At Peace with God
A Sermon on Romans 8:5-8
Originally preached March 25, 1960
Scripture
5For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7Because the carnal mind is …
Sermon Description
There is a restlessness which surrounds the non-Christian. Listen to this sermon from Romans 8:5–8 titled “At Peace with God” where Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, alluding to holy Scripture, says the person whose sins have not been forgiven is like the troubled sea. Picking up on what perhaps might be an unusual placement of “peace” in this passage, he defends the apostle Paul’s emphasis on peace here and throughout the letter. Dr. Lloyd-Jones is able to connect the theme of peace to justification by faith and the righteousness of God in Romans. Furthermore, he elaborates that before God, a natural person’s position is enmity and not peace. The natural person, who is controlled by a life of sin, is living in dissatisfaction. While they are always trying to find peace and joy, they cannot. However, the result of being governed by the Spirit is life and peace. This person, argues Dr. Lloyd-Jones, understands the meaning of life in this world. They also have an inner harmony, as well as an external harmony with others. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones encourages the listener to find true peace by being governed by the Spirit and able to stand blameless and faultless before a holy and righteous God.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul is amplifying what he said in Romans 8:4 about those who "walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
- Paul wants to show that the righteousness of the law will be fulfilled in Christians, both now and in the future. This gives assurance of salvation.
- Paul shows the difference between those who are "after the flesh" (non-Christians) and those who are "after the Spirit" (Christians). Christians have new life and peace.
- Non-Christians are spiritually dead and at enmity with God. They cannot please God or fulfill the law.
- Christians have peace with God. They know God as He truly is and love Him. They delight in God's law and are subject to it.
- Christians have peace within. They have ended their restlessness and futile searching. They have found truth and understanding in Christ. They have inner tranquility and harmony.
- Christians can please God through obedience and good works. Examples are Enoch and Abraham. God is not ashamed to be called their God.
- While non-Christians cannot please God, Christians can fulfill the law through the Spirit's work in them. They will ultimately be sanctified and blameless.
Sermon Q&A
What Does Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About Spiritual Mindedness and Peace?
What is the meaning of "spiritually minded is life and peace" according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the phrase "spiritually minded is life and peace" in Romans 8:6 means that the Christian has received not only spiritual life but also peace in multiple dimensions. He explains that this peace includes three key elements: peace with God (the end of enmity and opposition to God), peace within oneself (inner tranquility and rest from restlessness), and peace with others. Lloyd-Jones notes that Paul specifically chose the word "peace" rather than other fruits of the Spirit because it comprehensively contrasts with the state of the unbeliever who is at "enmity against God."
How does Lloyd-Jones contrast the carnally minded person with the spiritually minded person?
Lloyd-Jones draws several clear contrasts between these two states:
- The carnally minded person is spiritually dead while the spiritually minded person is alive.
- The carnally minded person is at enmity with God while the spiritually minded person is at peace with God.
- The carnally minded person is not subject to God's law and cannot be, while the spiritually minded person delights in God's law.
- The carnally minded person cannot please God, while the spiritually minded person can and does please God.
- The carnally minded person experiences restlessness and dissatisfaction, while the spiritually minded person finds rest and inner tranquility.
What does Lloyd-Jones say about the Christian's relationship to God's law?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that the Christian has a fundamentally different relationship to God's law than the unbeliever. While the unbeliever hates the law of God and is "not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be," the Christian delights in God's law. He quotes 1 John 5:3, "His commandments are not grievous," to show that Christians find God's commandments good and desirable, not burdensome. Lloyd-Jones states, "A man who objects to the ten Commandments is not a Christian." The Christian sees God's law as an expression of God's character designed for the good of mankind and desires to keep it.
How does peace relate to the fulfillment of the law in the Christian's life?
According to Lloyd-Jones, peace is essential to the fulfillment of the righteousness of the law in the Christian's life. He states, "the righteousness of the law can never be fulfilled in any man who is not at peace with God." This peace with God removes the enmity that prevented the unbeliever from being subject to God's law. The Christian who is at peace with God no longer fights against God's law but embraces it. This peace enables the Christian to please God, both in terms of being declared righteous in Christ and in terms of actually keeping God's commandments through the power of the Spirit.
What does Lloyd-Jones mean by "inner harmony" in the Christian's personality?
Lloyd-Jones explains that the unbeliever suffers from a "central division" or "dualism" at the core of their being—a fundamental conflict between their sense of right and their sinful tendencies. The Christian, however, experiences "inner harmony" because this central division has been healed. While the Christian still struggles with sin in their "mortal body" or "flesh," the core of their personality is no longer divided. He references the poem: "Now rest, my long divided heart fixed on this blissful center." The Christian's heart is "whole" and "won by Christ," even when they still struggle with remaining sin in their physical body.
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.