Faith and Experience
A Sermon on Romans 8:16
Originally preached Jan. 27, 1961
Scripture
16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Sermon Description
When does the believer receive the Holy Spirit? Is it at the moment of adoption into the body of Christ through faith or is it sometime later? Often after accepting the gift of salvation, one may not feel the flooding nature of spiritual baptism. Others may feel the Spirit immediately. In this sermon on Romans 8:16 titled “Faith and Experience,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones comments on this phenomenon in this message of assurance and unity. The sermon also surveys other examples in the New Testament where the Spirit is received. He provides context into the sealing of the Spirit, as well as context into the translation of the word. He answers the question: Who baptizes with the Spirit? Dr. Lloyd-Jones elaborates on what rights a believer has, both before and after receiving the Spirit. He delves into the wide scope of Puritan writers, as well as other Christian perspectives, concerning this theological argument in order to further expand this topic and solidify its interpretation. Listen as the power of the Spirit is unraveled and opened to the believer in its ability to unify the church body of Christ across its many differences to do His good work in the world.
Sermon Breakdown
- The passage under consideration is Romans 8:16 - The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.
- This is a statement of the highest assurance and glory that can be attained in this life.
- The terms "spirit" and "witness" were defined in the previous sermons. The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit.
- This witness is usually given through the Word or preaching but can come independently. It gives absolute certainty of our sonship.
- This witness is the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the sealing of the Spirit. They give the same assurance.
- The question addressed here is "When is this witness given?" Some say it happens to all Christians at regeneration but this view does not fit Scripture or experience.
- Acts 2, 8, 10 and 19 show that believing and receiving the Spirit are separable. The apostles were believers before Pentecost.
- Ephesians 1:13 shows that believing precedes the sealing of the Spirit. The correct translation is "having believed, you were sealed".
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 refers to the Spirit baptizing us into the body of Christ, not the baptism with the Spirit. All Christians experience the former.
- The witness of the Spirit is usually given after an interval, not at the moment of belief. But it can be nearly simultaneous, as with Cornelius.
- The experiences of great Christians like John Flavel, George Whitefield, John Wesley, and Charles Finney confirm this. They were believers first, then received the Spirit's witness.
- The Puritans, like John Preston, John Owen, and Thomas Brooks, taught that faith precedes the Spirit's witness.
- Other teachers like Charles Simeon, Robert Haldane, J. C. Philpot, and C. H. Spurgeon confirm this. Spurgeon preached on it in 1882.
- In summary, believing always precedes the Spirit's witness, though the interval may be short. But the two can be separated, as Scripture and experience show.
Sermon Q&A
What Did Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About the Witness of the Holy Spirit?
What does Romans 8:16 teach about the witness of the Holy Spirit?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Romans 8:16 teaches that "the Holy Spirit himself bears witness to this fact that we are the children of God." This witness comes alongside the witness of our own spirits. The Spirit confirms what our own spirits have already expressed in the cry "Abba, Father" (from verse 15). Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that this is "the highest form of assurance that is ever possible to any Christian in this world of time." It's higher than any assurance we can deduce from Scripture statements or from examining ourselves and discovering the work or fruit of the Spirit in our lives.
How is the witness of the Holy Spirit different from the regular work of the Spirit?
Lloyd-Jones explains that the witness of the Holy Spirit is not the ordinary work of the Spirit in conviction, conversion, and sanctification. This is a "peculiar and special thing" where the Spirit gives us "this certain specific knowledge with this absolute certainty that we are the children of God." He describes it as something exceptional and extraordinary - not the normal Christian experience but a special work that gives supreme assurance. Lloyd-Jones states: "You can be a Christian without ever knowing this spirit bearing witness with your spirit."
When does the witness of the Holy Spirit typically occur?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the witness of the Holy Spirit does not necessarily happen at regeneration or conversion. He argues that Scripture and church history show there is often an interval between believing and receiving this witness. He cites numerous examples: - The apostles were believers before Pentecost - The Samaritan converts in Acts 8 believed and were baptized before receiving the Holy Spirit - Cornelius and his household in Acts 10 - The disciples at Ephesus in Acts 19
Lloyd-Jones summarizes: "In some instances it is almost instantaneous with conversion... But in the vast majority of instances, there is a clear interval. Sometimes there is even a long interval."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones support this teaching from church history?
Lloyd-Jones provides numerous examples from church history of believers who received this witness of the Spirit after they were already Christians: - John Flavel, the Puritan, who had a profound experience while on a journey - George Whitefield, who believed before receiving this sealing - John Wesley, whose heart was "strangely warmed" on May 24, 1738, after he had already believed - Howell Harris, who was converted at Easter 1735 but received this witness three weeks later - Jonathan Edwards, Charles Finney, and D.L. Moody, who all had similar experiences
How do Puritans and other theologians describe this witness of the Spirit?
Lloyd-Jones quotes extensively from Puritan and Reformed writers to show this teaching has historical precedent: - John Preston: "When a man hath believed and took Jesus Christ... after he hath thus believed, then cometh the Holy Ghost and seals the same things unto you." - John Owen described it as the Spirit coming in "with his testimony" to confirm the believer's plea that they are a child of God - Thomas Brooks taught that this sealing comes after believing - Charles Simeon stated this was "reserved for those who, after having believed, have maintained a close walk with God" - Robert Haldane, J.C. Philpott, William Guthrie, and Charles Spurgeon all taught similar views
How is the Spirit's witness typically given to believers?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this witness is most frequently given through the Word. He describes how sometimes while reading Scripture, a passage "suddenly comes out, as it were, to meet you. It's illuminated. It speaks to you with a strange, exceptional authority, telling you that this is for you." It may also come through preaching, when "suddenly it becomes alive to us in a most unusual manner." Sometimes it can come independently of both these agencies - "a direct, immediate speaking" where an intimation is given to the soul that God loves that person.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones address objections to this teaching?
Lloyd-Jones addresses several objections: 1. Regarding 1 Corinthians 12:13 ("by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body"), he explains this refers to the Spirit baptizing us into Christ's body, not Christ baptizing us with the Spirit. 2. Regarding Acts 11:17, he argues that the translation "when we believed" is not grammatically necessary and that "having believed" is more accurate. 3. He challenges those who claim no Puritans taught this view by providing extensive quotations showing many did. 4. He corrects the misunderstanding that this teaching implies people aren't Christians until they receive this witness.
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.