Questions About Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Romans 14:5-9

What does it mean that "none of us liveth to himself" according to Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, when Paul says "none of us liveth to himself," he is not making a general statement about human interdependence or that our actions affect others. Rather, he is specifically addressing Christians, saying that no Christian should "serve his own ends in life" or assert his own will. The Christian does not live "for his own benefit or for his own pleasure." This principle applies not just to matters like food or special days but governs our entire Christian existence. As Lloyd-Jones explains, "The trouble with us so often is that we get so immersed in details that we forget the biggest principle of all. And the biggest principle of all is that we are to live entirely to his glory and to his praise, not for ourselves."

How does Lloyd-Jones explain Christian liberty regarding observing special days?

Lloyd-Jones explains that regarding special days (like Jewish festivals or fast days), Paul's teaching is twofold. First, "let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind," meaning Christians should have intelligent understanding rather than mechanical observance. Second, and more importantly, the spirit in which we decide is even more important than the decision itself. Whether one observes special days or not, the key principle is that both should do it "unto the Lord" - with a desire to please Him and for His glory. Lloyd-Jones says, "Be persuaded in your own mind. Think it out, reason it out, if you like. Discuss it together, but don't do it in a detached, theoretical manner. The spirit is all important."

What does Lloyd-Jones teach about a Christian's approach to death?

Lloyd-Jones teaches that just as Christians don't live to themselves, they don't die to themselves either. A Christian "should not be concerned in any way to arrive at a decision about this matter." Christians should neither desire to end life prematurely nor should they fear death. He states, "No Christian should ever desire to end life" but at the same time must "be ready to go whenever it is his will." Death, like life, should be entirely submitted to God's sovereignty. As he explains, "To the Christian, it shouldn't matter. Now, we often talk lightly and loosely, don't we? We say, I hope when my time comes, I'll die suddenly. You shouldn't say that. Not for you to decide how you go."

What is the importance of giving thanks according to this sermon?

In this sermon, Lloyd-Jones emphasizes how giving thanks to God is evidence of one's spiritual orientation. He points out that both the Christian who eats certain meats and the one who abstains should give God thanks - one for the meat he eats, the other for the herbs. This thanksgiving demonstrates that both are acting "unto the Lord" despite their different practices. Lloyd-Jones says, "Are these two Christians in the same church disagreeing about these matters, but you notice the things that are common to them. They both are concerned with showing the glory of the Lord... and they both are giving God thanks in exactly the same way, one for meats, one for herbs." This common attitude of thanksgiving shows that their differences are in non-essential matters.

How does Lloyd-Jones interpret Romans 14:8 about living and dying unto the Lord?

Lloyd-Jones interprets Romans 14:8 ("whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord") as the positive form of the principle stated negatively in verse 7. This means that Christians belong entirely to Christ in both life and death. He connects this to Paul's statement in Philippians 1, where Paul says, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Lloyd-Jones explains: "To live is Christ, to die is again Christ. Everything is Christ... The Christian is a man who lives in the Lord and for the Lord. Exactly the same thing applies to death... So if I'm alive, it's Christ. If I'm dead, I'm with Christ. It's Christ. Always in life and in death. Christ governs everything." This understanding should transform both how we live and how we approach death.

What does Lloyd-Jones teach about Christian freedom and matters of conscience?

Lloyd-Jones teaches that in "matters indifferent" or non-essential issues (like food choices or observing special days), Christians have freedom but must exercise it with the right motive - to honor the Lord. He emphasizes that we shouldn't judge others whose consciences lead them to different conclusions on these matters. What matters most is not the specific practice but that both parties are doing what they do "unto the Lord." Lloyd-Jones states, "As long as we are animated by these twin motives of ministering to the glory of God and offering him thanks, we cannot be going wrong in any serious way or manner." The focus should be on understanding each other's motives rather than imposing uniformity in non-essential practices.

How does Lloyd-Jones address the relationship between textual criticism and biblical interpretation?

Lloyd-Jones makes an important distinction between textual criticism and higher criticism when discussing a textual variant in Romans 14:6. He explains that textual criticism is legitimate as it deals with comparing ancient manuscripts to determine the original text. He states: "As Christians we must recognize textual criticism. That's a very different thing from higher criticism. We don't recognize higher criticism because that is simply the introduction of men's mind and opinion and philosophy, men deciding whether a thing is there or not because he doesn't agree with it." For Lloyd-Jones, textual criticism is a necessary scholarly tool while higher criticism imposes human philosophies on Scripture.

What lesson does Lloyd-Jones draw from the conversation between Jesus and Peter in John 21?

Lloyd-Jones uses the conversation between Jesus and Peter from John 21 to illustrate the principle that Christians should submit the manner of their death to God. When Jesus told Peter about his future crucifixion, Peter immediately asked about John's fate, and Jesus replied, "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me." Lloyd-Jones comments: "Peter's not only anxious to control his own death, he's a bit concerned as to how John's going to die... That's not your business. Leave your own death to me. Leave his death to me as well." The lesson is that Christians should not be preoccupied with how or when they'll die but should focus on following Christ.

How should Christians treat each other when they disagree about non-essential matters?

According to Lloyd-Jones, when Christians disagree about non-essential matters, they must be careful not to despise or judge one another. The stronger brother (with more understanding of Christian liberty) shouldn't despise the weaker brother, and the weaker brother shouldn't judge the stronger. Instead, they should recognize that both may be acting out of a sincere desire to honor the Lord. Lloyd-Jones explains: "Watch him and see what he does. Does he give God thanks for this meat? If he does, you've got very good presumptive evidence that he is eating to the glory of God... don't you judge him, don't you condemn him." The focus should be on their common devotion to Christ rather than their differences in practice.

What warning does Lloyd-Jones give about approaching theology in an academic manner?

Lloyd-Jones warns against approaching theological matters in a purely academic or theoretical manner. He states, "The devil always tempts us to become academic or theoretical or coldly objective. It's one of the greatest dangers confronting any Christian, and particularly, particularly the more intelligent Christians." He cautions that one can study theology and doctrine "in a purely theoretical manner and almost forget that you're dealing with God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and these great doctrines of salvation." The warning is against handling spiritual truths "as if you were studying science or any other secular subject," which he calls "a terrible thing."