Knowledge of the Truth
A Sermon on Romans 10:3
Originally preached May 17, 1963
Scripture
3For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Sermon Description
What was the main trouble with the Jews that Paul is speaking about in Romans 10:3? It is that they did not have a complete and full knowledge of the truth of God. In this sermon on Romans 10:3 titled “Knowledge of the Truth,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that a precise knowledge of the truth is essential to salvation and Paul is praying and longing for the salvation of the Jews because they lack this knowledge. The Jews may have been nice people and very zealous, but this cannot be mistaken for true Christian faith. Truth cannot be based in subjective terms because the gospel is truly objective. The Pharisees had misinterpreted the Old Testament teaching about the righteousness of God and the righteousness that He demands. This was ignorance on their part. Ignorance means that there is not full knowledge and the Jews were ignorant of the full knowledge of God. This stood in between them and their salvation. Dr. Lloyd-Jones urges the listener to have a precise knowledge because ignorant knowledge is the enemy. Without true knowledge, one will be lost, damned, and outside the kingdom of God.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul's concern in Romans 10:1-3 is that the Jews lacked precise knowledge of the truth which resulted in their damnation.
- There is a dangerous tendency today to discount precise knowledge, doctrine and theology in favor of vague spirituality. This is contrary to the Bible.
- Salvation comes through knowing the truth, not through feelings or being a "nice" person.
- The Jews were ignorant of the righteousness that God demands, not the righteousness God provides. They misunderstood the law and God's requirements.
- "Ignorant" means having imperfect or partial knowledge, not complete ignorance. The Jews and Paul had some knowledge but lacked precision.
- We must have precise knowledge of essential Christian doctrines, not just vague feelings. Imprecise knowledge is dangerous.
- What passes as charity today often denies precise truth. This is laxity and looseness, not real charity.
- We must keep to the simplicity of the truth in Christ and be ready to explain the hope within us.
- Enlighten our understanding, O God, and keep us from confusion about this vital matter of truth.
- May God's grace, love and fellowship be with us as we seek to bring others from ignorance to the light of the knowledge of God's glory in Christ.
Sermon Q&A
What Does Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About Knowledge and Salvation?
What is the main point of Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Romans 10:3?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans 10:3 teaches that precise, exact knowledge of the truth is essential to salvation. The Jews, whom Paul was concerned about, had "a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge." Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the word for knowledge here is the strongest word used in Scripture for knowledge, meaning "a full, a correct and a vital knowledge." This lack of precise understanding of God's truth was the cause of their failure to be saved.
Why does Lloyd-Jones believe precise knowledge is so important to Christianity?
Lloyd-Jones argues that precise knowledge is essential because: 1. The New Testament consistently teaches that salvation comes through knowing the truth 2. Without exact knowledge, you cannot distinguish between true and false gospels 3. Sanctification and Christian growth depend on truth (John 17) 4. Believers must be able to "give an answer" for their hope (1 Peter 3:15) 5. The apostles consistently defended exact doctrine against error
He warns that we live in an "antitheological, antidoctrinal" age that "dislikes precision" and prefers feelings over exact understanding.
What modern tendencies does Lloyd-Jones criticize regarding Christian knowledge?
Lloyd-Jones criticizes several modern approaches: 1. The view that Christianity is "too wonderful to define" 2. The idea that Christianity is just "a matter of a man's spirit" or attitude 3. The notion that only our "reaction to Jesus" matters, not doctrinal beliefs 4. The claim that living a good life matters more than what one believes 5. Most dangerous of all, the tendency to evaluate Christianity by subjective feelings about people rather than their actual beliefs
What does Lloyd-Jones mean by being "ignorant of God's righteousness"?
Lloyd-Jones suggests that "being ignorant of God's righteousness" in Romans 10:3 means: 1. The Jews misunderstood the righteousness that God demands 2. They had partial knowledge but not exact, complete knowledge 3. Like the Pharisees, they misinterpreted God's law by focusing on external actions rather than heart attitudes 4. They failed to understand the depth and spiritual nature of God's requirements 5. This ignorance led them to attempt to establish their own righteousness rather than submitting to God's provided righteousness
How does Lloyd-Jones describe the difference between true and false Christian fellowship?
Lloyd-Jones makes a crucial distinction between true Christian fellowship and mere social compatibility: 1. True fellowship is based on shared belief in essential Christian truth 2. Many mistake "natural qualities or niceness or a cultural veneer or politeness for true Christian grace" 3. "Affability is not saintliness" - being agreeable doesn't equal being godly 4. We cannot have genuine spiritual fellowship with those who deny essential Christian doctrines 5. Personal likeability should never override doctrinal fidelity
He warns: "What is being put first is our subjective feeling... in spite of what he says in his book. I therefore have a feeling somehow that the man is all right after all."
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.