None Should Boast
A Sermon on Romans 11:18-22
Originally preached Jan. 22, 1965
Scripture
18Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be …
Sermon Description
Now that Christ has come, what is the relationship between Jews and Gentiles? This is the question Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones seeks to answer in this sermon on Romans 11:18–22 titled “None Should Boast.” Christ Jesus has come and instituted the new covenant – the fulfilment of all of God’s Old Testament covenants. In the new covenant, there is no longer a distinction between Jew and Gentile, for all are made one by believing in Christ and in His death, burial, and resurrection. Paul makes it clear that the Jews have not been rejected in total, but only those Jews who do not believe in Jesus Christ. Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that it is a mistake to think that the Gentiles are part of the new covenant because of anything they have done. Paul goes on to make it perfectly clear that salvation is always by grace and grace alone. Nothing either Jews or Gentiles can do can ever make them part of the people of God. It is by the grace of God given in His Son Jesus Christ that anyone can know God and love Him. Gentiles have no ground for boasting because it is all the grace of God and not human works or merit.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul is addressing Gentile Christians in Rome. He is warning them against boasting and despising the Jews.
- Paul reminds the Gentiles that they do not support the root, but the root supports them. They were grafted into the olive tree.
- Paul addresses the false argument that the Jews were broken off so the Gentiles could be grafted in, proving the Gentiles are superior. Paul says the Jews were broken off because of unbelief, not inferiority. The Gentiles stand by faith alone.
- Paul warns the Gentiles against becoming arrogant, saying "Be not highminded, but fear."
- Paul argues that if God did not spare the natural branches (the Jews), He will not spare the grafted in branches (the Gentiles) either.
- Paul says we must understand both the goodness and severity of God. God showed severity to the Jews who fell, but goodness to the Gentiles. But the Gentiles must continue in His goodness or be cut off.
- The root issue is failing to understand the truth about God - His nature, character, and attributes. People construct their own ideas of God instead of relying on His revelation.
- Paul is addressing those who think they are Christians because of their own superiority or merit. He says this denies salvation by faith alone.
- Paul warns against boasting in anything except faith in Christ.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Romans 11:17-22
What is the main passage Dr. Lloyd-Jones is expounding in this sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones is expounding Romans 11:17-22, focusing particularly on verses 18-22. This passage deals with the relationship between Jews and Gentiles in the Christian church, using the metaphor of an olive tree where some natural branches (Jews) were broken off and wild olive branches (Gentiles) were grafted in.
What is the four-part approach Dr. Lloyd-Jones uses to analyze this text?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones approaches the text with four main divisions: 1) Exposition - explaining what the apostle is actually saying; 2) Teaching - extracting the doctrine or principles from the text; 3) Addressing a Problem - reconciling this teaching with the doctrine of the final perseverance of the saints; 4) Application - showing the relevance to the current situation in the Christian church, particularly regarding ecumenical teaching.
What warning does Paul give to the Gentile Christians in this passage?
Paul warns the Gentile Christians not to "boast against the branches" (the Jews who were broken off). He cautions them against developing pride in their position and despising the Jews. The apostle reminds them that they don't bear the root, but the root bears them - meaning they are dependent on the Jewish heritage of faith, not the other way around.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the phrase "thou standest by faith"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that "standest by faith" indicates that Christians have a confident standing before God, not through nationality or inherent goodness, but solely through faith. He connects this to Romans 5:2 about "this grace wherein we stand" and Psalm 1's contrast between the righteous who stand and the ungodly who are blown away like chaff. A Christian stands with boldness and confidence in God's presence, not through any merit of their own.
What is the unanswerable argument Paul presents in verse 21?
Paul presents the argument from the greater to the lesser: "If God spared not the natural branches, take heed, lest he also spare not thee." Lloyd-Jones explains this means if God did not spare the Jews (his original chosen people) because of their unbelief and pride, how much more will He not spare Gentile Christians who exhibit the same attitudes? This demolishes any Gentile claim to superiority.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the root cause of boastfulness in the church?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies the root cause of boastfulness as a failure to understand the truth about God Himself - specifically failing to recognize both God's goodness and His severity. When people accept only parts of God's revealed character (like His love) while rejecting others (like His justice), they create a false image of God rather than worshiping Him as He truly is.
What false belief of the Gentile Christians was Paul addressing?
Paul was addressing the false belief that Gentiles were in the church because they were inherently superior to Jews. This misunderstanding led them to think that the Jews were rejected and they were accepted because of some inherent quality in themselves rather than understanding that salvation is by faith alone. This mirrors the Jews' earlier error of thinking they were saved simply because of their nationality.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones apply this passage to contemporary Christianity?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones applies this to people who think they are Christians because of their nationality, upbringing, baptism, or moral character rather than through faith. He also mentions those who justify immoral behavior or non-attendance at worship by claiming "God is love" while ignoring His severity and justice. In both cases, people are substituting their own ideas about God rather than accepting His full self-revelation in Scripture.
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.