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Sermon #3321

Love (2)

A Sermon on Romans 12:9-11

Scripture

Romans 12:9-11 ESV NASB KJV
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. (ESV)

Sermon Description

Becoming a Christian means becoming part of a family. The Christian family is not a natural family but a supernatural one. When one is born again, they see that the same is true for other Christians. The apostle Paul teaches Christians that they are to love brothers and sisters in the faith as though they were brothers and sisters in blood. In this sermon on Romans 12:9–11 titled “Love (2),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones warns that this love is not phony love. It is not based upon positive circumstances and not the same as merely “liking” each member of the body of Christ. It is an innate or instinctive love as one has for blood family. There is a strong chance, warns Dr. Lloyd-Jones, a Christian will not have instinctive affections for other Christians. What are they to do? They cannot base their love on feelings since feelings are fickle. He exhorts the Christian to begin with doctrine. The Christian works out their doctrine of regeneration and the teaching of Scripture regarding the household of God. Christians have a bond of faith which surpasses even the natural bonds of blood. Dr. Lloyd-Jones asks the pressing question of believers: what do they feel about their fellow Christians? Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones stirs the listener to consider brotherly love and showing honor to the body of Christ.

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.