Modern Pharisees
A Sermon on Romans 8:3-4
Originally preached Feb. 28, 1960
Scripture
3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not …
Sermon Description
In this sermon on Romans 8:3–4 titled “Modern Pharisees,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows how Jesus came in order to fulfill the law that no one could. Modern day Pharisees are those who reject Christ’s sacrifice and try to justify themselves by their own works. Regardless of how carefully one tries to uphold the law, they cannot obey the First Commandment to love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. The beauty of the gospel is that Christ came to redeem the wicked, not the self-righteous. Anyone who is burdened with the guilt of sin and feels unworthy can find peace in Christ’s blessing of those who are poor in spirit and avoid the folly of the modern Pharisees.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon focuses on Romans 8:3-4 which sums up the central message of the Christian gospel.
- Verses 3-4 are packed with gospel truth and force us to focus on the core of the gospel.
- The apostle Paul had to spend much time arguing against those who rejected the gospel. Similarly, Jesus spent much time arguing against the Pharisees who were his bitter enemies.
- The Pharisees were extremely self-righteous, trusted in their own good works, and looked down on others. They are a symbol of legalistic self-righteousness.
- The modern Pharisees are those outside the church who believe in Christian ethics but reject Christian doctrines. They believe they can live good lives through their own effort and don't need Christ.
- The Pharisees completely underestimate the demands of the law and overestimate their own ability. They don't realize the law requires perfection and they are powerless to fulfill it.
- The law itself has no power to enable us to fulfill its demands. It shows us God's standard but cannot empower us to meet it. We are too weak in the flesh.
- The greatest saints confess they cannot fulfill the law's demands through their own efforts. They recognize their own sinfulness and need for grace.
- The Pharisees fail to see their desperate position before God and their need for forgiveness. They don't love God fully or their neighbor as themselves.
- The Pharisees reject the gospel which alone can empower them to live as God requires. They reject Christ's atoning work which is the supreme demonstration of God's love.
- There is no greater insult to God than rejecting his offer of mercy and grace in Christ. The Pharisees cut themselves off from the only means of salvation.
- We must see our need for the gospel, acknowledge our sin and weakness, and cry out for God's mercy. Only then can we begin to truly live out Christian ethics through the power of Christ in us.
Sermon Q&A
What Did Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About Modern Pharisees?
Based on this sermon by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Romans 8:3-4, here are some key questions and answers about his teaching on modern Pharisees:
Who are the modern Pharisees according to Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, modern Pharisees are primarily found outside the church, not inside it. They are people who claim to embrace the "Christian ethic" while rejecting Christian doctrine. He described them as "good people" who believe they can practice Christian morality without needing salvation, forgiveness, or Christ's atonement. These are individuals who, like the Pharisee in Jesus' parable, "trust in themselves that they are righteous and despise others."
What is the fundamental error of modern Pharisees?
The fundamental error of modern Pharisees is twofold: they underestimate the demands of God's law while overestimating their own ability to fulfill it. Lloyd-Jones explained: "The trouble with the Pharisee always is that he underestimates the righteous demand of the law." They reduce Christianity to avoiding certain sins and performing charitable acts, completely missing that God's law demands perfect love toward God and neighbor.
How does Lloyd-Jones interpret Romans 8:3-4 in relation to Pharisaism?
Lloyd-Jones interprets Romans 8:3-4 as the complete refutation of Pharisaism. The passage states: "For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us." This shows that even God's perfect law couldn't enable humans to live righteously because of our sinful nature ("the flesh"). Only through Christ's sacrifice can the demands of the law be fulfilled in believers.
Why can't humans fulfill the law's demands according to Lloyd-Jones?
Lloyd-Jones explained that humans cannot fulfill the law's demands because "the natural mind is enmity against God." He cited Romans 8, where Paul writes that "the carnal mind is enmity against God, is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Our nature is biased toward evil, and even the greatest saints in history have acknowledged their inability to fulfill God's law perfectly. Lloyd-Jones quoted hymn writers like Toplady who wrote, "Not the labors of my hands can fulfill thy law's demands."
What is the greatest sin according to this sermon?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the greatest sin is not recognizing one's own sinfulness and need for Christ. He stated: "Drunkenness and immorality are not the greatest sins. Here's the sin of sins: not to realize that you're a guilty sinner. Not to realize that you're unworthy to stand before God. That's the essence of sin." The Pharisee's failure to see his guilt before God is worse than the publican's moral failings.
How does Lloyd-Jones describe the love of God in contrast to Pharisaism?
Lloyd-Jones describes God's love as demonstrated in sending His Son as a sacrifice for sin. He calls this "the most glorious thing in God himself," which the Pharisee rejects. He says the modern Pharisee is "spitting upon God's love" in his "foolish intellectual superiority" by claiming he doesn't need Christ's atonement. God's love is displayed in providing what the law could not do - making sinners righteous through Christ's sacrifice.
What is Lloyd-Jones' pastoral appeal to those with a Pharisaical attitude?
Lloyd-Jones appeals to those with Pharisaical attitudes to recognize their true condition before God, understand the impossibility of fulfilling God's law through human effort, and embrace Christ's sacrifice. He urges them to cry out like the publican, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." He warns that rejecting Christ's atonement is "the last insult" to God and assures that anyone who recognizes their need and confesses it will be accepted by God and enabled to truly live the Christian ethic through Christ's power.
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.