Grace; So Rich and Free
A Sermon on Romans 5:6-11
Originally preached Jan. 17, 1958
Scripture
6For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we …
Sermon Description
God’s love for His children is a main theme throughout the Bible. But, how can we be sure of His love? In this sermon on Romans 5:6-11, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones points out several truths which clearly prove God’s love for us. He begins by pointing out that God is the One who gave us our salvation. Not only that, but He sent His one and only Son to come and die on a cross so that we might have salvation. Dr. Lloyd-Jones goes on to point out the truth that we were not given salvation because we had earned it or worked for it. In fact, when Jesus died for us, we were ungodly and enemies of God. We were sinners who had broken the Law and were deserving of eternal death. However, God, in His abundant grace and mercy, saved us while we were still sinners. He sought us even when we were His enemies and called us His own. Dr. Lloyd-Jones encourages us to find joy in this proof of God’s love in saving us, despite our sinful nature. He encourages us to never forget the amazing gift of salvation that the Lord has so graciously given us, and to find assurance in this proof of His love.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul's object in Romans 5 is to teach the security of the believer and give assurance of salvation.
- Our salvation is entirely of God, planned before the foundation of the world. This demonstrates God's love.
- What God has actually done in sending Christ to die proves His love.
- The character of the people for whom this was done - without strength, ungodly, sinners - emphasizes God's love.
- The whole world is ungodly; every Christian was once ungodly. Mere belief in God or good works does not make one godly.
- Christ died for the ungodly, not the righteous or good. There was nothing in us to recommend us to God.
- Our salvation is entirely gratuitous, arising from God's love and grace alone.
- This demonstration of God's love should be the greatest source of assurance for believers. If salvation depended on us, our position would be precarious. But God does not change, so we can be sure of remaining saved.
- In verses 9-10, Paul will draw a deduction from and clinch the points he has made.
Sermon Q&A
Questions about Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Romans 5:6-11
What does it mean to be "ungodly" according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, being "ungodly" means two main things. First, it means we are "unlike God" - the image of God upon men has become defaced. As he explains, "This image of God which was put upon men, this imprint of God's own being that was put upon men, which consists partly in his intellect and understanding, his power to reason, his power to look on at himself objectively, his capacity for communion with God that has become defaced." Second, it means being "without love to God" and actually being "an enemy of God." The ungodly person doesn't delight in God or His law, and lives as if there isn't a God.
What is the difference between a "righteous man" and a "good man" in Romans 5:7?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that a righteous man is an upright man who keeps the law and follows the rules - he's correct and proper. A good man, however, goes beyond mere correctness: "A good man is a man who does all that, but who goes beyond it. The good man is not only a righteous man, he's a man who goes beyond it. He's governed by love. He goes the second mile." He illustrates this with a piano player who can hit all the correct notes (righteous) versus one who adds artistry and emotion (good). The good man inspires love in others and is lovable, which is why "possibly for this good man, some would even dare to die."
What evidence does Paul provide for God's love according to the sermon?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Paul provides several proofs of God's love: 1. That salvation was entirely God's plan before the foundation of the world 2. That Christ, the only begotten Son of God, came and died - "There's nothing beyond that, nothing greater than death" 3. The character of the people for whom Christ died - they were "without strength," "ungodly," and "sinners" - people who deserved nothing but God's wrath 4. That Christ died for us "while we were yet sinners" - when there was nothing lovable about us, when we were enemies of God
What is the significance of salvation being "entirely gratuitous" in the sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that salvation is "entirely gratuitous," meaning it comes completely from God's grace with nothing in us to recommend us to God. This is significant because it becomes our greatest source of assurance. If salvation depended in any way on our goodness or works, we would always be insecure, wondering if we might fail and lose our salvation. But since salvation depends entirely on God's unchanging love, we can be secure. As Lloyd-Jones states: "If my salvation depends upon the love of God, and on that alone and on nothing in me, I am sure of it. I am certain of it. Why? Well, because God doesn't change."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the natural condition of all people before salvation?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes all people before salvation as: 1. "Without strength" - having a total inability to do anything about their own salvation 2. "Ungodly" - with God's image defaced and without love to God 3. "Sinners" - offenders, trespassers who have missed the mark 4. Having "moral turpitude" rather than moral excellence 5. "Guilty in the sight of God" and "deserving of the wrath of God" 6. People who have "deliberately flouted God's law" 7. "Hateful creatures. Ugly, foul, vile, dead, despicable, desperate" 8. "A monstrosity in God's universe" 9. "Enemies" of God - actively opposed to Him
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say we shouldn't try to understand everything about God's plan?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones cautions against trying to understand everything about God's eternal plan, saying: "Don't try to understand these things. You never will. We can't understand them. People ask questions sometimes they say, if God foresaw it all, why did he allow it? The answer to that is, I don't know. Nobody else knows. We must accept what we are told in the scriptures." He argues that insisting on understanding before believing is actually sin - "intellectual pride and arrogance" and a "refusal to become as a little child." Faith means accepting God's revelation even when we don't fully understand it.
According to the sermon, why is the love of God the basis for the believer's security?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the love of God is the basis for the believer's security because: 1. It doesn't depend on anything in us - we were "without strength," "ungodly," and "sinners" 2. It is entirely based on God's character, not our performance 3. God doesn't change - "If I am within the ambit and the scope of the love of God now, I always shall be" 4. Our salvation is "entirely gratuitous" - completely of grace 5. Since it depends on God's love alone and not on us, we can be certain of it
This security is what Paul is establishing in Romans 5 - "The apostle's fundamental object is in this chapter to teach the security of the believer, to give assurance of salvation, to show the finality of our salvation."
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.