that many evangelistic efforts fail because we haven't asked "the original and preliminary question": why are people outside the church in the first place?

He suggests a sobering answer: "You and I, who are inside, have somehow given them the impression that this business of the kingdom of God and of Christianity is so small and contemptible that it's not even worthy of their thought and consideration."

People want "something big, something moving," but Christians have presented the faith as "this negative smallness, this finicky little thing concerned here and there about details." When we give a petty, small impression of Christianity rather than showing its glory and grandeur, people "dismiss it with contempt and regard it as being beneath their consideration."