Sermon on Love, Part 1
A Sermon on Romans 12:9-21
Originally preached April 22, 1966
Scripture
9Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; …
Sermon Description
In this sermon on Romans 12:9–21 titled “Sermon on Love, Part 1,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches that the believer must always proceed from doctrine to application and the two great principles must characterize and govern the Christian life. The apostle Paul is concerned with the practicalities of the Christian life, both in how the Christian acts and reacts. The listener will see their absolute need for the salvation of Christ and respond in presenting themselves as a sacrifice. Love is the fulfilling of the law and it sums up the whole of the law — these two must never be contrasted. “We should be animated in our living with the same kind of love by which God loves us,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones says. Love is totalitarian, not sentimental and weak. God should not be loved merely in word, but also in deed. Learn of the love of the atonement that commands one’s love of God and neighbor. The Christian must keep the law with the Spirit; otherwise they will fall into dissimulation. “The law is an expression of God’s being,” says Dr. Lloyd-Jones. The Christian is to hate and abhor evil, adhering themselves to that which is good in the eyes of God.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon begins by introducing Romans 12:9-21 as a new subsection that deals with practical application and the outworking of doctrine.
- Verses 1-2 provide the foundation for understanding this section. We must understand God's mercy and grace to live this out.
- Verse 9 provides two governing principles: let love be without dissimulation (hypocrisy) and abhor evil, cleave to good.
- Love must be genuine, not pretended or hypocritical. It shows itself in keeping God's commandments, not just words.
- Love is not contrasted with law but fulfills it. The law expresses God's nature and character. We should love God's law.
- We must not be self-centered or men-pleasers in our love. We must love to glorify and please God.
- Love is commanded and results from understanding, not just feeling. We must think it through and obey from the heart.
- To ensure love without hypocrisy, we must understand the doctrine we've been taught and let the Spirit shed God's love in our hearts.
- We must abhor (hate, shrink from) evil, not just avoid doing it. We must see evil in light of God's holiness and hate it as He does.
- We can only abhor evil if we know and love God. The more we know Him, the more we'll hate evil.
- We must cleave (stick fast) to the good, meaning what pleases God. We must join ourselves to it inseparably.
- These principles show we're in the realm of holiness and truth, not just ethics. It's a passion for God, not a list of rules.
- This is a command to obey, not a passive experience. We must work it out, considering God's mercy and the doctrine we've learned.
- There is no "entire sanctification" in this life. This is a perpetual command we must keep obeying.
Sermon Q&A
Understanding Romans 12:9-21: Love Without Hypocrisy and Christian Conduct
What is the main theme of Romans 12:9-21 according to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the main theme of Romans 12:9-21 is the practical application of Christian doctrine in daily living. He explains that this section focuses on "the general conduct and behavior of the Christian much more as an individual and in his relationship to his fellow Christians, and beyond that, his relationship to people more or less in general in the world." The text outlines how genuine love should be expressed in Christian behavior.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones structure the passage of Romans 12:9-21?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies a logical structure in this passage: 1. Verse 9: Two fundamental principles that govern Christian conduct - love without dissimulation (hypocrisy) and abhorring evil while cleaving to good 2. Verses 10-11: Our general spirit and attitude toward others and our work 3. Verses 12-13: How Christians should react to varying circumstances 4. Verses 14-16: Our reaction to other people 5. Verses 17-21: Our reaction to wrong and evil
What does "love without dissimulation" mean according to the sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that "love without dissimulation" means love without pretense or hypocrisy. It is not: - Merely playing a part or pretending - Simple politeness or affability - Something sentimental or weak - Contrasted with law
Rather, it is: - Keeping God's commandments from the heart - Wholehearted obedience without reservations - Loving God and His law - Pleasing God above all else, not ourselves or others
As he states: "If you love me, keep my commandments. You don't love God in words, but in deeds and in truth."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones connect doctrine with Christian practice?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Christian practice must flow from Christian doctrine. He repeatedly references Romans 12:1-2 as the foundation for all the practical instructions that follow: "I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God..." He states, "If we don't know that motive, if that doesn't appeal to us, if that isn't the thing that moves us, well, it is idle to consider these injunctions." Christian behavior is the proper response to understanding God's mercies, not merely following rules.
What does it mean to "abhor evil and cleave to good" according to the sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this means: - Not merely avoiding evil actions, but having a positive hatred for evil itself - Being repulsed by evil in mind, imagination, and thought - "Cleaving" to good like gluing oneself to it - Developing this attitude through understanding God's holiness - Having a passion for holiness that comes from love for God
He states: "You will have a positive hatred of evil—in other words, you see, the command is that we are to be like God himself: 'Be holy, for I am holy.'"
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones refute the idea that Paul's teaching contradicts Christ's teaching?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that this passage provides "a final answer to those people who would have us believe that there is a contrast between the teaching of our blessed Lord and the apostle Paul." He shows that Paul is dealing with the same practical ethics as Jesus did in the Sermon on the Mount. Both are concerned with how love of God and love of neighbor should be expressed in practical living. Paul's teaching is not mere theology disconnected from practice, but rather provides the doctrinal foundation that makes Christian ethics possible.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say that holiness is not something "done for you"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones rejects the teaching of "let go and let God" regarding sanctification. He emphasizes that the commands in this passage require our active participation. He states, "Holiness is not something that's done for you... This is a command." While God provides the motivation and power through His Spirit, we must actively "hate evil" and "cleave to good." He adds that "there is no such thing as entire sanctification in this life" because these commands require ongoing obedience throughout the Christian life.
How should Christians develop genuine love according to the sermon?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, genuine love develops through: 1. Understanding the doctrine of God's love and mercy toward us 2. Meditating on God's holiness and character 3. Recognizing God's love demonstrated in Christ's sacrifice 4. Having the Holy Spirit shed God's love abroad in our hearts 5. Responding with gratitude to God's grace
He explains: "If you want to know how to live, don't start with the practicalities. Start with the truth, with the doctrine. Understand it, grasp it, see what it means in terms of God's love to you. And then you'll find a great love welling up in your own heart."
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.